Rebecca Manzi Climate change with the melting of glaciers is modifying both the length of the Earth's day and the rotation axis of our Planet
Recent scientific discoveries have revealed that climate change is not only impacting our environment but also affecting the Earth’s physical properties. Two studies conducted by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich have shown that the melting of ice is altering both the length of Earth’s days and the planet’s axis of rotation.
When polar ice caps and glaciers melt, the resulting water redistributes into the oceans, migrating towards the equator. This phenomenon resembles a figure skater who changes her spinning speed by extending or retracting her arms.
For Earth, this means that the mass shifts away from the poles, altering the axis of rotation and causing a slight slowing of the planet’s rotation. The studies indicate that while the length of the day decreased by about 0.3 milliseconds per century during the 20th century, since 2000, this deceleration has accelerated to approximately 1.33 milliseconds per century.
Impact on planet’s core dynamics
Although this change is minor, it has significant implications for modern technology. Satellite navigation systems, GPS, and space missions need to account for these changes to maintain accuracy in operations. For instance, even a slight error in Earth’s rotation could jeopardize the landing of a spacecraft on another planet.
Furthermore, the shifting masses of water also affect the Earth’s rotational axis. This axis, which is not fixed, moves by several centimeters each year and meters per century, a phenomenon exacerbated by climate change.
Recent studies suggest that the interaction between the redistribution of water masses and movements within Earth’s mantle also impacts the dynamics of the planet’s core. These findings, based on artificial intelligence models and physical simulations, reveal how human actions are influencing the global scale, affecting not just our environment but the fundamental physics of the Earth.
Sources: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences / Nature geoscience
