MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: will global warming make the days longer?

Date: Fri Nov 18 10:36:18 2005
Posted By: Alex Barron, Graduate Student, Ecology(Biogeochemistry)
Area of science: Physics
ID: 1131048694.Ph
Message:

The earth’s rotation is predicted to slow slightly as global warming
becomes more significant – although the shift of mass only accounts for a
small part.   Model results suggest that global warming will increase wind
speed in the atmosphere.  Because angular momentum must be conserved, the
earth will slow down as the atmosphere speeds up– increasing day length by
roughly 1 microsecond/year.  Like all predictions, this one has error
associated with it – and so the actual change could be zero or as large as
4.4 microseconds/y.
	Overall, this is a very small change and fairly insignificant compared to
many of the other probable impacts of global climate change.   You can use
your extra microsecond to figure out what to do about it :)

de Viron O, et al. Effect of global warming on the length-of-day 
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 29 (7): Art. No. 1146 APR 1 2002



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