Climate Change Affecting Outermost Atmosphere Of Earth

Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels will produce a 3 percent reduction in the density of Earth’s outermost atmosphere by 2017, according to a team of scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and The Pennsylvania State University (PSU). The research, which appears in the latest issue of Geophysical Research Letters, will be presented today at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union.

“We’re seeing climate change manifest itself in the upper as well as lower atmosphere,” says NCAR scientist Stan Solomon, a co-author of the study. “This shows the far-ranging impacts of greenhouse gas emissions.”

The research team includes Solomon, Liying Qian, and Ray Roble of NCAR’s High Altitude Observatory; and Tim Kane of PSU. The study was supported by NASA’s Living With a Star program and by the National Science Foundation, NCAR’s primary sponsor.

Lower density in the thermosphere, which is the highest layer of the atmosphere, reduces the drag on satellites in low Earth orbit, allowing them to stay airborne longer. Forecasts of upper-level air density could help NASA and other agencies plan the fuel needs and timing of satellite launches more precisely, potentially saving millions of dollars.

SPX