Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumMelting ice sheets changing the way the Earth wobbles on its axis, says Nasa
Melting ice sheets changing the way the Earth wobbles on its axis, says Nasa
Dramatic shift in polar motion attributed to effects of global warming and the impact humans are having on the planet
Associated Press
Friday 8 April 2016 20.35 EDT
Global warming is changing the way the Earth wobbles on its polar axis, a new Nasa study has found.
Melting ice sheets, especially in Greenland, are changing the distribution of weight on Earth. And that has caused both the North Pole and the wobble, which is called polar motion, to change course, according to a study published on Friday in the journal Science Advances.
Global warming may be far worse than thought, cloud analysis suggests
Scientists and navigators have been accurately measuring the true pole and polar motion since 1899, and for almost the entire 20th century they migrated a bit toward Canada. But that has changed with this century, and now its moving toward England, according to study lead author Surendra Adhikari at Nasas Jet Propulsion Lab.
The recent shift from the 20th-century direction is very dramatic, Adhikari said.
While scientists say the shift is harmless, it is meaningful. Jonathan Overpeck, professor of geosciences at the University of Arizona, who wasnt part of the study, said that this highlights how real and profoundly large an impact humans are having on the planet.
More:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/09/melting-ice-sheets-changing-the-way-the-earth-wobbles-on-its-axis-says-nasa
scscholar
(2,902 posts)moving the Earth.
daleanime
(17,796 posts)mountain grammy
(26,656 posts)Thanks, but I think I'll worry. It's that butterfly effect thing...