Global warming felt by space junk, satellites

nbc ^ | 2 hours 11 minutes ago | By Charles Q. Choi

[BenLurkin]

Rising carbon dioxide levels at the edge of space are apparently reducing the pull that Earth's atmosphere has on satellites and space junk, researchers say.

The findings suggest that manmade increases in carbon dioxide might be having effects on the Earth that are larger than expected, scientists added.

In the layers of atmosphere closest to Earth, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, trapping heat from the sun. Rising levels of carbon dioxide due to human activity are leading to global warming of Earth's surface.

However, in the highest reaches of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide can actually have a cooling effect. The main effects of carbon dioxide up there come from its collisions with oxygen atoms. These impacts excite carbon dioxide molecules, making them radiate heat. The density of carbon dioxide is too thin above altitudes of about 30 miles (50 kilometers) for the molecules to recapture this heat, which means it mostly escapes to space, chilling the outermost atmosphere.

[BenLurkin]

[Ken522]

Rising carbon dioxide levels at the edge of space are apparently reducing the pull that Earth's atmosphere has on satellites and space junk, researchers say.

So let me get this straight - Rising carbon dioxide is having an anti-gravitational effect on orbiting trash .... just WOW!

[dila813]

It is having a cooling effect, sounds like a negative feedback to me.

[jjotto]

Well I’m glad it’s only MAN MADE co2 that’s having this effect. We can fix that. If it was just any old co2, we’d be doomed.

[Army Air Corps]

AGW ping.

[count-your-change]

It’s that cold fizz coming from beer that’s the problem.

[muawiyah]

As the atmosphere continues to cool as we move into the next period of glaciation it shrinks.

The satellites, because they are part of the Earth/spacejunk system, really aren't affected by this ~ their orbits are still computed from the center of the system which is in the center of the Earth.

What might slow them down might be subsurface magma flows which could increase local gravity levels

[AlexW]

“Aw Jeez, not this shit again’
__________________________________________

Yes, the Commie wacjobs are not going to give up on their their CO2 magical mystery tour. It is too much of a power and control thing, giving them a big high.
When the climate goes back to a cooling period, they will still blame man.

[rocksblues]

I see they have both sides covered again.

[Prospero]

such spectacular bull...

Our present, albeit unusually subdued, solar max is, as it has always done since the beginning of the Space Age, swelling the upper atmosphere resulting in a slight drag in low Earth orbiting spacecraft.

End of Story.

[Calvin Locke]

such spectacular bull...

Exactly. I remember all the brouhaha about Skylab's earlier-than-expected de-orbit due to excessive solar activity warming and swelling the outer limits of the atmosphere, increasing drag, etc.

[muawiyah]

NASA had a unit at L’Enfant plaza since the mid 1970s which had as it’s job to find “falling satellites” ~ near Earth orbit satellites actually are affected by a warmer atmosphere.

[jimsin]

B/L.... R u for r r u against cow flatulence? As we all know it is a major contributor to the slow death of our planet, evidence clearly shows this......I think we cannot do away with cow flatulence because a lot of cows would have to die....and our efforts would most assuredly be blocked by PETA and it's powerful influence in liberaland, which now controls the country....Burger King customers would throw in with them as well. BUT..mighten we make a move to do away with Climate Warming Mongers themselves.....? If we stop them we stop THEIR flatulence; win the war and save our fellow earthlings. Let this then be our cry 'DOWN WITH THE CWMS FOR THEY ARE THE DESTROYERS OF OUR PLANET'. CLIMATE WARMING MONGERs and their deadly flatulence must be rooted out and destroyed where ever these hideous monsters hide in their cockroach nests.

I think the movement will grow legs..... The Earth IS after all IN THE BALANCE...THREFORE I am hereby calling on all FREEPERS to do their part in a righteous quest to stop the CLIMATE WARMING Predatory Depredators of our planetary...... HOME SWEET HOME~! I reserve the balance of my time!

[dead]

Global warming ate my baby!!

[justa-hairyape]

Record Snowfall making headlines around the country

[publius911]

I love it!
"Researchers" and "scientists," all nameless and deservedly anonymous.
Losers no one has ever heard of, and probably will never hear from. Millions study the sciences and even get degrees in the sciences, but that does NOT make them credible researchers and scientists.

I say "BS!"