Tropical Cyclones are getting intensified by Climate Change. Image Courtesy – Carbon Brief

New research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA disclosed that tropical cyclones get intensified due to climate change of the Earth. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) was also in the research jointly; they analyzed enhanced infrared satellite imagery for nearly 40 years.

The report of their research published in the activities of the Academy of Sciences, USA on Monday. Their research reflected that the intensity of tropical cyclones increased throughout the world over the period from 1979 to 2017.

A tropical cyclone is actually a low-pressure area formed due to hot air going upwards and cold air hurrying to fill up the gap, thus creating a form of circular airwave. This circular air then gradually increases its strength covering a wider area along with concentrated shower and thunderstorm activity. It is called by various names like hurricane, cyclone, typhoon, tropical storm on the basis of its strength and the connection of its origin i.e. ocean basin.

The research of the scientists of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with their lead author James Kossin focused on the trends of the cyclone intensity over a period of 28 years. They felt that the previous records were less conclusive than the recent records; it needed more hurricane case studies to reflect outstanding statistical results.

Read: Massive devastation in West Bengal, Orissa after the landfall of Super Cyclone Amphan

This new research added about 10 years of satellite data of the Earth-orbiting satellites. This data included countless information on tropical cyclone, including infrared temperatures to gauge its intensity. The scientists also have utilized the development of technology like higher-resolution imagery from the latest satellites.

Their observation revealed the connection between the Earth’s warm surface temperature and intensity of the cyclones in a significant way. The study revealed a development in the amount in case of the major hurricanes belonging to category 3, 4 and 5 intensity according to the ‘Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale’.

The scientific research indicated that major hurricanes according to category 3, 4 or 5 of the discussed table has increased in quantity in comparison to the hurricanes of category 1 or 2. The study with almost 40 year-dataset showed a clear shift toward a stronger intensity.

The report said that tropical cyclones having intensity of 178.63-207.60 Km/hr (category 3) increased by 15%. Similarly, all the tropical cyclones have shown an increment of 6%-8% per decade of their respective speeds according to the ‘Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale’.

With the base of this scientific research, it is assumed that global warming is the main reason for the change in character of the cyclones. We frequently discuss the global warming and climate change. But, how far can we take major decisions to stop it or control it?

Reference: The Weather Channel

The post Tropical Cyclones are getting intensified by Climate Change appeared first on Bigumbrella written by Pinaki Krishna Ghosh

Insects are getting lost from the earth, an alarm for human civilisation. Image Courtesy – https://www.europeaninterest.eu

Several statistics show that the number of insects is slowly decreasing on Earth. In the last 30 years, the number of them in the world has decreased by 25%, which is really alarming for the ecosystem.

Some of these endangered species are again in critical condition. There are many insects in various parts of South America, South Asia and Africa, but no proper statistics of them are available currently. Very few people are caring for them to preserve.

According to the laws of nature, human civilisation is, directly and indirectly, dependent on these insects. They have a greater role in the ecosystem. They can quietly reuse environmental waste, produce trees, help in cultivation, etc. By doing these activities, they maintain a balance in the ecosystem.

Scientists from about 73 different research groups recently say that if this rate of loss of insects is not brought under control in any way, human civilisation will face destruction. Although this study says that aquatic insects are somewhat less affected by this danger, the total ecosystem is not out of danger.

Read: Hazards of Termites in human life

Scientists say that insects are losing their habitat because of the aggressive construction of urban civilisation. Climate change is occurring due to human activities, which is having a profoundly negative impact on the environment. The use of various chemicals in agriculture is also causing damage to the insects. Scientists also say that they will be affected by the destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.

It is the insects that help to decompose a dead body or plant in a very short span of time, and basic components of the decomposed body easily returned back to nature. This is one of the main functions of an ecosystem.

People of Mexico could have seen a specific species of butterflies, named ‘Monarch’, migrating there in billions some 20 years ago. But now they are seen in and around 57 million. The administration of the USA has taken several steps to check the decline in the butterflies in number. They planted a kind of herbaceous American plant with milky sap along the migration highway of the butterflies, just to attract them.

This kind of step to rebuild the environmental situation is just a trial, at least a small example for a country. The rest of the world is still left to create natural environments like this to provide friendly habitats for the insects. People throughout the world need to be very careful. Otherwise, one day humans will be endangered in the heart of the world by losing these small animals.

The post Insects are getting lost from the earth, alarm for human civilization appeared first on Bigumbrella written by Pinaki Krishna Ghosh

Deadly heatwave after the hottest June in the US. Image Courtesy – Abc7chicago

Millions of US people are suffering from the sultry weather of summer – scientists are saying that July has been the hottest month of this season. The previous month was also the hottest month of this year. Scientists are also of the opinion that these types of heat waves are expected to come more frequently throughout the world because of global warming.

The American scientific agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that the average global temperature for the month of June this year was above the average temperature of the 20^th century. They also reported that the sea ice of the Arctic and Antarctica has been alarmingly decreased.

Robert Rohde, a leading scientist at Berkeley Earth, said that July would also like to be the hottest July as per the statistical record because the global temperature has been increasing continuously. Another climatologist at NOAA, Ahira Sánchez-Lugo, commented that our climate has become warmer, and so a new set of normal temperatures has been defined.

Read: Role of tree to protect climate change and better living

He also told that the average temperatures of June have risen in comparison to the average temperature of June in the 20th century. Global warming is responsible for the rise in temperature in the last 50 years. Ultimately, Human beings are responsible to create global warming by emitting greenhouse gases. Rohde clearly pinpointed that the degradation of the atmosphere would only become controlled if human being stops damaging it.

In fact, a warmer month like this year does not happen in every year. Some fluctuations happen in several years. But, as we are moving forward with global warming, we expect to face many records of the warmer month or warmer year. We are expecting several more heatwaves, droughts and extreme weathers.

Uncomfortable situations like heatwave, drought and extreme weather will take a heavy toll on social life, financial sector and travelling as well. Agriculture will be affected and winter days will gradually decrease.

Farmers have already faced difficulty in harvesting crops in the US. Rainfall has recorded low in the US in the month of June that prevented planting of crops. The behaviour of nature is not at all normal in other parts of the world also. Germany, Hungary and Australia observed the warmest June in this year, as well as Switzerland and France, had the hottest day in the month of June.

Read: Honey Bees can solve arithmetic problems better than many human

Sea-ice coverage in Antarctica was 8.5% below the average in comparison to 1981-2010, and sea ice coverage of the Arctic region was also 10.5% below the average. Entire South America, Africa and some areas of Alaska observed the hottest June on record. There has been a report of infrastructure damage in Alaska. The damage caused by rising of temperature in the polar region by melting subsurface layer of soil that used to remain below freezing point around the year.

According to the experts of National Weather Service of the US, their expectation was an extreme heatwave in the country that was even more life-threatening than floods, hurricanes, earthquake etc.

Reports say that people of the US could be susceptible to extreme heatwave (off-the-charts) conditions near 53-degree celsius that would lead to unusual health risks. Within 60 years, 1/3rd of the total population of the US would face such a deadly situation.

Reference: National Geographic, Time, Down to Earth

The post Deadly heatwave after the hottest June in the US appeared first on Bigumbrella written by Shalini Gupta