South Africa Rising Due to Climate Change- New Study Reveals
As climate change intensifies, South Africa is not only becoming hotter and drier; it’s also rising by up to 2 millimeters per year, according to a recent study. Scientists have long attributed this uplift to mantle flow within Earth’s crust, but a new hypothesis suggests a different cause.
The study, led by geodesist Makan Karegar from the University of Bonn, utilized data from a network of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) stations in South Africa. This network provided precise data on the height of various sites across the country, revealing an average rise of 6 millimeters between 2012 and 2020.
Previously, experts believed the Quathlamba hotspot was responsible for the land uplift, but Karegar’s team explored another theory. They found a strong correlation between severe droughts and dramatic land uplift, particularly during the 2015–2019 drought period when Cape Town faced water scarcity.
The team also analyzed data from the GRACE satellite mission, which confirmed that areas with less water mass experienced higher uplift. This suggests that the loss of water due to droughts plays a significant role in land uplift, in addition to mantle flow.
These findings not only shed light on the impact of climate change on South Africa but also have practical implications. GNSS data could be a cost-effective way to monitor water scarcity, including critical groundwater resources that are essential for agriculture and other purposes.
With droughts posing a severe threat to water availability in South Africa and beyond, this research provides valuable insights into understanding and managing water resources. The study was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.
