The earth’s axis deviated by 80 cm due to the extraction of water

Humanity has extracted 2,150 gigatonnes of groundwater. Just when we thought we could keep doing it, the Earth’s axis was tilted.

In the past 20 years, humans have pumped out a huge amount of groundwater Earth’s axis tilted about 80 cm. By extracting water and transporting it to other places, our planet began to move eastward.

Scientists estimated that humanity directed 2150 gigatonnes of groundwaterwhich is equivalent to a sea level rise of more than 6 mm between 1993 and 2010. Based on climate models, scientists have determined that the imaginary line that The ground deviated by about a meter.

The earth has tilted in the last 17 years

According to a new study published in geophysical research letters, The distribution of water affects the planet How is the mass distributed? To measure what happens, they point out that just like when you add a little weight to the top, the Earth rotates slightly differently as the water moves.

water extraction The planet is inclined 80 cm In the past 17 years, as a result of excessive consumption of water from aquifers that have flowed into the oceans.

“Our study shows that among climate-related causes, groundwater redistribution actually has the greatest impact on pole rotation drift,” said Ki-Weon Seo. Geophysicist at Seoul National University, who led the study.

Define the researchers The ability of water to change rotation Earth in 2016, and only now has the contribution of water withdrawal to the changes been explored.

In the current study, they first considered ice sheets and glaciers, and later added different groundwater redistribution scenarios, thus modeling the observed changes in Earth’s pole rotation drift.

During the study period, most Water has been redistributed in western North America and the Northwest Indiaboth in mid-latitudes.

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Can the slope change the seasons?

The planet’s axis has not moved far enough affect the cycle of seasons; However, the important factor is Groundwater depletion After years of looting.

“I am very happy to find the unexplained cause of shaft drift,” said geophysicist Ki-wyun Seo. “On the other hand, as a land-dweller and parent, I am concerned and surprised to see groundwater pumping as another source of sea level rise.”

human activity upset the balance Not only from water accumulating in the mantle, it also did so with soil moisture, preserving mountain glaciers and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica.

Researchers continue to look at other causes of Understand why the earth’s axis is moving And where can you go. They state that there are other forces that can change their direction, but the conclusions are not yet known.

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