Hydrological changes and vertical crustal deformation in south India: Inference from GRACE, GPS and absolute gravity data
Previously Published Material: Published article in PEPI,2014. Citation reference : VM Tiwari, N Srinivas and B Singh 2014, Hydrological changes and vertical crustal deformation in south India: Inference from GRACE, GPS and Absolute Gravity data, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors,231,74-80.This work is published on Deccan Chronicle newspaper Hyderabad: Earth beneath your feet is Moving" The land surface of Hyderabad could be increasing and decreasing depending on annual rainfall and the groundwater table. Scientists say that the city land surface has been compressed and expanded on a periodic basis by as much as 2 to 4 centimetre and such deformities in the land mass could even change the latitude and longitude readings of a location on the GPS. Though deformations could occur anywhere, the amount of rainfall would decide how much the compression would be. The deformation caused in landmass due to hydrological processes was analysed. “People might not know but surface of Hyderabad is getting deformed like an elastic material,” Dr V.M. Tiwari, principal scientist, NGRI, said. Locations were studied by Dr Tiwari, Mr N. Srinivas and Mr B. Singh by analysing data from GPS and GRACE satellites. Scientists explained that rainfall and groundwaterstorage, termed as Total Water Storage (TWS), caused the landmass to get compressed like an elastic material due to pressure. Once the water table goes down at the end of the rainy season and in summer, the landmass regains its original shape. The whole deformity could be as much as2 to 4 centimetre in just a single year.
Abstract ID#: 33748