2023-12-27 23:00:00
news Very, very, very slowly, the Earth’s day lengthens over the centuries due to the slowing down of the Earth’s rotation. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded in measuring the Earth’s rotation more precisely than ever before. When will the 25 hours be?
The length of a day fluctuates
During its journey through space, the Earth rotates on its axis at slightly varying speeds. Additionally, the axis around which the planet rotates is not completely static, it oscillates a bit. This is because our planet is not completely solid, but is made up of various elements, sometimes solid, sometimes liquid. The interior of the earth is therefore constantly in motion. These variations in mass accelerate or slow down the rotation of the planet.
These differences can now be measured very precisely using the ring laser at the Wettzell Geodetic Observatory.
A ring laser to measure the speed of rotation of the earth
The Wettzell ring laser has been continuously improved since its commissioning. Thanks to its new corrective algorithm, the device can measure the rotation of the earth with an accuracy of 9 decimal places, which corresponds to a fraction of a millisecond per day. Overall, the observed upward and downward fluctuations reached values of up to 6 milliseconds over periods of approximately two weeks.
Urs Hugentobler, professor of satellite geodesy at TUM, says: “In geosciences, such high levels of temporal resolution are absolutely unprecedented for autonomous ring lasers…”
What will the ring laser measurements be used for?
The measurements will be used to determine Earth’s position in space, benefit climate research and make climate models more reliable.
“Rotation fluctuations are not only important for astronomy, we also urgently need them to create accurate climate models and better understand weather phenomena like El Niño. And the more precise the data, the more accurate the predictions,” explains Professor Ulrich Schreiber, who led the project at the observatory of the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
When is the 25 hour day?
The length of daylight on Earth has gradually increased over time. In the age of dinosaurs, a day lasted only 23 hours, and 1.4 billion years ago, it lasted only 18 hours and 41 minutes.
According to forecasts, in 200 million years the length of a day will reach 25 hours. These evolving dynamics of Earth’s rotation highlight the importance of advanced measurements.
See also the article: Extreme heat: at what temperature is our body in danger?
Sources :
https://www.nature.com
https://www.earth.com
Last updated: December 2023
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