A recent study says that pumping massive amounts of groundwater to the surface can affect the position of Earth's poles.最近的一项研究表明，向地表抽取大量地下水会影响地球两极的位置。The poles are at either end of the imaginary line running through the Earth. The turning motion of Earth around this line causes day and night. The tilt of the line, in relation to the sun, causes the seasons.两极位于穿过地球的假想线的两端。地球围绕这条线的旋转运动产生了白天和黑夜。这条线相对于太阳的倾斜度导致了季节的变化。Scientists have known for more than 100 years that the Earth's poles change position a little over time with what is called polar motion.100多年前，科学家们就已经知道，地球的两极会随着时间的推移而发生一点点的位置变化，这就是所谓的极移。A group of international scientists recently published their study of polar motion. Earlier studies linked the way water is spread out over the Earth to polar motion. 一群国际科学家最近发表了他们对地极运动的研究。早期的研究将水在地球上扩散的方式与地极运动联系起来。The scientists wanted to see if the movement of groundwater could help explain differences between observed and predicted polar motion. 科学家们想看看地下水的运动是否有助于解释观测到的和预测到的地极运动之间的差异。The researchers used a climate computer model to estimate that humans pumped a total of 2,150 gigatons of groundwater to the Earth's surface from 1993 to 2010. One gigaton is equal to about 1 billion metric tons, the American space agency NASA notes. 研究人员使用气候计算机模型估计，从1993年到2010年，人类总共向地球表面抽取了2.15万亿吨地下水。美国国家航空航天局指出，一gigaton相当于10亿吨。The model estimated that world sea levels rose six millimeters because of the additional groundwater.该模型估计，由于抽取的地下水的增加，世界海平面上升了6毫米。Groundwater pumped to the surface is used for crops and drinking water. It is an important resource to support human life.抽水到地表的地下水用于种庄稼和饮用，它是维持人类生命的重要资源。The recent study suggests that the movement of groundwater to the oceans can, in a way, affect Earth's rotation and might also add to sea level rise.最近的研究表明，地下水向海洋的运动可以在某种程度上影响地球的自转，也可能增加海平面的上升。A 2016 study first showed evidence that ocean water flows can affect polar motion. But the latest study is the first to explore in depth how groundwater brought to the surface might change Earth's tilt. 2016年的一项研究首次表明，海水流动可以影响地极运动。但这项最新的研究首次深入探索了被抽到地表的地下水是如何改变地球倾斜度的。The researchers created their climate model to study polar motion. Described another way, polar motion is when the position of the planet's rotational axis moves in relation to Earth's crust.研究人员创建了气候模型来研究地极运动。换句话说，地极运动是指地球自转轴相对于地壳的位置移动。Water movements on Earth can cause the planet to rotate "a little differently as water is moved around," the researchers said in a statement.研究人员在一份声明中说，地球上的水流运动可能会导致地球的旋转“随着水的移动而有所不同”。Ki-Weon Seo is a geophysicist at Seoul National University who led the study. It recently appeared in the publication Geophysical Research Letters.首尔国立大学的地球物理学家Ki-Weon Seo领导了这项研究。该研究最近发表在《地球物理研究快报》上。Seo said, "Earth's rotational pole actually changes a lot." Seo教授说:“地球的旋转磁极实际上变化很大。”He added that the study shows "that among climate-related causes, the redistribution of groundwater actually has the largest impact on the drift of the rotational pole."他补充说，这项研究表明，“在与气候相关的因素中，地下水的重新分配实际上对旋转极的漂移影响最大。”The researchers depended on data collected by satellites over nearly 20 years. They used their computer model to estimate what kinds of water redistribution caused a notable change in the Earth's tilt.研究人员依靠近20年来卫星收集的数据。他们使用计算机模型来评估哪种水资源的再分配导致了地球倾斜度的显著变化。The team's main finding was that the Earth tilted nearly 80 centimeters towards the 64 degrees east longitude line between 1993 and 2010.研究小组的主要发现是，1993年至2010年间，地球向东经64度线倾斜了近80厘米。The study notes that where the groundwater is pumped from affects how much polar motion happens. The biggest changes were recorded in mid-latitude areas: areas not too close to the North Pole and not too near the equator. 该研究指出了抽取地下水的位置会多大程度上影响地极运动的发生。据记录，最大的变化在中纬度地区:不太靠近北极和不太靠近赤道的地区。During the study period, the most water was redistributed in western North America and northwestern India. Both of these are in mid-latitude areas.在研究期间，北美洲西部和印度西北部重新分配了最多的水，这两处都位于中纬度地区。Seo noted that the rotational pole changes caused by groundwater are too small to affect Earth's seasons. Seo教授指出，地下水引起的磁极变化很小，不足以影响地球的季节。He said that, in theory, making changes to slow the rate of groundwater removal could affect Earth's polar motion. But major changes would likely only be seen if such efforts were highly organized and continued for many years.他说，从理论上讲，做出一些改变来减缓地下水的流失速度可能会影响地球的地极运动。但是，这种努力只有在高度组织化并持续多年的情况下，才可能出现重大变化。"I'm very glad to find the unexplained cause of the rotation pole drift," Seo said. Seo教授表示:“很高兴找到了无法解释的磁极漂移原因。” "On the other hand, as a resident of Earth and a father, I'm concerned and surprised to see that pumping groundwater is another source of sea-level rise." “另一方面，作为地球的居民和一名父亲，我很担心，也很惊讶地看到，抽取地下水是海平面上升的另一个原因。”Seo noted that the latest study could mark the start of additional research into how water flow changes affected different, specific areas of the world. Seo指出，最新的研究可能标志着对水流变化如何影响世界不同特定地区的进一步研究的开始。 He said the same rotational pole data could be used to learn about possible causes of redistributed water over the past 100 years. 他说，同样的磁极数据可以用来了解过去100年中水资源重新分配的可能原因。"Were there any...changes resulting from the warming climate? Polar motion could hold the answer," he added. “有没有……气候变暖导致的变化?地极运动可能是答案，”他补充道。Surendra Adhikari is a research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He was not involved in this study. In a statement, Adhikari said the research was "a nice contribution and an important documentation for sure." 苏伦德拉•阿迪卡里是美国宇航局喷气推进实验室的研究科学家。他没有参与这项研究。阿迪卡里在一份声明中表示，这项研究是“一个很好的贡献，也是一份重要的文件。”He published the 2016 paper on water redistribution's effects on rotational drift. Adhikari added that the study clearly demonstrates "the role of groundwater pumping on polar motion, and it's pretty significant."他在2016年发表了一篇关于水再分配对旋转漂移影响的论文。阿迪卡里补充说，这项研究清楚地证明了“地下水在地极运动中的作用，而且意义重大。”I'm Bryan Lynn.