NASA Watches Earth’s Weight, Finds Center of Mass
Image: NASA
Machine-written summary, checked against the sources below
NASA scientists are tracking seasonal shifts in Earth's center of mass, caused by water redistributing around the planet, which moves it by fractions of an inch relative to Earth's geometric center. The measurement matters for satellite navigation and elevation readings.
Seasonal changes redistribute enough water around Earth to shift the planet’s center of mass back and forth by fractions of an inch relative to its geometric center. NASA scientists are on the case, tracking the oscillations because Earth’s center of mass is a crucial reference point for satellite navigation and elevation measurements. A team, led […]
Summary by NASA, the primary source