Most Popular
-
1
Dongduk Women’s University halts coeducation talks
-
2
Defense ministry denies special treatment for BTS’ V amid phone use allegations
-
3
Russia sent 'anti-air' missiles to Pyongyang, Yoon's aide says
-
4
OpenAI in talks with Samsung to power AI features, report says
-
5
Two jailed for forcing disabled teens into prostitution
-
6
Trump picks ex-N. Korea policy official as his principal deputy national security adviser
-
7
South Korean military plans to launch new division for future warfare
-
8
Gold bars and cash bundles; authorities confiscate millions from tax dodgers
-
9
Kia EV9 GT marks world debut at LA Motor Show
-
10
Teen smoking, drinking decline, while mental health, dietary habits worsen
지구 상에서 가장 추운 곳은 동쪽 남극대륙으로 기온이 섭씨 영하 94.7도까지 떨어진 적이 있는 것으로 나타났다.
미국설빙센터의 과학자 테드 스캠보스는 9일(현지시간) 샌프란시스코에서 열린 미국지구물리학회에서 미우주항공국(NASA)이 위성으로 측정한 데이터를 인용한 최신 최저기온을 보고했다고 AP통신 등 외신들이 전했다.
스캠보스는 동쪽 남극대륙이 2010년 8월 영하 94.7도를 기록했고, 올해 7월31일 에도 이와 비슷한 영하 92.9도를 기록했다고 밝혔다.
이는 종전 최저기온 기록인 영하 89.2도보다 낮은 기온이다.
스캠보스는 "이런 기온은 화창한 여름날 화성의 극 지역에서 볼 수 있는 기온"이라며 "이 지역이 지구 상에서 가장 추운 곳이라고 확신한다"고 말했다.
이번 기록은 그러나 기온계로 측정한 것이 아니고 위성으로 측정한 것이어서 기 네스북에 오르지는 못한다고 그는 덧붙였다.
스캠보스는 "다행스럽게도 이런 기온이 어떤 느낌인지는 모르겠다"며 "과학자들 이 남극에서 영하 73도 이하일 때 벌거벗은 채 잠깐 밖으로 나가보곤 하는데 3분 이 상을 버티지 못한다"고 설명했다.
전직 NASA 수석연구원인 콜로라도 대학의 월리드 압달라티는 과거에 측정할 수 없었던 특정지역을 무작위로 골라 기온을 측정해본 것이라며 "지구의 기온 분포를 보여주는 것이라고 할 수 있다"고 의미를 부여했다.
Antarctica set record of -135.8 F (-94.7 C)
Newly analyzed data from East Antarctica say the remote region has set a record for soul-crushing cold.
The record is minus 135.8 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 94.7 Celsius).
A new look at NASA satellite data revealed that Earth set a new record for coldest temperature recorded. It happened in August 2010 when it hit -135.8 degrees Fahrenheit (-94.7 Celsius). Then on July 31 of this year, it came close again: -135.3 degrees Fahrenheit (-92.9 Celsius).
The old record had been -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-89.2 Celsius).
Ice scientist Ted Scambos at the National Snow and Ice Data Center announced the cold facts at the American Geophysical Union scientific meeting in San Francisco Monday.
“It's more like you'd see on Mars on a nice summer day in the poles,” Scambos said, from the American Geophysical Union scientific meeting in San Francisco Monday, where he announced the data. “I'm confident that these pockets are the coldest places on Earth.”
However, it won't be in the Guinness Book of World Records because these were satellite measured, not from thermometers, Scambos said.
“Thank God, I don't know how exactly it feels,” Scambos said. But he said scientists do routinely make naked 100 degree below zero Fahrenheit (73 degree below zero Celsius) dashes outside in the South Pole as a stunt, so people can survive that temperature for about three minutes.
Most of the time researchers need to breathe through a snorkel that brings air into the coat through a sleeve and warms it up “so you don't inhale by accident” the cold air, Scambos said.
Waleed Abdalati, an ice scientist at the University of Colorado and NASA's former chief scientist, and Scambos said this is likely an unusual random reading in a place that hasn't been measured much before and could have been colder or hotter in the past and we wouldn't know.
“It does speak to the range of conditions on this Earth, some of which we haven't been able to observe,” Abdalati said. (AP)
