(ORDO NEWS) — The technological progress of the 21st century has enabled geologists to improve research methods. Scientists were able to organize a number of missions in orbit, including satellites of the gravity recovery and climate experiment (GRACE).
The satellites who represent this mission are called Tom and Jerry. Such a symbolic name was given to them due to the fact that they fly one after another perpendicular to the equator at a distance of 200 kilometers. The function of these satellites is that they are able to determine the variation in the distance between satellites of the order of several microns. Rangefinders allow them to do this, which have exceptional accuracy.
Flying over areas of high / low gravity, the satellites are slightly displaced by this gravity, which is recorded by rangefinders, after which a gravitational map of the Earth‘s surface is built.
Using the GRACE mission, scientists obtain a map of groundwater saturation, and also determine the level of soil moisture in the root zone. And on July 8, the European Climate Change Service presented the latest such map to the public.
The data suggest that although Eastern Europe has been suffering from floods in recent months, this has not led to changes in soil saturation with moisture. From this it turns out that at a time when rivers are overflowing, drought actually occurs. After all, when the rain ends, everything will dry up, because the wells are dry. Now this phenomenon can be observed in the Czech Republic, where there is no water left in the wells or very little of it.
The problem of underwater saturation will lead to global problems, because it is from there that people draw drinking water. Europe has officially recognized the food threat. And since Europe occupies an important place in the production of agricultural products, constant rains and high air temperatures, which has been happening since the winter of this year, negatively affect the projected yield level.
This situation may lead to the fact that although the climate normalizes and it rains, the wells will remain empty.
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