Different types of clouds have an impact on temperatures that varies depending on their height and composition. A new satellite has just been launched to understand the role clouds will play in changing temperatures on Earth.
If climate change has an impact on clouds, clouds also have an impact on climate! Earth Care It is a task carried out in cooperation between…European Space AgencyEuropean Space Agency (ISA) andJapan Space AgencyJapan Space Agency (jaxa). The satellite was launched on May 28 and is monitoring the Earth's atmosphere from its position 400 kilometers above sea level: the goal is to better understand the functioning of clouds and their impact on climate.
Most clouds have a cooling effect, but not all
Will clouds cool or warm our planet in the future? Most clouds have a cooling effect on our climate. Very white and very bright clouds, such as cumulus clouds, located at fairly low altitudes, have an umbrella effect: they cool the atmosphere.airair This is thanks to its reflective power that returns light rays towards space. In general, all types of very dense clouds, circulating at low altitudes, have a cooling effect on the air.
Conversely, there are other types of cirrus clouds that allow sunlight to pass through them, warming the air, such as cirrus clouds found at high altitudes.
In addition, the moisture that makes up these clouds acts as a blanket and traps them heatheat In the lower layers of the atmosphere. It is estimated that between 28 and 42 percent of the surface above Earth is covered by cirrus clouds. (Variable percentage depending on SeasonsSeasons) or approximately between a third and a half of our Earth's sky, hence the need to clearly understand its effect on temperatures. There is, of course, a big difference between different regions of the world, and some others CirrusCirrus They are present daily or almost daily, and others where they never form. It is possible that other classes of clouds may also be playing a role in the current warming, and this effect has only been demonstrated with cirrus clouds.
Understanding the evolution of clouds will allow us to better understand climate evolution
This is why scientists are interested in the types of clouds found on it LandLandBut also to its composition. You will use the instrument on board Satellite A LaserLaser To measure the size of the clouds and evaluate the amount and percentages of water they contain SpeedSpeed Of displacement. By better understanding the interaction of clouds with solar radiation, researchers will have a more accurate idea of how the climate will evolve in the future. It is important to know what Global WarmingGlobal Warming Do you prefer the types of clouds: cooler clouds (which would ease global warming a little), or warmer clouds (which would make global warming worse)? Then, understand how these clouds in particular will in turn affect climate evolution.
Without this space data, the team responsible for the project explains that it is impossible to know which types of clouds will be more present in the future, and their consequences. The results will then make it possible to clarify climate evolution, as well as develop strategies for adapting to rising temperatures.
