In a groundbreaking study supported by NASA, researchers from ETH Zurich have discovered that climate change is significantly impacting Earth's rotation and axis. The melting of polar ice in Greenland and Antarctica is redistributing the planet's mass, causing a slight lengthening of the day and shifting of its axis of rotation. These findings indicate a greater human influence on Earth's rotational dynamics than previously recognized.

Lead by Benedikt Soja, Professor of Space Geodesy at ETH Zurich, the study explains the phenomenon using a figure skater's pirouette as an analogy. As the skater extends their arms, the rotation slows down due to the movement of mass away from the axis of rotation, increasing physical inertia. This principle, known as the law of conservation of angular momentum, also applies to Earth's rotation, resulting in longer days.

The researchers published two new studies in the journals Nature Geoscience and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), shedding light on how climate change affects the planet's rotational dynamics. The PNAS study revealed that climate change is lengthening the day by a few milliseconds from its current 86,400 seconds. Water flowing from the poles to lower latitudes slows down the rotational speed. Surprisingly, the study suggests that if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, human-induced climate change will surpass the moon's influence on Earth's rotational speed.

Not only is climate change altering the length of the day, but it is also causing shifts in the Earth's axis of rotation. The Nature Geoscience study shows that melting ice sheets and movements in the Earth's interior are causing the points where the axis of rotation intersects with the surface to move. Over a longer timeframe, this polar motion can result in a shift of approximately ten meters per hundred years. Processes in the Earth's core, mantle, and surface are interconnected, influencing each other in complex ways.

The researchers utilized physics-informed neural networks, a form of artificial intelligence, to develop powerful algorithms that modeled the effects on the Earth's rotation and axis. By applying the laws and principles of physics, they were able to accurately predict the movements of the rotational poles since 1900 and provide forecasts for the future.

Although these effects are minor and unlikely to pose a significant risk, understanding the changes in Earth's rotation is crucial for space travel. Even slight deviations in Earth's rotation can lead to significant navigational challenges when sending space probes to distant planets.

The study highlights the urgent need to address climate change and the responsibility humans have for the future of the planet. While the changes in Earth's rotation and axis may currently be minor, their cumulative impact underscores the importance of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adopting sustainable practices to protect Earth's delicate balance.

Overall, this NASA-supported research offers a comprehensive understanding of how climate change is disrupting Earth's rotation and axis, emphasizing the profound influence humans have on our planet's dynamics.