A scientific study conducted by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) revealed that the duration of days will increase to 25 hours, translating to an increase of approximately six milliseconds every two weeks. These measurements allow for predicting changes in phenomena such as gravity and climate.
Internal movements and changes in the Earth's mass directly impact the rotation speed of the Earth around different points. Daily variation was key to reaching these conclusions.
Researchers from the Technical University of Munich, led by Professor Ulrich Schreiber, explained that this discovery not only enables the analysis of the day's duration but also influences various natural phenomena on Earth and the Solar System as a whole.
Measurements taken with a high-precision laser instrument indicate that over the next 200 million years, the duration of a day will change from 24 to 25 hours. Historically, the Earth's rotation speed has been slowing down, with days lasting approximately 18 hours and 41 minutes 1.5 billion years ago. These fluctuations, albeit minimal, have significant implications for disciplines such as Astronomy and weather prediction.
The ring laser used at the Wettzell Geodetic Observatory of TUM allowed engineers to observe changes in the Earth's rotation speed. Over time, since 66 million years ago when days lasted around 23 hours, variations in day length have occurred. This change is so subtle that it is imperceptible to the human being, but the measurements obtained with this instrument provide data with unprecedented accuracy.
Although there is still asymmetry in the laser beams used, a new algorithm has managed to correct these discrepancies, reducing the margin of error to just nine decimals. This advancement allows for a better understanding of our planet's movements and their implications in different areas of scientific knowledge.
