‘Record Cold Temperatures This Winter,’ Warns NASA Scientist

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A NASA scientist has warned that "the most savage freeze" in modern history is about to grip the Earth in an icy embrace, as the sun is enters one of the deepest Solar Minima of the Space Age, driving temperatures down to record lows.

A NASA scientist has warned that “the most savage freeze” in modern history is about to grip the Earth in an icy embrace, as the sun is enters one of the deepest Solar Minima of the Space Age, driving temperatures down to record lows.

Sunspots have been absent for most of 2018, and the sun’s ultraviolet output has sharply dropped, explains Martin Mlynczak of NASA’s Langley Research Center.

New research shows that Earth’s upper atmosphere is responding and the result will be a “global cooling trend” that will plunge temperatures to record lows.

We see a cooling trend,says Martin Mlynczak.

High above Earth’s surface, near the edge of space, our atmosphere is losing heat energy. If current trends continue, it could soon set a Space Age record for cold.”

These results come from the SABER instrument onboard NASA’s TIMED satellite. SABER monitors infrared emissions from carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitric oxide (NO), two substances that play a key role in the energy balance of air 100 to 300 kilometers above our planet’s surface.

By measuring the infrared glow of these molecules, SABER can assess the thermal state of gas at the very top of the atmosphere–a layer researchers call “the thermosphere.”

The thermosphere always cools off during Solar Minimum. It’s one of the most important ways the solar cycle affects our planet,” explains Mlynczak, who is the associate principal investigator for SABER.

When the thermosphere cools, it shrinks, literally decreasing the radius of Earth’s atmosphere. This shrinkage decreases aerodynamic drag on satellites in low-Earth orbit, extending their lifetimes. That’s the good news. The bad news is, it also delays the natural decay of space junk, resulting in a more cluttered environment around Earth.

 

The Thermosphere Climate Index by Mlynczak and colleagues.
Displays times of Cold, Cool, Neutral, Warm, and Hot since 1940.

Record cold in a matter of months

If current trends continue, it could soon set a Space Age record for cold,” says Mlynczak. “We’re not there quite yet, but it could happen in a matter of months.

To help keep track of what’s happening in the thermosphere, Mlynczak and colleagues recently introduced the “Thermosphere Climate Index” (TCI)–a number expressed in Watts that tells how much heat NO molecules are dumping into space. During Solar Maximum, TCI is high (“Hot”); during Solar Minimum, it is low (“Cold”).

Right now, it is very low indeed,” says Mlynczak. “SABER is currently measuring 33 billion Watts of infrared power from NO. That’s 10 times smaller than we see during more active phases of the solar cycle.

Although SABER has been in orbit for only 17 years, Mlynczak and colleagues recently calculated TCI going all the way back to the 1940s. “SABER taught us to do this by revealing how TCI depends on other variables such as geomagnetic activity and the sun’s UV output–things that have been measured for decades,” he explains.

Above: Layers of the atmosphere. Credit: NASA

We are especially pleased that SABER is gathering information so important for tracking the effect of the Sun on our atmosphere,” says James Russell, SABER’s Principal Investigator at Hampton University.

A more than 16-year record of long-term changes in the thermal condition of the atmosphere more than 70 miles above the surface is something we did not expect for an instrument designed to last only 3-years in-orbit.

Soon, the Thermosphere Climate Index will be added to Spaceweather.com as a regular data feed, so our readers can monitor the state of the upper atmosphere just as researchers do. Stay tuned for updates.

Baxter Dmitry

Baxter Dmitry

Baxter Dmitry is a writer at The People's Voice. He covers politics, business and entertainment. Speaking truth to power since he learned to talk, Baxter has travelled in over 80 countries and won arguments in every single one. Live without fear.
Email: baxter@thepeoplesvoice.tv
Baxter Dmitry

10 Comments

  1. Have you guys heard of the HAARP system? Basically they take energy from the Aurora lights and redirect this energy at the earths ionosphere. By doing this, it allows them to manipulate the weather, they can cause droughts, typhoons, earthquakes, etc. When they do this, the ionsphere responds by sending ELF (extra low frequency) waves back at earth, which also effects the way we feel and think. “Angels Don’t Play This HAARP” is a great book on this.

  2. I live in Portugal and watch the chems ice our skies nearly every day I predict now when we are going to have very cold weather and always right just watch the invisible planes in the early morning skies these so called scientists ,are telling you exacltly what is going to happen to our manipulated weather and its all about making LOADs of money from our heating appliances and keeping warm or we die ,The old people are at the most vunerable, The powers that be do not want to pay our pensions ,we have become useless eaters ,get out and get some good thermal clothing and good quality vitamin c and Zinc

  3. what if it’s true that aliens are harvesting helium-3 from our sun?

    what are we going to do about it?

    nothing but become extinct = truth

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