Scientists baffled by unusual upper atmosphere shrinkage

[IDemo]

(CNN) -- An upper layer of Earth's atmosphere recently shrank so much that researchers are at a loss to adequately explain it, NASA said on Thursday.

The thermosphere, which blocks harmful ultraviolet rays, expands and contracts regularly due to the sun's activities. As carbon dioxide increases, it has a cooling effect at such high altitudes, which also contributes to the contraction.

But even these two factors aren't fully explaining the extraordinary contraction which, though unlikely to affect the weather, can affect the movement of satellites, researchers said.

"This is the biggest contraction of the thermosphere in at least 43 years," John Emmert of the Naval Research Lab was quoted as saying in NASA news report.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/07/16/nasa.upper.atmosphere.shrinking/index.html?hpt=Sbin&fbid=CR59i8HsipG

[WillParkinson]

1. Big contractions?

Perhaps it's finally ready to give birth?

[Joanne98]

2. Here's a video.;......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD2a3Ul2Ph8

[Dogmudgeon]

3. This is quite weird

I wonder if there isn't a source of CO2 (or methane) that we've overlooked, forcing the shrinkage. Perhaps the heating-up of the Arctic is inducing some kind of a "heat pump" effect.

These are obviously wild-ass guesses on my part. Feel free to support or refute them if you know better.

--d!

[NickB79]

4. Well, it is quite cold that close to space

And I know that when I get cold, there can be a very noticable contra..., um never mind.

[Javaman]

5. "it shrinks?" - Elaine Bennis nt

[Nederland]

6. More proof...

...that the idea that we understand our planet well enough to accurately predict what its climate will be like in 100 years is utter bullshit.