Over the last 200 years, the construction of dams has stored massive quantities of water, affecting the movement of Earth's geographic poles. This phenomenon, known as true polar wander, occurs due to the redistribution of mass on Earth's surface as it rotates. Accurate understanding of this polar motion is crucial for astronomers and GPS systems, as errors in polar motion can disrupt various dependent systems. While dams have a smaller impact compared to ice sheets and mantle rock movements, they still significantly influence the Earth's rotational adjustments.
Over the past 200 years, humans have stored hundreds of billions of liters of water in thousands of dams around the world, pushing Earth's geographic poles away from its axis of rotation.
True polar wander occurs as the surface of Earth rotates to redistribute mass and stabilize its spin, with dams contributing to this phenomenon.
Accurate knowledge of polar motion, or true polar wander, is essential for astronomers, GPS technology, and various systems that depend on precise Earth rotation data.
Shifting ice sheets and movements of mantle rock, along with the mass from dams, cause the planet to adjust its axis of rotation.
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