The depletion of massive amounts of groundwater reserves is not only\nimpacting the environment but is also affecting the movement of planet\nEarth. Recent research findings show that during the 2000-2002 period,\nlandmasses lost more than 1,600 gigatonnes of water previously stored\nbeneath the surface. This loss of water volume on a massive scale has\ncaused changes in Earth\u2019s mass distribution, thereby triggering a shift\nin the planet\u2019s rotation.<\/p>\n
Researchers estimate that the position of Earth\u2019s rotational axis has\nshifted by approximately 45 cm, with changes in water reserves being the\ndominant factor behind this phenomenon. Professor Clark Wilson, a\ngeophysicist from the University of Texas at Austin and one of the\nstudy\u2019s authors, explained that the movement of water from land to the\noceans changes Earth\u2019s moment of inertia, causing the planet\u2019s axis of\nrotation to shift. \u201cIf you take a large amount of water from the land\nand move it to the ocean, you are redistributing mass across the\nplanet,\u201d Wilson stated, as quoted from Science Focus.<\/p>\n
The research, led by Professor Ki-Weon Seo of Seoul National\nUniversity, utilised a combination of satellite radar data and soil\nmoisture models to reconstruct changes in global water deposits since\nthe end of the 20th century. The findings indicate that between 2000 and\n2002, there was a sharp decline in soil moisture, contributing to a\nglobal sea-level rise of approximately 1.95 mm per year, far exceeding\nthe contribution from Greenland\u2019s ice melt, which was only about 0.8 mm\nper year.<\/p>\n
This drying trend has not ceased. From 2003 to 2016, an additional\n1,000 gigatonnes of groundwater were lost. As of 2021, soil moisture\nlevels have not returned to normal, indicating a long-term shift in\nterrestrial water storage. This shift in Earth\u2019s axis coincides with\nregions experiencing extreme drought, including East and Central Asia,\nNorth and South America, and Central Africa. Wilson added that although\nthis shift appears small, precise measurement is crucial, as it impacts\nthe accuracy of GPS systems worldwide. Consequently, the movement of\nEarth\u2019s axis continues to be monitored with millimetre-level\nprecision.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-end-is-near-earths-rotation-begins-to-shift-1780825411", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }