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Climate change and a lunar “wobble” are about to take a dangerous double.
Wave pool
From the next decade, scientists say, an “oscillation” in the orbit of the moon is set to worsen coastal flooding here on Earth.
When the oscillation begins, America’s coastal cities could suddenly start flooding three or four times as often as they are today, according to a study by NASA and the University of Hawaii published in the journal. Nature Climate Change last month.
In the study, scientists predicted that the lunar oscillation will cause an increase in flood clusters that will significantly disrupt life and damage infrastructure in all coastal towns that have acclimated to much milder and less frequent flooding – a strange reminder of Earth’s close relationship with its natural satellite, and perhaps even an urgent infrastructure issue.
Double whammy
As Live Science reports, this lunar oscillation is actually a perfectly natural cycle that has been going on for eons and will continue to do so long after we are gone. The Moon’s orbit creates periods of high and low tides at a rate of about 18.6 years.
What makes it dangerous this time around is the fact that sea levels have risen thanks to the effects of climate change and uncontrolled greenhouse gas emissions. So, when the next period of tidal amplification begins in the early 2030s, the resulting flooding is likely to be worse, more persistent and more dangerous than ever.
“It’s the effect that has built up over time that will have an impact,” said Phil Thompson, a University of Hawaii researcher and lead author of the study. “If it floods 10 or 15 times a month, a business cannot continue to operate with its parking lot underwater. People are losing their jobs because they cannot get to work. Weeping sumps are becoming a public health problem.
READ MORE: Moon ‘s orbit’ sway ‘could lead to record flooding in 2030s, new study finds [Live Science]
Learn more about flooding: Deadly condo collapse linked to climate change
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