Science
NASA researchers refine measurements of Earth center of mass movement
NASA News reports that scientists developed a tracking technique to measure seasonal center-of-mass shifts with millimeter precision.
The short version
- Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory used satellite and GPS tracking to monitor seasonal shifts in Earth's center of mass.[NASA News]
- Mass redistribution from snow, rainwater, and monsoons shifts the planet's mass center by several millimeters throughout the year.[NASA News]
- The new measurements estimate annual movement to be about half of previous calculations from eight years ago.[NASA News]
- Improved tracking of Earth's reference system supports higher precision in global mapping and navigation technology.[NASA News]
Key facts
- JPL geoscientist Donald Argus led the development of a technique utilizing ultraprecise satellite tracking to lower measurement uncertainty.[NASA News]
- March snow accumulation in North America and Eurasia pulls Earth's center of mass around 3 millimeters toward the North Pole.[NASA News]
- April rainwater in the Amazon basin shifts the center of mass 2.2 millimeters toward South America.[NASA News]
- International estimates from 2017 and 2023 differed by 7 millimeters.[NASA News]
What remains uncertain
- Satellite laser ranging capability is restricted by the uneven geographic distribution of ground stations across the globe.[NASA News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.