The fact that we’re getting on a plane to travel more and more is more than just notorious. There are many advantages of getting on the plane and reaching our destination in a short time, but waiting times, queues, etc. It has many disadvantages as well.
To all this we must now add an alert that the meteorologist initiates. mario picazo and more than one goosebumps: Increasing turbulence during flights is something more and more frequent.
According to Picazo, this interpretation is very common among pilots, but scientific research shows that “cases known as” do occur as well. “severe turbulence” they are growing. This increase is evident in both domestic and long-haul flights.
“Some routes become increasingly turbulent, sometimes causing injuries and situations of panic or anxiety,” the meteorologist says.
Is this kind of turbulence predictable?
Not in the beginning. Picazo explains that a research team from Texas A&M University’s College of Atmospheric Sciences has discussed how difficult it is to come up with a reliable estimate for this type of outdoor turbulence. It is almost invisible and often confuses pilots.
This turbulence is mainly produced by the turbulent movement of air masses in the absence of visual cues such as clouds. It occurs when different air masses move at very different speeds, a phenomenon known as vertical wind shear. Because there are no visual indicators to identify this type of turbulence, pilots can sometimes radio warn others that they are passing through a turbulent area. In this way, the pilot approaching that region of the atmosphere can warn the passengers and crew.
invisible turbulence
Mario Picazo explains on eltiempo.es that the main reason for the increase in outdoor turbulence cases may be human-induced climate change. The continuous emission of greenhouse gases changes temperatures at both the lowest and highest levels of the atmosphere.
Gases such as carbon dioxide or methane trap infrared energy and heat the air in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the stratosphere, the next highest layer of the atmosphere, cools.
Most planes, especially those making long journeys, fly in the stratosphere. Wind power is based on the temperature difference between the poles and the equator, and this slope gets smaller as warming occurs.