The ground underneath the Chicago city is gradually deforming due to “underground climate change”, scientists are claiming.

According to the latest study, this phenomenon is called “subsurface heat islands” and is caused by heat released by buildings and subterranean transportation such as subway systems.

The research argues that rising temperatures are causing land to undergo massive changes in urban areas and that it could adversely affect buildings and infrastructure, threatening long-term durability.

“The denser the city, the more intense is underground climate change,” said lead study author Alessandro Rotta Loria, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, reports CNN.

He said that soil, rocks and construction materials are being impacted by temperature variations.

For example, the ground underneath buildings can contract when heated, causing unwanted settlement, Loria said.

“Deformations caused by underground climate change are relatively small in magnitude, but they continuously develop,” he said.

“Over time, they can become very significant for the operational performance of civil infrastructure like building foundations, water retaining walls, tunnels and so on.”

<h2>New York was also found to be sinking</h2>

Notably, it comes after scientists announced New York may be sinking under the weight of its own buildings back in May —with 1.68 trillion pounds pushing down on the ground beneath.

The study, which was published this month in the Communications Engineering journal, came to the conclusion after observing the land changes for the past 25 years.

The researchers installed 150 temperature sensors across the Chicago Loop district, both above and below ground, and in a variety of places such as basements, tunnels and parking garages.

Sensors were also placed in Grant Park along Lake Michigan to compare temperatures from an unbuilt area with no excess heat coming from construction or transportation.

The data that was collected for the last three years showed that the ground under the Loop was up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) warmer than the ground beneath the park.

“And the consequence of that is that at least a portion of the heat will diffuse towards the ground over time, and that’s the origin of the phenomenon,” Loria said.

Loria notes that underground climate change can cause issues such as groundwater contamination or problems with underground railways by making tracks prone to buckling or causing passengers to become ill due to excessive heat.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The ground underneath the Chicago city is gradually deforming due to “underground climate change”, scientists are claiming. According to the latest study, this phenomenon is called “subsurface heat islands” and is caused by heat released by buildings and subterranean transportation such as subway systems.

The ground underneath the Chicago city is gradually deforming due to “underground climate change”, scientists are claiming. According to the latest study, this phenomenon is called “subsurface heat islands” and is caused by heat released by buildings and subterranean transportation such as subway systems. The research argues that rising temperatures are causing land to undergo massive changes in urban areas and that it could adversely affect buildings and infrastructure, threatening long-term durability. “The denser the city, the more intense is underground climate change,” said lead study author Alessandro Rotta Loria, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, reports CNN. He said that soil, rocks and construction materials are being impacted by temperature variations. For example, the ground underneath buildings can contract when heated, causing unwanted settlement, Loria said. “Deformations caused by underground climate change are relatively small in magnitude, but they continuously develop,” he said. “Over time, they can become very significant for the operational performance of civil infrastructure like building foundations, water retaining walls, tunnels and so on.” New York was also found to be sinking Notably, it comes after scientists announced New York may be sinking under the weight of its own buildings back in May —with 1.68 trillion pounds pushing down on the ground beneath. The study, which was published this month in the Communications Engineering journal, came to the conclusion after observing the land changes for the past 25 years. The researchers installed 150 temperature sensors across the Chicago Loop district, both above and below ground, and in a variety of places such as basements, tunnels and parking garages. Sensors were also placed in Grant Park along Lake Michigan to compare temperatures from an unbuilt area with no excess heat coming from construction or transportation. The data that was collected for the last three years showed that the ground under the Loop was up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) warmer than the ground beneath the park. “And the consequence of that is that at least a portion of the heat will diffuse towards the ground over time, and that’s the origin of the phenomenon,” Loria said. Loria notes that underground climate change can cause issues such as groundwater contamination or problems with underground railways by making tracks prone to buckling or causing passengers to become ill due to excessive heat. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Is Chicago sinking? New study claims ‘underground climate change’ deforming ground underneath city

New York City&nbsp;may soon sink under the sea predicts a new research. The city is sinking due to the weight of its towering skyscrapers. Coupled with the rising sea levels, this weight is pushing New York under at an average rate of 1-2 millimetres per year; some areas are sinking at twice this rate.&nbsp;Since 1950, the water surrounding New York City has risen by approximately 9 inches (22 centimetres).&nbsp;The rising water levels are a looming&nbsp;threat to&nbsp;the&nbsp;8.4 million people of the city.

Researchers behind the study published in the Earth’s Future journal warn that "a deeply concentrated population of 8.4 million people faces varying degrees of hazard from inundation in New York City."

<h2>Why is New York sinking?</h2>

New York's iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, or rather their weight, are causing the city&nbsp;to sink.

As per the research estimates, New York City's buildings, including iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, weigh a total of 1.68 trillion pounds — equivalent to the weight of 140 million elephants. This enormous weight pushes down on a mixture of different materials beneath the city, causing it to sink just a little bit every year.&nbsp;

It says that while the city's largest buildings are constructed on solid bedrock, such as schist, the ground beneath also contains a mixture of sand and clays. This mixture contributes to the natural sinking occurring along much of the US east coast as the land adjusts to the retreat of glaciers following the last ice age.

<h2>Were the iconic buildings a mistake?</h2>

Tom Parsons, a geophysicist at the US Geological Survey, and lead author of the research emphasised&nbsp;that constructing large buildings in New York was not a mistake, but it is essential to consider that each new construction further compresses the ground.

He said that the softer the soil, the more the buildings compress it.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-is-sinking-in-the-sea-says-a-study-488110">Mumbai is sinking in the sea, says a study</a>

Parsons&nbsp;explains that while there is no immediate cause for panic, the ongoing sinking process increases the vulnerability to flooding.

"It’s not something to panic about immediately, but there’s this ongoing process that increases the risk of inundation from flooding."

<h2>Is it just New York that risks sinking?</h2>

No, the threat exists for all the coastal cities worldwide.

Researchers caution that it's not just New York that faces this danger. The risks, as per the authors, will be shared by many other coastal cities around the world as the climate crisis deepens.&nbsp;

They assert that the combination of tectonic and human-induced subsidence, along with other factors, all indicate a growing danger for coastal and riverfront regions.

"The combination of tectonic and anthropogenic subsidence, sea level rise, and increasing hurricane intensity imply an accelerating problem along coastal and riverfront areas."

<h2>Any previous research to support this?</h2>

A March 2022 study&nbsp;indicated that India's financial capital Mumbai,&nbsp;with a population of approximately 20 million, is experiencing a gradual sinking at an average rate of 2 mm per year.

The research, titled "Subsidence in Coastal Cities Throughout the World," highlighted that it is not just Mumbai.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-global-warming-pushing-billions-to-buy-air-conditioners-heres-how-thats-adding-to-climate-change-594153">Explained: Global warming pushing billions to buy air conditioners. Here's how that's adding to climate change</a>

As per the study,&nbsp;Tianjin, located in China, holds the distinction of being the fastest-sinking coastal city worldwide, with a subsidence rate of 5.2 cm per year.

Apart from Tianjin and Mumbai, the study examined land subsidence in 99 countries around the world. It identified additional coastal cities experiencing sinking, such as Jakarta in Indonesia (3.44 cm per year), Shanghai in China (2.94 cm per year), and Ho Chi Minh (2.81 mm per year) and Hanoi (2.44 cm per year) in Vietnam.

<h2>How is climate change causing these decades-old cities to sink?</h2>

The sinking, as per the study, is intensified by&nbsp;the impact of sea level rise, which is already occurring at approximately twice the global average due to the melting of glaciers and the expansion of seawater caused by global warming.&nbsp;

The research warns that by the end of the century, major flooding events from storms could occur up to four times more frequently due to the combined effects of sea level rise and climate change-fuelled hurricanes.

<h2>Are there any examples of how global warming is exacerbating the problem in New York?</h2>

In 2012 and then in 2021, New York City has already experienced the devastating impacts of flooding.

Hurricane Sandy in 2012 caused extensive damage and power outages, including flooding in the New York subway system. In 2021, Hurricane Ida led to further flooding and loss of life in the city.&nbsp;

Scientists have attributed the severity of both these disasters to the damning effects of global warming.

<h2>How can we protect iconic cities like New York and Mumbai?</h2>

As per Parsons, proactive&nbsp;planning is the way. He stressed that proactive planning is important for New York and other coastal cities. He said that vulnerable cities "have to get planning for this. If you get repeated exposure to seawater, you can corrode steel and destabilise buildings, which you clearly don’t want. Flooding also kills people, too, which is probably the greatest concern."

(With inputs from agencies)

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New York City may soon sink under the sea predicts a new research. The city is sinking due to the weight of its towering skyscrapers. Coupled with the rising sea levels, this weight is pushing New York under at an average rate of 1-2 millimetres per year; some areas are sinking at twice this rate.

New York City may soon sink under the sea predicts a new research. The city is sinking due to the weight of its towering skyscrapers. Coupled with the rising sea levels, this weight is pushing New York under at an average rate of 1-2 millimetres per year; some areas are sinking at twice this rate. Since 1950, the water surrounding New York City has risen by approximately 9 inches (22 centimetres). The rising water levels are a looming threat to the 8.4 million people of the city. Researchers behind the study published in the Earth’s Future journal warn that "a deeply concentrated population of 8.4 million people faces varying degrees of hazard from inundation in New York City." Why is New York sinking? New York's iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, or rather their weight, are causing the city to sink. As per the research estimates, New York City's buildings, including iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, weigh a total of 1.68 trillion pounds — equivalent to the weight of 140 million elephants. This enormous weight pushes down on a mixture of different materials beneath the city, causing it to sink just a little bit every year. It says that while the city's largest buildings are constructed on solid bedrock, such as schist, the ground beneath also contains a mixture of sand and clays. This mixture contributes to the natural sinking occurring along much of the US east coast as the land adjusts to the retreat of glaciers following the last ice age. Were the iconic buildings a mistake? Tom Parsons, a geophysicist at the US Geological Survey, and lead author of the research emphasised that constructing large buildings in New York was not a mistake, but it is essential to consider that each new construction further compresses the ground. He said that the softer the soil, the more the buildings compress it. Also read | Mumbai is sinking in the sea, says a study Parsons explains that while there is no immediate cause for panic, the ongoing sinking process increases the vulnerability to flooding. "It’s not something to panic about immediately, but there’s this ongoing process that increases the risk of inundation from flooding." Is it just New York that risks sinking? No, the threat exists for all the coastal cities worldwide. Researchers caution that it's not just New York that faces this danger. The risks, as per the authors, will be shared by many other coastal cities around the world as the climate crisis deepens. They assert that the combination of tectonic and human-induced subsidence, along with other factors, all indicate a growing danger for coastal and riverfront regions. "The combination of tectonic and anthropogenic subsidence, sea level rise, and increasing hurricane intensity imply an accelerating problem along coastal and riverfront areas." Any previous research to support this? A March 2022 study indicated that India's financial capital Mumbai, with a population of approximately 20 million, is experiencing a gradual sinking at an average rate of 2 mm per year. The research, titled "Subsidence in Coastal Cities Throughout the World," highlighted that it is not just Mumbai. Also read | Explained: Global warming pushing billions to buy air conditioners. Here's how that's adding to climate change As per the study, Tianjin, located in China, holds the distinction of being the fastest-sinking coastal city worldwide, with a subsidence rate of 5.2 cm per year. Apart from Tianjin and Mumbai, the study examined land subsidence in 99 countries around the world. It identified additional coastal cities experiencing sinking, such as Jakarta in Indonesia (3.44 cm per year), Shanghai in China (2.94 cm per year), and Ho Chi Minh (2.81 mm per year) and Hanoi (2.44 cm per year) in Vietnam. How is climate change causing these decades-old cities to sink? The sinking, as per the study, is intensified by the impact of sea level rise, which is already occurring at approximately twice the global average due to the melting of glaciers and the expansion of seawater caused by global warming. The research warns that by the end of the century, major flooding events from storms could occur up to four times more frequently due to the combined effects of sea level rise and climate change-fuelled hurricanes. Are there any examples of how global warming is exacerbating the problem in New York? In 2012 and then in 2021, New York City has already experienced the devastating impacts of flooding. Hurricane Sandy in 2012 caused extensive damage and power outages, including flooding in the New York subway system. In 2021, Hurricane Ida led to further flooding and loss of life in the city. Scientists have attributed the severity of both these disasters to the damning effects of global warming. How can we protect iconic cities like New York and Mumbai? As per Parsons, proactive planning is the way. He stressed that proactive planning is important for New York and other coastal cities. He said that vulnerable cities "have to get planning for this. If you get repeated exposure to seawater, you can corrode steel and destabilise buildings, which you clearly don’t want. Flooding also kills people, too, which is probably the greatest concern." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WION Explains | New York, the city that never sleeps, may soon lie in slumber under the sea

Indonesia is facing a new challenge. Its capital Jakarta is sinking. The Indonesian capital Jakarta is soon going to be the fastest-sinking city in the world. Climate change is part of the reason. Will people be able to visit Jakarta in future?

Jakarta is sinking. Can the Indonesian capital be moved?

An Indian town in the Himalayas has been dubbed India's sinking city. Unsustainable infrastructure projects among other factors have caused the ground beneath the town to sink.

WION Fineprint | Joshimath: The sinking Indian city

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