Environment

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Environmental and ecological discussion, particularly of things like weather and other natural phenomena (especially if they're not breaking news).

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Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field | Sierra Solter [Guardian, opinion] (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 7 months ago by hydroptic@sopuli.xyz to c/environment@beehaw.org

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cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/11636550

Opinion piece by Sierra Solter, "a plasma physicist, engineer, and inventor who studies the intersection of heliophysics and aerospace". Relevant quote:

Upon investigating just how much dust in the form of satellite and rocket debris the space industry has dumped into the ionosphere during re-entry, I was alarmed to find that it is currently multiple Eiffel Tower’s worth of metallic ash. I wouldn’t have even been able to calculate that at all without a scientist’s personally run website. Our ozone is mere pennies thick, and soon we will be putting at least an Eiffel Tower’s worth of metallic ash a year directly into the ionosphere. And all of that will stay there, indefinitely.

How could we possibly think that burning trash in our atmosphere 24/7 is going to be fine?

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[–] hydroptic@sopuli.xyz 6 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Unlike meteorites, which are small and only contain trace amounts of aluminum, these wrecked spacecraft are huge and consist entirely of aluminum and other exotic, highly conductive materials.

[–] wahming@monyet.cc 4 points 7 months ago

Meteorites carry plenty of metals, including aluminium and other highly conductive materials. Also, aluminium does not get anywhere near superconductive in space temps, which the author claims happens. That alone should tell you how much credence to give the rest of their claims.

[–] Zworf@beehaw.org 2 points 7 months ago

Orbital space is really incredibly empty.

What we have much more to worry about is the magnetic polar reversal which will happen soon. While this is happening the magnetic field is erratic and may even diminish significantly. That will have a huge effect on both sats and life on earth, though we still have the atmosphere to protect us too.

PS: I really wonder what will happen with all the radioactive particles trapped in the van allen belts, I assume they will run amok all over the place then.