It’s a well-known fact: New York City is sinking every year. However, NASA scientists found that certain key locations stalled much faster than the metro area average.
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These locations include LaGuardia Airport, Arthur Ashe Stadium, home to the US Open, and Interstate 78. These are sinking at an average rate of more than 2 millimeters per year, which is faster than the 1.6 mm occurring elsewhere in the country City must be specified.
Arthur Ashe Stadium Getty Images via AFP
“If you live in a coastal city, it is important that you understand what this vertical movement does and how it makes your neighborhood vulnerable to flooding,” explains Brett Buzzanga, author of the study and a coastal geoscience specialist at NASA.
Ground movements help amplify the effects of rising sea levels. In 20 years, the water level in Manhattan has risen by 4.4 mm per year. According to the study, the phenomenon was accelerated by land subsidence.
Brett Buzzanga and his colleagues used satellites to assess different areas of the city. GPS data from ground devices or aircraft made it possible to draw an accurate picture of the situation.
“We were able to highlight the differences between regions in great detail and find places that are sinking faster,” Buzzanga said. We risk achieving similar results in all coastal cities. »
Postglacial recovery
A place can sink for many reasons. In the case of New York, this could be related to the retreat of glaciers during the last ice age.
LaGuardia Airport AFP
In fact, nearly 20,000 years ago, a sheet of ice covered all of New England. As it began to melt, the earth trapped beneath it began to rise.
However, New York City’s rapid development has compressed the Earth’s mantle, forcing it to sink again. Additionally, the removal of water wells beneath the city helped speed up the process.
Several areas, including LaGuardia Airport and Arthur Ashe Stadium, have historically been landfills, making the soil more sensitive. Arthur Ashe Stadium was even renovated with a canvas roof to make it less heavy.
According to information from the Washington Post