The sky is literally falling?

Greenhouse gas emissions due to human overuse of fossil fuels are the cause of many negative impacts on the environment.

The Earth's atmosphere is divided into four separate layers including the troposphere (the layer closest to the Earth's surface), and respectively the stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere.

The sky is literally falling? Picture 1

We often hear that climate change is warming the earth, but on the other hand, this problem is cooling the atmosphere.

The greenhouse gas Carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by humans is trapped by the troposphere, causing the top 2 layers of the atmosphere, the mesosphere and thermosphere, to cool at high speeds. These two layers have very few molecules so it is difficult to absorb heat and when the temperature drops it causes worrying consequences.

Simply put, as the lower atmosphere gets hotter, the top layers get colder.

In a recent study, NASA scientists confirmed the existence of this process and issued warnings about the serious consequences it can cause.

The problem of global warming is occurring at a very rapid rate, which means the cooling of the highest layers of the atmosphere is also getting worse. The mesosphere and thermosphere lost 1.7⁰C from 2019 to 2022. According to estimates, temperatures could drop to 7.5⁰C by the end of the 21st century.

A decrease in temperature will cause the air to contract and the atmosphere to lose molecular density. Over the past 17 years, the stratosphere has actually lost 1% of its volume, equivalent to about 400 meters in height.

According to NASA, atmospheric subsidence can cause collapse, increasing the likelihood of satellites and objects in low Earth orbit colliding or falling to the ground. This subsidence expands the hole in the ozone layer and causes weather disturbances such as heavy rainfall and repeated heat waves.

Samuel Daniel

Update 31 May 2024