American geologists from the University of California have discovered that melting ice in Greenland and Antarctica due to global warming can affect the Earth’s angular velocity – the speed and direction of the planet’s rotation, which determines the length of the day. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature.
The planet’s rotation rate has always fluctuated, but before the introduction of precision timekeeping and technology, the only detrimental effect this had was changing the timing of eclipses and other astronomical events from the records created by ancient astronomers.
The connection of the Earth’s core and mantle has caused the Earth’s rotation period to increase by 6 millionths of a second per year. Although this slowdown seems very insignificant, it is recorded by atomic clocks.
Now melting ice due to climate change is reducing the angular velocity faster than before, which could lengthen Earth’s day. Our earth’s rotation is slowing down due to the redistribution of mass from the poles to lower latitudes.
While the time gain may not be significant for humans, the change could impact online computing, financial markets, and other areas where highly accurate timekeeping is required.
Previous scientists to create The Greenland ice has a channel with walls up to 500 meters high, through which meltwater flows into the ocean.