Is the Arctic Shifting Toward Canada? Domestic Researchers Reveal the Reason

Recent 80cm Shift in Earth's Axis
Cause Identified as 'Jihasu Development'
Establishing Causal Link Between Jihasu and Sea Level

Domestic researchers have drawn attention with their analysis that the Earth's rotational axis has tilted in the 21st century due to human activities. This is attributed to the rapid rise in sea levels caused by groundwater extraction.

The US media outlet The New York Times (NYT) introduced the research on changes in the Earth's rotational axis by Professor Seo Gi-won of the Department of Earth Science Education at Seoul National University on the 28th (local time). The core finding of the study is that the Earth's rotational axis shifted by about 80 cm between 1993 and 2010. The reason for this change in the Earth's rotational axis is the surge in groundwater extraction.

Previously, scientists had observed that the point geographically considered the "North Pole" was gradually shifting toward Canada before the 2000s, but they were unable to explain the cause.

Earth

Meanwhile, Professor Seo published a paper on the 15th in the international academic journal Geophysical Research Letters. In this paper, he proposed the theory that excessive groundwater extraction caused sea levels to rise, which in turn led to changes in the Earth's rotational axis.

In the past, the prevailing theory was that global warming caused glaciers to melt, raising sea levels, and as glaciers drifted away, the rotational axis tilted.

However, the research team identified human groundwater extraction as a more decisive cause. It was not easy to establish a causal relationship between groundwater extraction and sea level rise. Nevertheless, by utilizing advanced systems such as Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), the team was able to secure data that supports the theory.

[Image source=Pixabay]

According to the research team, humanity pumped approximately 21.5 trillion tons (t) of groundwater from 1993 to 2010. As a result, sea levels rose by 6 mm. The total amount of water contained within the Earth and its surrounding atmosphere does not change. Therefore, when water from underground is brought to the surface for use, sea levels increase accordingly.

In particular, the research team pointed out that sea levels have risen in northwestern India and the western United States, regions where groundwater extraction has been active. Regarding this, the NYT noted, "Due to severe drought, the western California region has only been pumping groundwater without replenishing it," adding, "The remaining empty spaces have weakened the ground, raising concerns about damage to housing and infrastructure."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.