Earth's Axis of Rotation has Shifted by 31.5 Inches Due to Groundwater Pumping

According to the findings of our research, the movement of the geographic pole of rotation is most strongly influenced by climate-related factors that include the redistribution of groundwater.

A recent study published in the American Geophysical Union's Geophysical Research Letters has revealed a surprising finding. A team of international researchers has discovered that by extracting water from the ground and relocating it, humans have caused a significant shift in the Earth's mass. This shift has resulted in the planet tilting approximately 80 centimeters east between 1993 and 2010, thereby altering its rotational pole.

The increase in sea level is a noteworthy occurrence that is closely linked with the escalating temperatures of the planet. The monitoring of contemporary sea level rise has been conducted extensively through various observational techniques.

The study was titled "Drift of Earth's Pole Validates Groundwater Depletion as a Major Factor in Global Sea Level Rise from 1993-2010."

According to climate models, it was previously estimated by scientists that humans had injected 2,150 gigatons of groundwater into the earth, which is equivalent to a sea level rise of over six millimeters during the same period. However, validating this estimate has proven to be a challenging task.

One possible method involves the Earth's rotational pole, which denotes the specific location around which the planet revolves. The Earth's rotational pole undergoes a phenomenon known as polar motion, wherein its position varies in relation to the crust, causing movement. The manner in which water is distributed across the globe has a significant impact on the distribution of mass. As water is set in motion, the Earth undergoes a slight alteration in its spinning pattern, akin to the addition of a minute amount of weight to a rotating top.

According to the study's lead researcher, Ki-Weon Seo, a geophysicist at Seoul National University, the rotational pole of the Earth undergoes significant changes. According to our study, the most significant factor contributing to the drift of the rotational pole is the redistribution of groundwater, among other climate-related causes.

Subscribe 100% Free to Wall Street Rebel.com and receive access to investment tools worth $17,500!

It was discovered that water has the capacity to alter the Earth's rotation. However, the precise impact of groundwater on these rotational modifications remained unexamined until recently. The recent study conducted by researchers involved the creation of models to analyze the alterations in the drift of Earth's rotational pole and water movement. Initially, the models were developed by taking into account solely the ice sheets and glaciers. Subsequently, various scenarios of groundwater redistribution were incorporated to further enhance the models.

The researchers were able to achieve a match between the observed polar drift and the model only after incorporating 2,150 gigatons of groundwater redistribution. In the absence of it, the model exhibited a discrepancy of 78.5 centimeters, equivalent to a yearly drift of 4.3 centimeters.

Seo expressed his satisfaction in discovering the previously unaccounted reason for the drift in the rotation pole. As a concerned Earth resident and father, I am surprised to observe that the pumping of groundwater is contributing to the rise in sea levels.

The positioning of groundwater plays a crucial role in determining the extent to which it can influence polar drift. The relocation of water from the midlatitudes has a more significant effect on the rotational pole. Throughout the study period, the greatest amount of water was redistributed in the midlatitude regions of western North America and northwestern India.

According to Seo, the reduction of groundwater depletion rates in vulnerable regions by countries is a potential means of modifying the shift in trend. However, this can only be achieved through the consistent implementation of conservation strategies over a prolonged period of time.

A potential avenue for further exploration in this research endeavor would involve delving into historical records. Seo stated that monitoring alterations in the rotational axis of the Earth is a valuable approach to comprehending fluctuations in water retention at the continental level. Polar motion data has been obtainable since the latter part of the 1800s. The data at hand may be utilized to gain insights into the fluctuations in continental water storage over the course of the past century. Have there been any alterations to the hydrological regime as a consequence of the increasing temperatures in the climate? The polar motion may provide a solution.

Surendra Adhikari, a research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory who was not involved in this study, stated that this is a valuable contribution and significant documentation. In 2016, Adhikari published a paper regarding the impact of water redistribution on rotational drift. The researchers have determined the extent to which groundwater pumping affects polar motion, and the findings are quite noteworthy.

Typically, the rotational pole undergoes a shift of several meters in a year's time. Therefore, alterations resulting from groundwater pumping do not pose a threat of disrupting the seasons. According to Adhikari, the phenomenon of polar drift can exert an influence on the climate when viewed through the lens of geological time scales.

AGU, which can be found at www.agu.org, is a worldwide community that provides support to over 500,000 advocates and professionals in the fields of Earth and space sciences. AGU endeavors to promote discovery and solution science through extensive and comprehensive partnerships, thereby expediting knowledge and generating ethical, impartial, and community-oriented solutions.

Subscribe 100% Free to Wall Street Rebel.com and receive access to investment tools worth $17,500!

                       Pumping groundwater has caused the Earth's rotation