Earth's Clouds Are Getting Lower, Which Could Be Beneficial
Low Clouds Nicholas_TThe future is cloudy Earth's clouds are sinking lower in the sky, with fewer clouds at high altitudes and lower cloudtops in general, says a new analysis of satellite data. The coming fog means that Earth will cool down more efficiently - so the lowering of clouds could slow the effects of global warming. This potential negative feedback loop is evident in about 10 years of satellite data, so not much at all in the grand scheme of climate research. But it's a hint that something interesting is happening, according to Roger Davies, the lead researcher on a new paper based on findings from NASA's Terra spacecraft. Several NASA assets look at clouds in a variety of ways, measuring their size, structure, formation, altitude and other vitals. The data is important for weather forecasting as well as long-term climate forecasting. Among other instruments, the Terra satellite contains nine cameras at...