Scientists are sounding the alarm on a growing energy imbalance crisis, as data shows that Earth’s energy balance is rising faster than expected. The imbalance, mainly caused by greenhouse gas emissions, has more than doubled over the past two decades, exceeding climate models’ predictions.
The concern lies in the fact that several NASA satellites, which provide high-resolution data on this imbalance, are nearing the end of their lives. Their replacement, Libera, is equipped with only one satellite, raising fears that instrument failures could disrupt continuous and overlapping readings.
“This is critical,” said Thorsten Mauritsen, a professor at Stockholm University. “We need to measure this imbalance accurately to predict climate change.”
The energy imbalance is the difference between the amount of energy Earth receives from the sun and the amount it radiates into space. It has increased due to reduced solar reflectivity, caused by factors such as ice sheet melting and decreased aerosol particles.
Satellite data show that Earth’s energy imbalance reached 1.8 watts per square meter in 2023, more than twice what models predicted based on rising greenhouse gas emissions. However, scientists still don’t understand why the imbalance has grown so rapidly.
The implications are alarming. “If we have more imbalance, it means more energy accumulating, which drives temperatures up,” Mauritsen explained.
Researchers urge NASA to continue monitoring capability and invest in new technologies, such as spherical satellites equipped with accelerometers capable of measuring radiation from all angles.
“We need to measure this imbalance accurately to predict climate change,” Mauritsen said. “If we don’t know how far we are from stabilizing Earth’s climate, then we’re driving our climate system blindfolded.”
Source: https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/climate-change/earths-energy-imbalance-is-rising-much-faster-than-scientists-expected-and-now-researchers-worry-they-might-lose-the-means-to-figure-out-why