地球质心在移动，NASA精确测量了它

NASA科学家开发了一种更精确的方法来追踪地球质心的季节性移动，利用激光测距卫星、GPS数据和地壳形变测量进行分析。1研究表明，随着水、冰和空气在全球季节性迁移，地球质心相对于地球几何中心移动数毫米，这项新方法将年度质心移动估计值缩小到之前估计的约一半。1

地球质心的移动由多种因素驱动。1北美和欧亚大陆的积雪变化影响显著——每年3月当积雪达到峰值时，质心向北极移动约3毫米。1亚马逊流域的降水也是重要因素，当该地区在4月雨水最丰沛（约2,400吉吨）时，质心向南美洲移动2.2毫米。1太平洋海水变化对质心移动的影响最大，11月东南亚季风水量最大（600吉吨）时产生相应效应。1季节性大气变化同样产生影响——12月21日前后冷气团向阿拉伯、亚洲和北非地区移动，6月21日对应效应在南美和南非出现。1

两次国际估计之间的差异反映了测量精度的提升。12017年和2023年的两次国际估计相差0.27英寸（7毫米）。1这项由Donald Argus领导的研究已发表在《地球物理学杂志国际版》2026年11月期刊上，其分析结果与2018年发射的GRACE-FO卫星观测数据保持一致。1NASA计划在2028年末发射GRACE-Continuity（GRACE-C）任务，以继续开展相关观测。1

NASA scientists have developed a more precise method to track seasonal movements of Earth's center of mass relative to its geometric center using laser-ranging satellites, GPS data, and crustal deformation measurements 1. The research reveals that Earth's center shifts by several millimeters annually as water, ice, and air migrate seasonally across the globe 1.

The study, led by Donald Argus at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and published in the International Journal of Geophysics in November 2026, refined previous estimates of annual mass center displacement to approximately half their earlier values 1. According to the findings, major driving factors include seasonal snowfall in North America and Eurasia, precipitation in the Amazon basin, Pacific Ocean water variations, and atmospheric circulation changes 1.

In March, when snow accumulation peaks in North America and Eurasia, Earth's center shifts northward by approximately 3 millimeters toward the Arctic 1. By April, when the Amazon basin receives its maximum rainfall of roughly 2,400 gigatons of water, the center moves about 2.2 millimeters toward South America 1. November brings the largest seasonal moisture from Southeast Asian monsoons, measuring 600 gigatons 1. Pacific Ocean water changes exert the greatest influence on mass center movements 1. Winter cold air masses moving toward the Arabian Peninsula, Asia, and North Africa around December 21 produce measurable effects, with corresponding impacts occurring in South America and South Africa near June 21 1.

Data from the GRACE-FO satellite, launched in 2018, align with the new analysis results 1. NASA plans to launch the GRACE-Continuity mission by the end of 2028 to continue monitoring these movements 1.