Mysterious Glowing Clouds in Space!

[XZeroII]

http://www.newscientistspace.com/articl...s-glowing-clouds-targeted-by-nasa.html

Interesting read, but it begs the question (to me, at least)...are these clouds being caused by global warming? or is global warming being caused by these clouds? It says that they first appeared in 1885 over the polar regions. Could human activity have caused/contributed to this even before the industrial revolution went into full swing?


Hmmmmmm...

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: XZeroII
http://www.newscientistspace.com/articl...s-glowing-clouds-targeted-by-nasa.html

Interesting read, but it begs the question (to me, at least)...are these clouds being caused by global warming? or is global warming being caused by these clouds? It says that they first appeared in 1885 over the polar regions. Could human activity have caused/contributed to this even before the industrial revolution went into full swing?


Hmmmmmm...

Given the timing, I would say that they are a *result* of global warming, rather than a cause; around the end of the 19th/ beginning of the 20th century is when the Industrial Revolution was really starting to pick up steam, if you'll pardon the pun.

EDIT: This is assuming they are connected to Global Warming, of course.

Nate

 

[2Xtreme21]

May just be the "barrier" where all the greenhouse gases are collecting.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
May just be the "barrier" where all the greenhouse gases are collecting.

They're too high up. Iirc, the gasses responsible for the greenhouse effect stay relatively close to the ground. Given their high reflectivity, they *might* be some form of "ice". Not solid water, necessarily, but solid something - I'd have to do a little more digging around to find out exactly what kinds of temperatures occur at those altitudes, and what could solidify at those temps.

Nate

 

[Braznor]

Alien fart, yep, that's it....

 

[sandorski]

Very interesting.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: Braznor
Alien fart, yep, that's it....

UFO exhaust, maybe

Nate

 

[feralkid]

While it may raise the question to you, it certainly does not beg it.

 

[Lemon law]

The question is my mind is does this have some connection to the charged ions that collect at the poles due to earths magnetic field?

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
The question is my mind is does this have some connection to the charged ions that collect at the poles due to earths magnetic field?

You mean the Northern Lights? Doesn't really sound like it; at least not from this article.

Nate

 

[Zorba]

Originally posted by: NTB

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
May just be the "barrier" where all the greenhouse gases are collecting.

They're too high up. Iirc, the gasses responsible for the greenhouse effect stay relatively close to the ground. Given their high reflectivity, they *might* be some form of "ice". Not solid water, necessarily, but solid something - I'd have to do a little more digging around to find out exactly what kinds of temperatures occur at those altitudes, and what could solidify at those temps.

Nate

The temp at 80km is ~198.6K or -102ºF
Pressure is 1.052 Pa (Holy crap that is low :Q)

 

[judasmachine]

Originally posted by: Zorba

Originally posted by: NTB

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
May just be the "barrier" where all the greenhouse gases are collecting.

They're too high up. Iirc, the gasses responsible for the greenhouse effect stay relatively close to the ground. Given their high reflectivity, they *might* be some form of "ice". Not solid water, necessarily, but solid something - I'd have to do a little more digging around to find out exactly what kinds of temperatures occur at those altitudes, and what could solidify at those temps.

Nate

The temp at 80km is ~198.6K or -102ºF
Pressure is 1.052 Pa (Holy crap that is low :Q)

damn near everything freezes at those temps.