Talk:2098: Magnetic Pole

GPS relies on satellites not the magnetic pole, so it wouldn't be affected.

So, GPS receivers don't need magnetic poles... but what about the GPS satellites? GPS works being them transmitting their exact location, so they need so way of knowing what that is. JamesCurran (talk) 22:58, 14 January 2019 (UTC)

I was wondering about that. Just added ^{[citation needed]} to that and a couple of other alleged facts that should really be cited if true, and removed if not. 108.162.216.208 20:35, 14 January 2019 (UTC)

It was speculated that reversals were linked to mass extinctions. This would make the alt-text appear to be a bit blase - but " Statistical analysis shows no evidence for a correlation between reversals and extinctions." so it seems we will probably be OK. It does seem odd that GPS wouldn't be calibrated against fixed ground positions. Baldrickk (talk) 22:06, 14 January 2019 (UTC)

I don't believe any "location systems" depend on magnetic field for their accuracy, other than a magnetic compass. As noted above, GPS is calculated numerically from signals received from satellites, so the only effect the magnetic field could have on that is if it somehow disrupts the broadcast of the satellite radio signals. Similarly, LORAN calculates location based on radio signal, from towers on land. There are others as well, and I'm pretty sure none that depend on the location of the magnetic pole. GPS in general is not calibrated to fixed ground positions, but there are enhancements to GPS that do. But those still use radio broadcasts from towers whose locations are known, and don't need to take into account the location of magnetic north. Lnthomp (talk) 22:28, 14 January 2019 (UTC)