Just above our head, there is a layer around the earth at an altitude of about 12 kilometers, which is called the stratosphere. That is, the stratosphere. Scientists have revealed that in the last 40 years, its height has been reduced by 402 meters. That means every ten years the height of 100 meters is decreasing. Its biggest loss will be the satellites moving around our earth.
This stratosphere is from 12 kilometers above the earth to a height of about 49.88 kilometers. Normally in this aerial layer of the sky, supersonic aircraft and weather information balloons rotate. But according to a new research, the thickness of this air layer around our earth has reduced by 402 meters in the last 40 years.
This study, published in the science journal Environmental Research Letters , states that the main reason for this is the greenhouse gases produced by humans. Because the more pollution there is, the more greenhouse gases will come out. The burning and use of fossil-based fuels is increasing the amount of carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide has penetrated into the Earth’s lowest aerial layer, the Troposphere. This layer is reflecting the light coming from the sun back to the space. Because of which the earth is heating up. As the emission of greenhouse gases increases, the earth will absorb more heat from the sun. Due to which heat is not going to reach the stratosphere. The stratosphere is constantly freezing.
If the stratosphere continues to cool down, it will reduce its thickness. From 1960 to 2010, the temperature of the stratosphere has decreased by 3 degrees Celsius. If the greenhouse gases continue to grow at the present speed or increase, then the stratosphere will decrease more rapidly. According to the new study, by the year 2080, the stratosphere will be thinner by about 1.60 kilometers.
If the stratosphere continues to decrease in this way, it will directly affect the GPS, navigation system, radio communication and trajectory of the satellites moving around the earth. Think of it as if the earth is a multi-layer cake. The troposphere is the lowest layer. This is where civil aircraft fly. Where the troposphere meets its upper layer, the stratosphere, it is called tropopause.
Earth's stratosphere has been shrinking for 40 years. That could one day screw with orbiting satellites. https://t.co/k97NKE0mZq
— Science Insider (@SciInsider) May 14, 2021
Above the stratosphere is called mesosphere. It is the layer between the upper atomosphere and the stratosphere. It is about 80.46 km wide. After this comes the upper atmosphere which is 708 km wide. Thermosphere comes inside it. Satellites and international space stations are roaming in this thermosphere. This is followed by the Ionosphere.
According to this new study, the boundaries between the upper layer and the lower layer of the stratosphere i.e. tropopause and stratopause are constantly coming close to each other. That is, the stratosphere is shrinking. The height of the troposphere has been steadily increasing since the year 1980. At the same time, the height of the stratosphere is decreasing. That is, one layer of the multilayered cake is decreasing.
According to the researchers, stratosphere can be saved only when the emission of carbon dioxide is stopped. Last year itself, the world had the highest carbon dioxide emissions despite lockdown. Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Sciences, said that carbon dioxide is cooling the stratosphere. As soon as the stratosphere cools down completely, the size of the atomosphere will also become smaller.
The most problematic will be the satellites circling around the earth. Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at Reading University, says that as the stratosphere decreases, all of the above layers will come closer. They will also happen. This will mean that the air resistance of the satellites circling at low altitude will be reduced. This will affect their trajectory.
If any change will be made on these satellites, then it will have a bad effect on GPS navigation system, and other types of space based communication system. Our TV channels, mobile networks, geographical services will all be affected. This will greatly damage their intensity and accuracy.
Paul Williams said that not only that, high frequency radio transmission would also be interrupted. Because the radio rays will bounce stuck in the ionosphere. If the pilot of the aircraft has to talk to air traffic control, then his GPS system will not work. Airplanes can also go astray. This situation is expected to be more near the North Pole.
