2023-10-27 21:55:47
The team noted that this discovery marked the first time that stratospheric contamination has been irrefutably linked to space debris re-entry. Image: Paul Fleet/PantherMedia/IMAGOFelipe Espinosa Wang
Currently, about 10% of the aerosols analyzed in the study contain metals from space debris. It is projected that this figure could increase to 50% in the coming decades.
In the midst of the constant development of the space industry, more and more news is emerging about the presence of human objects outside the Earth’s atmosphere. This situation inevitably suggests that in the coming decades there will be a significant increase in the number of rockets and satellites orbiting the Earth. For this reason, this trend has raised concern among many scientists, who question the implications this could have for our planet.
Recently, scientists investigating the stratosphere have discovered that, in addition to meteoric “space dust”, the atmosphere, more than 11 kilometers above the surface, is plagued by metallic pollution – in the form of particles containing various metals – from satellites, space stations and rockets that leave the Earth and burn up upon re-entering the atmosphere.
Scientists warn that this presence of metals in the stratosphere could alter the composition of our atmosphere in ways we do not yet fully understand. For this reason, the research team led by physicist Daniel Murphy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is urging extensive research into the effects of metal vapor in the atmosphere and projecting how it will evolve over time. time.
Monitor aerosol levels in the atmosphere
This finding is the result of an analysis of data collected during a mission called SABER (Stratospheric Aerosol processes, Budget and Radiative Effects) carried out in the Arctic stratosphere by a high-altitude research aircraft.
According to the NOAA press release, the team of scientists detected metals such as aluminum and other exotic elements in approximately 10% of sulfuric acid particles, which are the majority of particles present in the stratosphere. In addition, they have confirmed that these metals come from the vaporization of spacecraft during their re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
“Currently, the refractory material of stratospheric particles is mainly iron, silicon and magnesium of natural meteoric origin,” the researchers write in their new work.
“However, the amount of material from re-entry upper stage rockets and satellites is expected to increase dramatically over the next 10 to 30 years. “As a result, the amount of aluminum in stratospheric sulfuric acid particles is expected to become comparable or even higher than the amount of meteoric iron, with unknown consequences for ice inclusions and nucleation,” they added.
Unknown effects on Earth
The effects on Earth, although unknown until now, could be varied. According to reports Science Alert, the presence of these particles could influence how water freezes into ice in the stratosphere and alter the size of stratospheric aerosol particles. Furthermore, they could cause the deposition of salts on aerosol particles and modify the refraction of light in the stratosphere. Although these changes may seem subtle, researchers argue that they could trigger unforeseen consequences that need further investigation.
Satellite pollution is likely to increase as more commercial satellites are launched into space. Of particular concern today is the fact that there are nearly 8,000 satellites in low Earth orbit today, all destined to return to Earth at some point, according to data from Orbiting Now.
Murphy and his colleagues, estimating that approximately 10% of stratospheric sulfuric acid particles currently contain trace metals from rockets and satellites, warn that this proportion could increase significantly, even reaching 50% or more. This will depend on the number of satellites launched into low Earth orbit and the efforts made to dispose of space debris at the end of its useful life, redirecting it into the atmosphere to burn.
«The space industry has entered an era of rapid growth. With tens of thousands of small satellites planned for low Earth orbit, that increase in mass will be divided into many more reentry events,” they say.
“A lot of work will need to be done to understand the implications of these new metals in the stratosphere,” concludes Murphy.
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