Current Events — HabitableZone

Current Events » in reply to re: More goalposts

re: The point; simplified.
Johannes — (archived)

The basic premise here is to measure the variation of the atmospheric pressure and/or density on a global scale.
If more than one method of measurement is used, then by comparing the measurements, we would get more accurate (or better) understanding of why the change happens.

We know that the Earth is loosing some atmospheric molecules into space.
See this site: http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/ast09dec97_3.htm

The amount of atmospheric loss has been estimated by using mathematical modeling.
Although the amount of loss may be small, I am convinced that a measurement of the amount can be made at the ground level by using the mentioned methods.

Back in 1996 a friend of mine sent me a e-mail saying that; "scientists have found that oxygen is escaping into space from the polar regions of the ionosphere at a rate of about 5*(10 to the 7th power) kg per year, but this loss is counterbalanced by the dissociation of water vapor."

Assuming that the information is correct and the quantity of loss has remained the same over ten years, then the assumption can be made that ten times the amount of 5*(10 to the 7th power) kg., of water has dissociated into gasses, and at the same time that amount has disappeared into space.

The question is; can this amount of change in the atmosphere be measured by instruments on the ground?

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