Correct Option
Statement 2 is correct. The Earth's North Magnetic Pole is located in the Northern Hemisphere, specifically on the Boothia Peninsula in Northern Canada. It is important to note that the magnetic poles are not stationary and exhibit a slow drift over time.
Statement 3 is correct. The Earth's magnetic equator is an imaginary line where the magnetic field lines are horizontal, meaning the magnetic dip is zero. This line passes through Thumba, near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, South India. This geographical characteristic was a primary reason for establishing the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) at this location, as it provides an ideal site for studying the equatorial ionosphere.
Incorrect Options
Statement 1 is incorrect. The axis of the Earth's magnetic field is inclined at approximately 10° to 11.5° with respect to the Earth's geographic axis (rotational axis). The inclination of 23½° refers to the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis relative to its orbital plane (ecliptic plane), not the magnetic axis relative to the geographic axis.
Option (a) 1, 2 and 3 is incorrect because statement 1 is incorrect.
Option (c) 2 only is incorrect because statement 3 is also correct.
Option (d) 3 only is incorrect because statement 2 is also correct.