According to a recent study, scientists have discovered that parts of the New York City metropolitan area are sinking due to both human and natural factors.
The research, conducted by scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Rutgers University, used a remote sensing technique called interferometric synthetic aperture radar to analyze vertical ground motion in the metropolitan area from 2016 to 2023.
They identified neighborhoods and landmarks that were sinking faster than average, and found that the area was shrinking by about 1.6 millimeters per year.
For example, runway 13/31 at LaGuardia Airport is sinking at a rate of about 3.7 millimeters per year, while Arthur Ashe Tennis Stadium is sinking at a rate of about 4.6 millimeters per year.
The team also identified upscale areas such as East Williamsburg and Woodside.
These surfaces increased by 1.6 millimeters and 6.9 millimeters per year respectively.
The cause of these elevations is still under investigation, but groundwater pumping and injection wells used to treat contaminated water may have played a role.
