【Haichuan Teahouse】Do you know? The Earth is also losing weight!
Thread Content
Guillaume Gronoff, an expert on atmospheric escape, said that as a planet, Earth faced the problem of atmospheric escape from the moment it was formed, which also led to a gradual decrease in its mass. By analyzing satellite data, scientists can determine the mass of atmosphere that escapes each year, which is approximately 75,000 metric tons. At the same time, a large number of asteroids strike Earth each year, adding about 15,000 metric tons of mass per year. Based on this calculation, the Earth loses approximately 60,000 metric tons of mass each year. Although 60,000 metric tons sounds like a significant amount, it is practically negligible compared to Earth. Based on the data on atmospheric loss accumulated over the past century, Groenov estimated that even if the atmosphere were to decrease at a rate of 60,000 metric tons per year, it would take 5 billion years before the atmosphere was completely lost.
The sun also plays an important role, as it is the star upon which Earth depends for survival. Sometimes the sun emits solar winds toward Earth, and these winds contain ions; if Earth captures them, they can help to replenish part of the atmosphere. In addition, certain substances on the Earth’s surface also produce gases. For example, green plants, which are well-known to us, absorb some carbon dioxide and release oxygen in return. In short, it is these various factors that result in the air on Earth – although there is a continuous loss of air, another amount of air is generated to compensate, thus achieving a delicate balance.
As the atmospheric escape mass decreases, the Earth’s velocity must change due to the conservation of momentum.