Climate warming lengthens Earth’s days, according to new research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Daily lengthening has accelerated to 1.33 milliseconds per century since 2000. Melting ice sheets at Earth’s poles redistribute mass and raise sea levels, driving day lengthening at an unprecedented rate.
A comprehensive analysis by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and ETH Zurich found that climate change increased day length by 0.3 to 1.0 milliseconds per century in the 20th century. As of 2000, this rate had more than doubled.
Polar ice sheets melt, causing this occurrence. Ice melting redistributes water worldwide, changing Earth’s rotation. Redistribution of mass slows the planet, extending the day. This process, however little it takes, accumulates and causes observable alterations.
Earth’s dynamic systems researchers must understand this climate change-day length relationship. The findings demonstrate how climate change affects ecosystems, weather patterns, and our planet’s mechanics.
It is crucial to monitor climate change as its effects become more apparent. This research emphasises the need to address climate change to mitigate its widespread effects by showing how our environment and the planet’s physical features are interconnected.
