What do you think, where is the coldest place on Earth? Perhaps now, many of you thought about Oymyakon, because something I heard somewhere. But, no. Only Oymyakon coldest place in Russia. In 1926, there was recorded temperature -71,2 degrees Celsius (according to unofficial data, in 1938 — -77,8 degrees Celsius). But on Earth there are much, much colder places. So cold that Oymyakon looks at their background real warm resort.
Take, for Antarctica, in different places which at different times were recorded absolute minimum temperature on our planet. And it looks like scientists have finally updated the record this minimum.
An international team of glaciologists who study the natural ice on the Earth’s surface, analyzed satellite observations of Antarctica and recorded the temperature of -98 degrees Celsius in the Eastern part of the Antarctic plateau. On their observations, the scientists shared in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
“Never been in such cold conditions and I hope that I never will. Every breath here will be very painful. High probability of deep frostbite of the throat and lungs if inhaled” — shared in an interview with USA Today Ted Scambos of the University of Colorado in boulder.
So low temperature, as shown by the satellite data were recorded in a few small depressions (depth up to 3 meters) in the Eastern part of Antarctica during cloudless and dry weather.
The researchers clarify that new data on low temperature were obtained with a few satellites: Terra and Aqua space Agency NASA, as well as several satellites of the National oceanic and atmospheric administration (USA). Under analysis were the data collected from 2004 to 2016. During this period, scientists almost a hundred times recorded the temperature drop to the minimum value. Most often, the decline was observed in June, July and August.
Previously, the record low temperature was recorded in July 1983, Soviet scientists from the station “Vostok”. Then the thermometer dropped to -89,9 degrees Celsius. In 2004, the record was updated. Scientists of the Japanese station “Dome Fuji” has fixed temperature of surface air in -91,2 degrees Celsius. Satellite data for 2010 showed the temperature already in -93,2 degrees in the station area. Now here is recorded at least in -98 degrees Celsius.
At the same time, scientists explain that the temperature data obtained from surface air, and from satellites may be slightly different. Therefore, scientists typically divide them. That is, in the new study, it is the temperature that was recorded from space above the Earth’s surface, and not directly from the air on the surface of the planet. In the latter case, these data are collected by the people at Arctic stations. At the same time, it is reported that the collection of indicators both are very important.
The new data also told the researchers how these record temperatures at all be possible. In addition to a clear sky and light wind to reduce the temperature to such values, it is necessary that the air was very dry. Some humidity and temperature will go up.
“In this area from time to time the air becomes incredibly dry. This allows heat from the surface of snow is much easier to climb into the upper layers,” says Scambos.
Very cold and dry air fills low-lying pockets and getting even colder. This is so as long as the weather changes. Scientists say that the temperature could in theory descend here below, however, this would require that the sky stayed clear longer, and the air was drier.
Scientists have recorded a record low temperature on Earth
Nikolai Khizhnyak