The wobbly lunar orbit, combined with climate change, causing Earth to face numerous record flooding is NASA’s latest warning.
Every coast in the United States faces rapidly rising tides due to oscillations in the Moon’s orbit, as well as sea level rise due to climate change.
New research from scientists at the US space agency NASA and the University of Hawaii, the results of which were recently published in the journal Nature Climate Change Science, warns that upcoming changes in the orbit of the Moon could cause record flooding on Earth over the next decade.
By mapping sea level rise scenarios, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) flood thresholds and astronomical cycles show that flooding in coastal cities is expected to worsen by the 2030s Severe flooding will cause significant damage, affect infrastructure and displace many residents.
NASA explains that the Moon’s orbit is responsible for high and low tides. When the Moon revolves around the Earth, the oscillation goes through a 16.8 year cycle. During a half cycle, the tides of the Earth are naturally suppressed every day. When this happens, the high tide is lower than usual. In the second half of the cycle, the reverse occurs and high tides are higher than normal.
The lunar cycle coincides with the effects of global warming, which pushes the sea level higher.
NASA expects the next storm surges to be more intense, more frequent than ever, exacerbating an already gloomy forecast.
When the tide rises about 0.61 meters above the average daily high tide, destructive flooding will hit low areas near sea level, NASA administrator Bill Nelson said.
In 2019, NOAA reported more than 600 floods. Scientists expect to triple that figure to four times by the mid-1930s, after sea level has risen for about ten years.
According to the study, major flooding will occur across the country with more frequency, also occurring in clusters lasting more than a month, depending on the positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun. Even in a certain direction or road, flooding can occur as often as every day or every other day.
