Overview

• The peer‑reviewed analysis led by Chris Finlay finds the anomaly’s footprint grew by an area comparable to nearly half of continental Europe between 2014 and 2025.
• Swarm satellite data show a particularly rapid drop in magnetic intensity since about 2020 off the southwest coast of Africa, which researchers attribute to unusual flow patterns near the core–mantle boundary.
• Space agencies warn the weaker shielding increases radiation exposure for satellites and can degrade GNSS accuracy and some communications, leading to heightened operational precautions rather than a blanket outage.
• Argentina and neighboring countries lie within the affected zone, with Argentina described as especially exposed, and the national space agency CONAE coordinating mitigation with international partners.
• The dataset also records strengthening over Siberia and weakening over much of Canada, and officials stress the anomaly has varied for decades rather than ‘returning after 70 years,’ underscoring the need for ongoing model updates.