How Climate Change is Changing the Shape of the Earth

Satellite measurements analyzed in a scientific study published October 23, 2026, show that climate change is physically altering the shape of the solid Earth by raising the poles and sinking the equator, Infobae reported. The planet is flattened at the poles and widened at the equator due to its rotation, though the classic image of the Earth as a near-perfect sphere is merely an approximation. This variation is imperceptible to daily life and is measured in milimeters per year.

Christoforos Kotsakis Detects Crustal Deformation Between 1997 and 2015

His work was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. The investigation examined data gathered between 1997 and 2015. The work reconstructed changes in terrestrial geometry from records obtained between 1997 and 2015.

Global Navigation Satellite System stations tracked vertical surface movements worldwide. Kotsakis used these records to measure how the solid Earth moves up or down on a global scale. The measurements revealed a persistent physical signal across hundreds of monitoring sites. Global Navigation Satellite System stations recorded an acceleration in polar elevation close to 0.4 millimeters per year per decade.

Polar Uplift Accelerates to Nearly One Millimeter Annually

Polar elevation rates shifted from about 0.5 millimeters per year up to nearly 1 millimeter annually between the late 1990s and the 2011–2015 period. Equatorial regions showed a matching subsidence or downward movement of similar magnitude. This combination means the solid planet is losing some of its polar flattening and becoming slightly rounder. The study calculated that this geometric shift accelerated at roughly 0.4 millimeters per year per decade. This deformation outpaces what geologists expect solely from long-term post-glacial rebound following the last ice age. Melting ice in Greenland and Antarctica removes weight from high-latitude crust, allowing the ground to rise. Even so, the measurements make it possible to identify a consistent global signal that exceeds what is expected solely from long-term geological processes linked to the end of the last glaciation.

Meltwater Redistribution Increases Pressure on Oceanic Floors

Water released from shrinking ice sheets flows toward lower latitudes. That mass redistribution increases pressure on ocean bottoms and drives down the solid surface near the equator. Kotsakis attributes the accelerated signal to these modern mass transfers rather than ancient geological adjustments alone.

The findings contrast with gravity-field measurements that suggest the entire planet is flattening further. The study focused strictly on the solid crust and mantle deformation, while gravity models incorporate the total mass of the oceans. Water moving away from the poles into ocean basins increases the equatorial bulge when measured as a complete system.

Expanded Satellite Networks Target Sea Level Models

The study notes that wider GNSS coverage in polar and oceanic areas will refine future sea level rise models. Researchers plan to use expanded station networks to separate current ice loss from deeper mantle movements.