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Scientists have warned that climate change and higher temperatures in the future could lead to more severe turbulence on flights.
Higher temperatures affect jet streams at cruising altitudes.
The ongoing climate change is set to raise the challenges for nervous plane flyers as scientists suggest flight turbulence is only going to worsen in the times to come. In a new study published in the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, researchers at the University of Reading claimed that the changes in weather and climate are bound to make the air less stable, causing more turbulence for flights.
The research was published after studying 26 of the latest global climate models and how warming temperatures affect jet streams at around 35,000 feet – the narrow current of fast-moving air where planes usually achieve cruising speeds.
The warming temperature causes disturbance to this region of the airplane and results in sudden disturbances and changes in the plane’s height. It could cause terrible accidents inside, with people potentially thrown around the aircraft cabin, enduring injuries and risking death.
“Recent years have seen severe turbulence incidents causing serious injuries and, in some tragic cases, fatalities. Pilots may need to keep seatbelt signs on longer and suspend cabin service more often during flights. But airlines will also need new technology to spot turbulence before it hits, protecting passengers as skies become more chaotic,” said Professor Paul Williams, study author.
Upon examining both moderate and high-emission scenarios, researchers found that the worst effects of turbulence are visible in the highest greenhouse gas emissions. These scientists expect the CO2 emissions levels to double by 2050 and the average global temperature to rise by 4.4 degrees Celsius by 2100.
The turbulence threat will be rife irrespective of the commercial route a plane is flying, as the global temperature issue will affect both northern and southern hemispheres
Flight turbulence could be severe in certain cases, defined by the up and down movements of a plane going through disturbed air, exerting more than 1.5g-force on the body. One can expect the airport security to impose the seatbelt rules and other regulations even more strictly on passengers for everyone’s safety, amidst the increasing threat of injuries.
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