Groundwater pumping causes Earth's axis shift and sea level rise
A recent study published in Geophysical Research Letters reveals that the Earth's axis is shifting eastward at a rate of 1.7 inches per year due to consistent groundwater extraction and relocation over the past decade. The redistribution of groundwater has been found to have the largest impact on the drift of the rotational pole, surpassing other climate-related causes. The study highlights that humans have extracted over 2,150 gigatons of groundwater between 1993 and 2010, with western North America and northwestern India being the most affected regions. If this extracted groundwater were poured into the ocean, it would raise global sea levels by about 0.24 inches. The redistribution of groundwater also affects the Earth's mantle flow and polar motion, which could have significant implications for climate change on a global scale.
