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| Source: ESA GOCE |
GOCE stands for "Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer." It's not an acronym I know off the top of my head, either.
The physics definition: "the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass. For most purposes Newton's laws of gravity apply, with minor modifications to take the general theory of relativity into account."
Penguins are not flying off into orbit, and I hope the news doesn't do its usual bit of sensationalism for ratings - why, for the most part I've given up looking too much at the news and prefer to read summaries off the Internet - from other countries.
This IS a data point, and an important one. It means climate change can be measured not just in temperature or change in weather patterns.
From one of the articles (GOCE):
Scientists are now armed with the most accurate gravity model ever produced. This is leading to a much better understanding of many facets of our planet – from the boundary between Earth’s crust and upper mantle to the density of the upper atmosphere.
The strength of gravity at Earth’s surface varies subtly from place to place owing to factors such as the planet’s rotation and the position of mountains and ocean trenches.
Changes in the mass of large ice sheets can also cause small local variations in gravity. [1]
It will be useful information we can use in the exploration of other worlds, some in our own solar system's backyard.
Discovery ended on a somber note:
The news doesn't get much better for Antarctica. Earlier this year, two studies were released that indicated the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is headed for an irreversible collapse in roughly 200 years. Should the ice sheet completely collapse, scientists believe it could raise sea level by more than 10 feet. [2]
Bye-bye Florida in the 23rd century. Considering it's where we have traditionally launched space vehicles, that would be fairly unfortunate, especially for the Floridians!
1. GOCE: GOCE reveals gravity dip from ice loss
2. Discover: Antarctic Ice Melt is Changing Earth’s Gravity, Carl Engelking
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