Like most planets in our solar system, if we were sat above the North Pole looking down on the Earth, we would see it rotating in an anti clockwise direction π. The forces involved in this spinning motion have shaped the environments and climates that we live in. But what would happen if it rotated the other way?π€π€
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Well mathematical equations can be used to model the changes in Earths atmosphere and oceans over time (this is how we can have weather forecasts! π¦). One of these models is called the Earth System Model (ESM) and this has been used to predict what our planet might be like (the temperatureπ₯, wind speedsπͺ, currentsπ, moistureπ§, concentrations of gasesπ«, land useπ etc…) in many years to come. There are a lot of measurements to consider over a whole lot of space (the entire Earth!π), so to make this a little easier the Earth is divided into a 3D gridπ (across its surface and in the vertical direction). Even so, however, these equations can only be solved using supercomputers! π¦ΈββοΈπ»
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So if we reverse the direction of the spin in these simulations, we can also use this model to test what would happen in this strange scenario π. As expected, it is found that countries would experience new climatic conditions due to changes in winds and currents. But it also turns out that if the Earth was rotating clockwise π, we would have fewer deserts and more forests. This would mean more plant life π± and more stores of carbon (which could reduce warming from climate change!)
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What would happen if our planet started spinning the other way?! ππ Maths can tell us π
