Increase of one meter of sea level would change the rotation of the planet and gravity field

Increase of only one meter of the ocean would affect planetary gravity field land in the southern hemisphere and the movement of rotation of the planet, shows a study published by U.S. magazine Science.

According to the study, an increase of the level meter ocean planet would be sufficiently important to affect the terrestrial gravity field in the southern hemisphere and change the rotation of the planet.

This change of rotation would lead to an accumulation of water in the Northern ocean, and could translate the important differences in the different oceans, the largest increase was expected in this case on the east and west coasts of the United States.

On the other hand, melting of Antarctic glacial cap causes an increase in sea level of 3.2 meters, the study shows, relying on new measurements of the geometry of the region's glacial cap, while previous studies estimated an increase of 5-7 meters. Even so, the estimated effects are dramatic. "The increase in ocean level does not depend on the speed and extent of glacial melting of the Antarctic cap of the West," warned lead author of the study, Jonathan Bamber of the University of Bristol, UK.

"Even if the glacial Calota of West Antarctica would not only contribute to an increase of one meter ocean level, displayed over a period of many years, the level of the oceans along the coasts of North America witnessed an increase of 25 % higher than average, "he writes.

In Antarctica is nearly nine times more than ice in Greenland and the region is considered a bomb late to the oceans.

Glacial Calota a West Antarctic raises concern especially because it is composed largely of gheţuri which relies on rocky layers under the ocean. Extensive areas of floating banchiza currently prevents the ice to reach the ocean, but scientists fear that this will happen at some point, if banchiza detaches.

Researchers do not know what speed will disappear of Antarctic glacial Calota, but if the melt rate constant for 500 years, the oceans will rise by 6.5 millimeters per year, ie two times faster than the current rate.

"Even if it is less important than previous estimates, the degree of instability is enormous," warns Erik Ivins, the Californian Institute of Technology, in an article accompanying the study.

"Total mass to be added to the oceans (...) will be nearly equivalent to the mass which would be designed to impact the Earth with 2,000 Comete Halley," he adds.