Earth's geomagnetic anomaly. Is it a cause for concern?

(Image: Division of Geomagnetism, DTU Space)

In 1970 a mysterious anomaly in the Earth's geomagnetic field was detected over Zimbabwe stretching as far as Chile, scientists studying the phenomenon have titled it as the “South Atlantic Anomaly.”  This disruption in the magnetic field, is due to a rapid weakening of Earth's shield against solar and cosmic radiation from Space, however researchers have not been able to conclude what is causing this abnormal effect in the Earth's magnetic field.  One theory, is that the Earth's poles are reversing, which scientists estimate had once occurred over 780,000 years ago.  Although the event has been theorized to be a gradual process rather than what is observed as a rapid deterioration of the magnetic field that covers three quarters of the Earth.  This abnormal dislocation of the electrical currents generated within the Earth's core, initiated by the movement of molten iron and nickel, is crucial in deflecting the charged particles from the Sun's solar wind.  Which are streams of radiation that spread over the Earth, occasionally becoming trapped within the upper atmosphere and ionosphere, hence creating the phenomenon known as auroras.  

The concern is whether or not a full reversal of the magnetic poles is occurring and if the anomaly over a large portion of the Earth are related.  Scientists have studied the data on pole reversals and view them as possible candidates to mass extinctions which have had occurred throughout Earth's prehistoric history.  Although the data has been hard to source and so far it has only been on speculative assumptions.  A large scale weakening of the Earth's magnetic sphere could lead to a release of radiation trapped in what is known as the Van Allen radiation belt/s, two areas that extend outward from the Earth's upper atmosphere.  Releasing highly charged Solar and Cosmic radiation, also known as Ionizing radiation, that is already creates havoc to satellites that pass beneath this newly discovered geomagnetic anomaly.  

If the Earth was to be suddenly bombarded by Ionizing radiation, global navigation, electrical grids and digital networks what instantly be effected.  A real concern would also be computer systems misreading and unable to process real time data, since most military missile systems are now all digitally linked, any malfunction could be misread as a threat analysis.