Possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings
Abstract A hypothesis is proposed wherein changes in the Earth's magnetic field affect the migratory paths of snow buntings ( Plectrophenax nivalis ), and in particular from wintering grounds in the Russian/Ukrainian steppes to breeding grounds on Svalbard and with a typical stopover in Finnmar...
Published in: | International Journal of Astrobiology |
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Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2019
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1473550419000193 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1473550419000193 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s1473550419000193 2024-09-15T18:06:12+00:00 Possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings Hall, Chris M. Johnsen, Magnar G. 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1473550419000193 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1473550419000193 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms International Journal of Astrobiology volume 19, issue 2, page 195-201 ISSN 1473-5504 1475-3006 journal-article 2019 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550419000193 2024-08-21T04:03:27Z Abstract A hypothesis is proposed wherein changes in the Earth's magnetic field affect the migratory paths of snow buntings ( Plectrophenax nivalis ), and in particular from wintering grounds in the Russian/Ukrainian steppes to breeding grounds on Svalbard and with a typical stopover in Finnmark in northern Norway. If one were to assume ignorance of the secular movement of the magnetic north pole approximately 1500 km northwards between 1908 and 2020, the magnetoreceptor contribution to snow buntings' navigation would result in winter-to-summer migratory paths progressively further to the East. In turn, this could be a contributing factor to declining populations in Finnmark and favouring a more frequent flightpath over the Kola Peninsula. On the other hand, short-term perturbations in the magnetic field (i.e. induced by solar activity) and therefore existing for a relatively small proportion of the flight time (if at all) for the individual migrations legs seem unlikely to influence the stopover locations significantly. Even so, these space-weather induced variations cannot be disregarded, particularly for success in reaching Svalbard. Article in Journal/Newspaper Finnmark kola peninsula North Pole Northern Norway Plectrophenax nivalis Svalbard Finnmark Cambridge University Press International Journal of Astrobiology 19 2 195 201 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract A hypothesis is proposed wherein changes in the Earth's magnetic field affect the migratory paths of snow buntings ( Plectrophenax nivalis ), and in particular from wintering grounds in the Russian/Ukrainian steppes to breeding grounds on Svalbard and with a typical stopover in Finnmark in northern Norway. If one were to assume ignorance of the secular movement of the magnetic north pole approximately 1500 km northwards between 1908 and 2020, the magnetoreceptor contribution to snow buntings' navigation would result in winter-to-summer migratory paths progressively further to the East. In turn, this could be a contributing factor to declining populations in Finnmark and favouring a more frequent flightpath over the Kola Peninsula. On the other hand, short-term perturbations in the magnetic field (i.e. induced by solar activity) and therefore existing for a relatively small proportion of the flight time (if at all) for the individual migrations legs seem unlikely to influence the stopover locations significantly. Even so, these space-weather induced variations cannot be disregarded, particularly for success in reaching Svalbard. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hall, Chris M. Johnsen, Magnar G. |
spellingShingle |
Hall, Chris M. Johnsen, Magnar G. Possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings |
author_facet |
Hall, Chris M. Johnsen, Magnar G. |
author_sort |
Hall, Chris M. |
title |
Possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings |
title_short |
Possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings |
title_full |
Possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings |
title_fullStr |
Possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings |
title_full_unstemmed |
Possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings |
title_sort |
possible influence of variations in the geomagnetic field on migration paths of snow buntings |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1473550419000193 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1473550419000193 |
genre |
Finnmark kola peninsula North Pole Northern Norway Plectrophenax nivalis Svalbard Finnmark |
genre_facet |
Finnmark kola peninsula North Pole Northern Norway Plectrophenax nivalis Svalbard Finnmark |
op_source |
International Journal of Astrobiology volume 19, issue 2, page 195-201 ISSN 1473-5504 1475-3006 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550419000193 |
container_title |
International Journal of Astrobiology |
container_volume |
19 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
195 |
op_container_end_page |
201 |
_version_ |
1810443694620278784 |