But even if it's just a temporary blip, Earth's atmosphere may sustain some damage, according to reports here 11 December at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).
Meanwhile, some employees are enjoying the shorter commutes and novel atmosphere of their temporary spots.
"On that day we made five promises: athletes at the centre of the project, iconic new, temporary and existing venues, magical atmosphere in full venues, inspire youth and lasting legacy," Coe told the IOC session.
Tens of thousands of journalists, presenters, camera operators and producers from overseas are setting up temporary stations and sampling the atmosphere on the streets ahead of the Games.
By way of comparison, 15 years earlier Jupiter had sustained a more massive series of hits by debris from the breakup of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which produced many temporary features in the dense Jovian atmosphere.
Overall, the team showed that Earth's magnetic field is susceptible to temporary damage, rendering our planet's atmosphere the last line of defense against energetic particles from space.
One is left with the sobering conclusion that reforestation of the entire planet to primordial levels would have only a temporary counterbalancing effect on carbon release to the atmosphere from human consumption of natural resources.
To calm the atmosphere they agreed to create a temporary courtyard garden in its place for ten or fifteen years, before going ahead with the addition.
That lull in warming, their models showed, was temporary, and due to complex interactions between the atmosphere and periodic cooling cycles in the oceans.
