Melting polar ice caused by global warming is significantly altering Earth’s rotation. As ice at the poles melts, it redistributes mass on our planet, changing the mass concentration and thereby affecting Earth’s angular velocity or the speed at which it spins.
Due to rising temperatures, polar ice is melting at an alarming rate. This is causing Earth to spin slower than it would otherwise, and scientists predict that by 2029, we might need to introduce a “negative leap second” to account for this altered rotation. A leap second is a one-second adjustment that is occasionally added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to keep it aligned with Earth’s rotation. Traditionally, leap seconds have been positive because Earth’s rotation has been slowing down over time. A negative leap second would be unprecedented.
Earth’s rotation has naturally slowed down over millions of years. However, the current rate of change due to melting ice caps is much faster than ever before, highlighting the significant impact humans are having on the planet.
A negative leap second could disrupt computer network timing systems that rely on UTC for precise timekeeping. Scientists are closely monitoring the situation to ensure a smooth implementation if a negative leap second becomes necessary.
Overall, the melting of polar ice due to global warming is having a measurable effect on Earth’s rotation. This is yet another consequence of climate change and a reminder of the far-reaching influence humans have on our planet.
Here are some additional details you may find informative:
- The Earth bulges slightly at the equator due to the centrifugal force caused by its rotation. As ice melts at the poles and water moves towards the equator, this bulging effect becomes more pronounced, further slowing down Earth’s spin.
- Although the change in Earth’s rotation due to melting ice is measurable, it is minuscule in terms of our daily lives. A negative leap second would only differ from a standard second by a fraction of a millisecond, which would be imperceptible to humans.