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Thermosphere Contraction Puzzles Scientists
The thermosphere layer of earth's atmosphere begins 80 to 90 kilometers above the surface and extends several hundred kilometers into the sky; it is the home to numerous satellites and the International Space Station. It is known that the thermosphere occasionally cools and contracts, but a recent study of satellite orbital decay (due to light atmospheric drag) found that the contraction during 2008 and 2009 was significantly more severe than expected, leaving researchers at a loss for how to explain it. From Space.com:
"This type of collapse is not rare, but its magnitude shocked scientists. 'This is the biggest contraction of the thermosphere in at least 43 years,' said John Emmert of the Naval Research Lab, lead author of a paper announcing the finding in the June 19 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters. 'It's a Space Age record.' The collapse occurred during a period of relative solar inactivity — called a solar minimum from 2008 to 2009. These minimums are known to cool and contract the thermosphere, however, the recent collapse was two to three times greater than low solar activity could explain."
The first 4 comments show as much.
On the one hand, it's reported this is not rare. On the other hand, we've got plenty of sensationalistic language: "significantly more severe", "researchers at a loss", "collapse", "its magnitude shocked scientists".
So, is it the usual news cycle hype reporting on a puzzling phenomenon, or is there a reason to be alarmed?
Whoever marked the parent as informative is a moron.
Tubby or not tubby. Fat is the question
Are we talking about the same Artic ice here. It's quite understandable that ice melts at summer. There's anything special about this year.
Meanwhile in Antarctic. At the end of June, Southern Hemisphere mid-winter, the sea ice surrounding Antarctica was more than two standard deviations greater than normal.
You don't know what you don't know.
The Earth isn't a closed system.
I'm not sure if you noticed, but there's a rather big flaming ball of hydrogen in the sky.
That should have been explained in high school as well.
I have a thermos. Sometimes it keeps hot stuff hot, sometimes it keeps cold stuff cold. How do it know?
I still cannot find the droids I am looking for...
You realize that the possible effects of CO2 on the thermosphere, and the effects of CO2 on global climate are two completely different discussions ?
If the same post was talking about evolution in the same uneducated manner it would be modded to oblivion, but because it's from a climate-creationists it's "insightfull".
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
Global warming is irrelevant to a winter. For one, it's the globe and a local weather pattern, even of "climate change" nature, is unrelated to the amount of heat stored globally. For another, an ice age is predicted by global warming. That is, the Atlantic currents serve to heat Europe disproportionately. It has been stated that global warming may end up causing an ice age because the currents will not flow in the current manner. Additionally, global warming has been predicted to increase the extremes. Worse winters and worse summers fits in line with what I've seen predicted. So nothing I've seen predicted as the most expected plan contradicts anything you've said. It doesn't seem contradictory to me.
So, is the issue that my perception of the accepted hypotheses is flawed, or is yours? Or is the issue that the ignorant reporters don't actually present things in a consistent manner, so attributing scientific perceptions to newspaper articles is going to result in an inconsistent message? Personally, I'd assert that the reporting is crap. They think they know what they are supposed to be reporting, so they say that, regardless of the truth. Remember, news isn't done to spread knowledge, but to sell advertising. So more eyes equals more income, so the news tends to the sensationalistic, not the sensible.
Learn to love Alaska
We had 8 months of winter in Europe, with record snow down to Spain and temperatures lower than they were in the last 30 years. Were constantly reminded that it was a seasonal event, weather, that had nothing to do with climate.
After a mere 3 weeks of summer, with record hot temperatures, the media is already reviving the global warming mantra.
Here in the US, the conservative pundits declared global warming a hoax this past winter when we had record snowfalls. Now we're having record heat this summer and the conservative pundits haven't said a word. Media stupidity about global climate change goes both ways.
Tired of being "punished" by the Slashdot $rtbl since 2002. I'm now over at http://soylentnews.org/ .