Despite the length of time people have lived on Earth, there's still much to learn about the planet's magnetic field. Officials with the European Space Agency continue to learn about the mix of magnetic materials and electric currents.

Enter Swarm

The ESA states that an upcoming mission is designed to help people learn more about the Earth's magnetic field. Agency officials hope to gain deeper insight into why the magnetic field is weakening, as well as how activity on Earth and space influence it. To achieve these research goals, the ESA will launch Swarm, a constellation of three satellites, into space Nov. 14. The equipment collects information above the Earth, as well as from deep beneath its crust. Swarm satellites collect data on magnetic signals from the ionosphere and magnetosphere. They also collect magnetic signals from the planet's core, mantle, crust, and oceans. As Swarm, which comes with magnetic sensors, was created to help the ESA fill in the gaps about the Earth's magnetic field, it's been designed to fly in specific orbits.

Getting ready for launch

Swarm's discoveries could mean a lot for science, which is why the ESA is taking the constellation's upcoming launch so seriously. Recent weeks have seen Swarm undergo a series of tests to make sure the satellites are in working order. ESA officials are not taking any chances. They have even gone so far as using a stethoscope to listen to how well Swarm's propulsion system valves work.

Useful results

With so much work going into Swarm's launch, the ESA hopes to eventually put their findings to good use. In fact, the ESA states that data collected by the satellites will have a variety of applications. This includes predicting future earthquakes to improving the accuracy of navigation systems. The information Swarm collects will be useful in helping scientists understand the planet's fading magnetic field. According to National Geographic, the Earth's magnetic field was about 10 percent weaker in 2004 than it was in 1845, when Carl Friedrich Gauss, a German mathematician, began to monitor it. To read more about Earth's weakening magnetic field, click here. Despite how weak the planet's magnetic field has become over time, it can still give the strongest of your neodymium magnets a run for its money.

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