We have extracted so much water that we have changed the Earth's axis of rotation

By extracting a huge amount of water from the Earth's soil, humans caused the Earth's axis to tilt about 80 cm towards the east between 1993 and 2010.

By extracting water from the Earth's interior, humans have moved a mass of water so large that the Earth tilted about 80 centimeters eastward between 1993 and 2010 alone, according to a study published in 2010. Geophysical Research Letters. Based on climate models, scientists previously estimated that humans would pump 2,150 gigatons of groundwater, This is equivalent to more than 6 mm of sea level risefrom 1993 to 2010 (verifying this estimate is difficult).

Water and mass

One approach is based on the Earth's pole of rotation, which is the point around which the planet rotates. It moves through a process called polar motion, which occurs when the Earth's rotation pole changes position relative to the crust. The distribution of water on the planet affects the distribution of mass. Like adding a little weight to a spinning top, the Earth spins a little differently as water is displaced.

The ability of water to change the Earth's rotation was discovered in 2016 and so far the specific contribution of groundwater to these rotational changes It was unknown. In the new study, the researchers modeled observed changes in the drift of Earth's pole rotation and water movement, first considering only ice sheets and glaciers, and then Then add different scenarios for groundwater redistribution.

2150 gigatons

The pattern matches the polar drift that has only been observed once The researchers included 2,150 gigatonnes of groundwater redistribution. Without it, the model would have lost 78.5 cm, or 4.3 cm of drift per year. The location of groundwater is important because it may alter polar drift. Redistribution of water from its mid-latitudes Greater impact on the spindle. During the study period, most of the water was redistributed to western North America and northwestern India, both of which are located in midlatitudes.

The future looks to the past

Countries' attempts to slow rates of groundwater depletion could be theoretically possible Change change in driftBut only if these preservation methods last for decades. The circulation column usually changes by several meters over the course of about a year, so changes caused by groundwater pumping do not involve the risk of changing seasons. But on geological time scales, polar drift can affect climate: the next step From this research we can look into the past.

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