As the COVID-19 pandemic spread globally, scientists discovered an unusual phenomenon: nighttime temperatures on the moon’s surface decreased. A recent research report in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters explains Earth’s cooling due to reduced human activity during lockdowns during the pandemic.
Researchers from the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, India, discovered an unusual temperature trough at six locations near the moon’s near side. Lockdowns reduced Earth activities, lowering emissions and heat from human and industrial activities and reducing radiation on the Moon, leading to its cooling.
The Moon As A Climate Change Indicator
The variations in temperature on the Moon are mainly caused by solar radiation during the day and Earth radiation at night. From studying these temperature fluctuations, scientists can learn about Earth’s radiation budget as well as climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to monitor the impact of human activity on moon temperature, offering crucial climate research data.
Researchers found that the moon’s mysterious rise during the pandemic was a direct result of reduced human activity and pollution. The Moon serves as a stable platform for observing Earth’s climate change from afar, as highlighted by the observation.
The Impact Of Lockdowns On Earth’s Radiation
During the initial stages of COVID-19, strict lockdowns reduced industrial activity, transportation, and other human-induced emissions. The pollution reduction significantly affected the atmosphere and the climate of Earth. The lowest levels of emissions resulted in improved air quality and temporarily cooled the Earth.
However, the phenomenon also had cooling effects on Earth, with an observed temperature drop indicating a phenomenon on the Moon. Such a connection could never be expected and instead highlights how interconnected our planet is with its celestial neighbor.
Future Research And The Moon’s Potential
The researchers emphasized further research into the temperature fluctuations of the Moon to better understand the phenomenon of climate change on Earth. Future observatories based on the Moon’s mysterious rise can still yield good data for such studies.
The COVID-19 pandemic offered a unique opportunity to study the diminution in human activity through the temperature of the Moon. Results from this investigation essentially show the value of the moon as a valuable research tool for climate research. Scientists use Moon temperature changes to understand Earth’s long-term radiation budget and its long-term climate change impacts.
