More Issues are being caused by Global Warming than you may Think

 

The gradual increase in Earth's temperature known as global warming has put our world on an unstoppable course toward a climate catastrophe that is causing devastation in the shape of floods, droughts, wildfires, and the rapid extinction of species. Astronomy, on the other hand, is a predicted field where specialists have already begun to notice the impact. Back in 2020, a study presented in Nature Astronomy described how the sensitivity and calibre of readings from crucially significant scientific observatories like the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope are being impacted by the unprecedented rise in temperature and haphazard atmospheric water levels (VLT).

 

What about remedial measures like turbulence in the atmosphere? The delay caused by these corrections, however, results in an image artefact known as a wind-driven halo. These wind-generated halos are discernible in about 40% of the photographs, greatly reducing the contrast of the scene. However, it seems that the rapidly deteriorating climate won't be reversed soon, and the astronomical community's worries are growing along with it.

 

Another in-depth study on how man-made climate change is obscuring our understanding of the cosmos was published in the Astronomy & Astrophysics magazine in 2022 by a group of academics led by the University of Bern. The research anticipates that significant astronomical observatories in Chile, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, the Canary Islands, and Hawaii would experience increasing temperatures and atmospheric water content levels based on data from climate change models covering the globe.

 

There isn't Much Positive News.

The time window for performing observations will be reduced due to the change in atmospheric conditions mentioned above, but there will also be a net loss in the quality of the observation data. Lead author Caroline Haslebacher draws attention to the negative effects of these drastic changes on sophisticated telescopes and issues a warning about "a higher risk of condensation due to an increased dew point or malfunctioning cooling systems, which could lead to many air turbulence in the telescope dome."

 

However, as climate change patterns increase in the upcoming years, more than simply the quality of observations will be impacted. It makes it harder for researchers to select locations for putting up next-generation telescopes. Increasing maintenance expenses for astronomical observation facilities will add to the financial burden of escalating construction prices.

 

The string of negative news, however, continues. One highly ambitious suggestion among the many that scientists are looking at to perhaps lessen the effects of global warming and repair Earth's climate is bioengineering the planet's atmosphere. One idea to reduce the temperature of the earth is to produce clouds that reflect the sun artificially. However, as a result of the increased brightness of the night sky and the consequent light pollution, astronomical observations will become much more challenging.