A recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals an unexpected outcome of rising global temperatures: melting ice caps are causing Earth’s days to lengthen slightly.
Titled “The increasingly dominant role of climate change on length of day variations,” the study investigates how the loss of vast ice sheets and glaciers affects Earth’s rotation. As these ice masses melt, water redistributes from the poles toward the equator, altering Earth’s mass distribution and causing a subtle increase in the equatorial bulge. Scientifically, Earth is becoming less oblate due to this phenomenon.
This change in shape impacts Earth’s rotation because a more spherical shape results in lower moment of inertia, which means it is less resistant to changes in rotational speed. Consequently, Earth’s rotation is slowing down incrementally, leading to a gradual lengthening of the day, currently measured in milliseconds.
While the daily increase may seem minuscule, it poses significant implications for scientists who rely on precise timekeeping. International Atomic Time (TAI), fundamental to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), is based on stable atomic clocks. However, variations in Earth’s rotation necessitate adjustments to maintain synchronization between these timekeeping systems.
Moreover, the study underscores the growing influence of climate change on fundamental planetary dynamics, analogous to how the moon’s gravitational pull has historically influenced Earth’s rotation. Researchers caution that in severe climate change scenarios, the redistribution of melted ice could exert an even more pronounced impact on Earth’s rotation.
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