American scientists from Oklahoma State University studied the impact of weather disasters on the composition of the stratosphere, a layer of atmosphere at an altitude of 11 to 50 km above the Earth’s surface. They concluded that due to thunderstorms and storms, the concentration of water vapor in the middle layers of the atmosphere increases, which can negatively affect the climate. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Geophysical Research Letters (GRL).
Meteorologists looked at the consequences of one of the summer 2022 storms in Kansas. The storm lasted five hours and was accompanied by five tornadoes, hail and strong winds.
Data collected from aircraft carrying scientific equipment showed that the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere during the storm exceeded previously recorded levels.
“We tend to think of the impacts of these storms in terms of hazardous weather conditions on the ground, but some of the most destructive storms also significantly impact the climate system by increasing the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere,” said study author Cameron Homeyer. .
Rising water vapor concentrations in the upper atmosphere are warming the climate and accelerating ozone layer depletion, scientists have warned.
Previous scientists discovered Contamination of the stratosphere with metal particles due to spacecraft launches.