Satellite images show plumes of snow rising on the ground downwind of Russia’s Fokino cement factory. Credit: V. Toll et al.
Anthropogenic aerosols, small solid and liquid air pollution particles, have masked some of the global warming caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gases. Climate researchers have known for decades that anthropogenic aerosols disrupt liquid clouds by allowing more cloud droplets to form and brightening the clouds.
A new study led by the University of Tartu suggests that anthropogenic aerosols can also affect clouds by turning cloud droplets into ice at temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius.
The research will be published in the journal Science.
power plant snow
Using satellite observations, climate researchers have discovered unique plumes of ice clouds and reduced cloud cover downwind of industrial hotspots in North America, Europe and Asia. Additionally, ground-based precipitation radar data revealed snow plumes in the same areas where reduced cloud cover was observed in satellite images.
The researchers combined satellite and ground-based radar observations to track physical processes ranging from ice formation to snowfall to reduced cloud cover downwind of industrial hotspots.
The study’s lead author, Associate Professor V. Toll from the University of Tartu, said collaboration between researchers with diverse expertise is essential to advance the physical understanding of the identified anthropogenic snowfall phenomena. emphasized.
Weather radar images show a plume of snow downwind of the Lewin-Noranda copper smelter in Canada. The weather radar is located near Landrienne, Canada. Credit: V. Toll et al.
Satellite images show a plume of reduced cloud cover downwind of the Lewin-Noranda copper smelter in Canada. Credit: V. Toll et al.
Observing reduced cloud cover and snowfall downwind of industrial air pollution hotspots. Credit: V. Toll et al.
supercooled water
Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, right? In fact, cloud droplets can remain liquid up to temperatures of around -40 degrees Celsius, known as water supercooling. This is because suitable aerosol particles are needed to turn cloud droplets into ice at temperatures between 0 degrees Celsius and minus 40 degrees Celsius.
The study suggests that industries such as metallurgical and cement factories, coal-fired power plants, and refineries emit aerosol particles that cause supercooled liquid clouds to freeze, leading to snowfall. However, it is important to note that heat and water vapor released from industry can also affect the freezing of supercooled liquid clouds.
The observed plumes due to reduced cloud cover are local phenomena, and it remains unclear whether anthropogenic aerosols induce cloud ice formation on larger spatial scales.
Further research is needed to understand the ability of different types of anthropogenic aerosols to initiate ice formation.
Further information: Velle Toll et al., “Liquid cloud glaciation, snowfall, and cloud cover reduction in industrial aerosol hot spots,” Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adl0303. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0303
Provided by Estonian Research Council
Citation: Industrial Snow: Factories trigger local snowfall as clouds freeze (November 14, 2024) https://phys.org/news/2024-11-industrial-factories-trigger-local-snowfall. Retrieved November 14, 2024 from html
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