collapse?

 

South Atlantic Anomaly

For years, scientists have been gripped by the existence of a strange anomaly weakening Earth's magnetic field. It's located in the midst of the South Atlantic ocean, extending all the way from South America to the west coast of southern Africa. This giant, puzzling expanse of reduced magnetic intensity - which in recent times looks to be splitting into two divided entities - means the region offers less protection against harmful radiation from the Sun for Earth's satellites. That's a problem for spacecraft today. But perhaps the greatest significance of the South Atlantic Anomaly is what it might mean for tomorrow: specifically, whether the mysterious phenomenon foreshadows the beginnings of a complete polar reversal of Earth's magnetic field. Such giant magnetic flips have occurred many times in our planet's history, and some scientists have speculated that the South Atlantic Anomaly could be a kind of precursor to these rare global transitions.

Vast Anomaly in Earth's Magnetic Field Keeps Growing, Satellites Reveal   Science Alert - October 14, 2025

NASA has been monitoring a strange 'growing' anomaly in Earth's magnetic field: a giant region of lower magnetic intensity in the skies above the planet, stretching out between South America and southwest Africa   Science Alert - December 29, 2024

Marker for the collapse of key Atlantic current discovered   Live Science - February 9, 2024

Ocean system that moves heat gets closer to collapse, which could cause weather chaos   PhysOrg - February 9, 2024
An abrupt shutdown of Atlantic Ocean currents that could put large parts of Europe in a deep freeze is looking a bit more likely and closer than before as a new complex computer simulation finds a "cliff-like" tipping point looming in the future.

NASA is actively monitoring a strange anomaly in Earth's magnetic field: a giant region of lower magnetic intensity in the skies above the planet, stretching out between South America and southwest Africa   Science Alert - March 23, 2023