Scientists have discovered that parts of New York City’s metropolitan area are sinking due to human and natural factors, according to a recent study.
The research, conducted by scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Rutgers University, used a remote sensing technique called interferometric synthetic aperture radar to analyze vertical ground motion in the urban area from 2016 to 2023.
They found that the area is subsiding by about 1.6 millimeters per year, identifying neighborhoods and landmarks that are sinking faster than average.
For example, Runway 13/31 at LaGuardia Airport is sinking at a rate of approximately 3.7 mm per year, while the Arthur Ashe Tennis Court is sinking at a rate of approximately 4.6 mm per year.
The team also identified areas that rose such as East Williamsburg and Woodside.
These surfaces increased by about 1.6 mm and 6.9 mm per year, respectively.
The cause of these spikes is still under investigation, but groundwater pumping and injection wells used to treat contaminated water may have played a role.
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