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The scientists think the culprit behind the variations may be the violent Jovian storms that extend deep into Jupiter’s surface for thousands of miles. Their hypothesis is supported by the fact that an invisible-to-the-eye patch of magnetic field near Jupiter’s equator, dubbed the Great Blue Spot, is where the strongest magnetic field variations were detected in the latest observation.

Although the magnetic field variation detected on Jupiter may have an origin different from that of Earth’s, the discovery may still help scientists understand the changes of Earth’s magnetic field, a not-yet-fully understood phenomenon.

The magnetic north pole of Earth has been wobbling around like a top, shifting southward some 30 miles a year since 2015. It is changing fast enough that our GPS systems need to be frequently updated. A weakening or reversal of Earth's magnetic shield could potentially cause a mass extinction by exposing our planet to harmful radiation from space.

Inside Science is an editorially-independent nonprofit print, electronic and video journalism news service owned and operated by the American Institute of Physics.

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PHOTO: Inside Science
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