Research on clouds and the atmosphere. Covers Southern Ocean clouds, ocean-derived aerosols, sea-ice cloud formation, and dust after impacts.
Researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem discovered that coarse sea spray significantly reduces the amount of lightning in storm clouds. The study found that aerosols larger than 1 micron, or coarse sea spray, inhibit lightning by up to 90%, while smaller aerosols actually increase lightning and affect rainfall.
A new study used satellite data to determine the effect of fuel regulations on sulfur pollution from cargo ships. The research team found significant changes in pollution after regulations went into effect, and their data can contribute to understanding how pollutants interact with clouds and affect global temperatures.
Aerosol particles in the atmosphere have a bigger impact on cloud cover than previously thought, increasing it by approximately 10%. Clouds hold more water before rainfall occurs due to smaller and more numerous droplets, leading to reduced precipitation. The study uses satellite data and machine learning to improve climate models.
Climate change is intensifying Western US wildfire activity, resulting in taller smoke plumes and more aerosols injected into the atmosphere. The study models 4.6 million smoke plumes and finds that maximum plume height increased by an average of 320 ft per year in four regions, with some areas experiencing a 750 ft per year increase.
Researchers analyzed data from Ka-band radar and satellite observations to study the effects of cloud seeding on mixed convective-stratiform clouds. The study found that the convective region responds with larger precipitation particles, while the stratiform region experiences icing seeding tracks due to faster ice crystal formation.
Researchers from Colorado State University have made direct observations of ice nucleating particles in the central Arctic, revealing strong seasonality and seasonal changes. These findings provide crucial insights into the effects of climate change on clouds and precipitation patterns.
A team of researchers from Indian Institute of Science used computer simulations to analyse speech aerosols and found the risk of infection was higher when one person acted as a passive listener. The study also suggests that turning heads away by about nine degrees can reduce the risk for speakers
A study published in Nature Geoscience found that clouds likely prevented oceans from being completely covered by ice, allowing life to survive. The research used global climate models and an idealized energy balance model to investigate Cryogenian climatic conditions, revealing the importance of clouds in predicting climate changes.
Research team from Goethe University reproduces Asian monsoon conditions in experimental chamber, identifying increased aerosol particle formation. The study found that ice clouds can form under lower water vapour supersaturation than anticipated, affecting climate models' accuracy.
Research by University of Washington reveals that ice shards in Southern Ocean clouds increase the amount of sunlight absorbed by the ocean's surface. The study found a significant impact on temperature, with differences of 10 Watts per square meter between models including and excluding ice formation.
A recent study by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers reveals a previously unknown atmospheric phenomenon over the Amazon rainforest, driven by plant-foliage-derived gases. These gases condense to form fine particles that cool the planet and seed clouds, affecting precipitation and the water cycle.
A new study reveals that deforestation has significant biophysical effects on climate, including changes in heat distribution and water cycles. Forests play a crucial role in dispersing heat and transferring water from the surface to the atmosphere, which affects regional hydrological cycles.
A new machine learning study analyzed 10 years of weather data to identify three major categories of weather patterns and their effects on thunderstorms. The study aims to isolate the impact of aerosols, tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, on storm severity.
Researchers develop relative dispersion parameterizations to accurately describe hydrometeor spectra in convective clouds, improving atmospheric radiation transfer and water cycle models. The study finds negative correlations between ice crystal spectra and volume-mean diameter, and positive correlations for other hydrometeors.
A $763,930 NSF CAREER Award is supporting OU meteorologist Scott Salesky's project to improve cloud representation in weather and climate models. The research aims to better understand interactions between turbulence and clouds, with potential applications for predicting precipitation and understanding Earth's climate.
A study led by Pedro Machado reveals a significant difference in wind speed at two altitudes, suggesting energy transfer from the lower layers to the atmosphere. The team collected measurements of wind speed parallel to the equator and at the altitude of the bottom of the cloud deck, providing new insights into Venus' climate.
A new study reveals that fewer rainy days are leading to an earlier arrival of spring for plants in northern climates. The researchers found that as rainy days decline, spring arrives earlier due to increased solar radiation and clearer skies.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have made a groundbreaking discovery about the origin of lightning using radio telescopes. They found that the sources of lightning are indeed the streamers, or tiny spark-like discharges, supporting one of two competing theories on how lightning begins.
Researchers found nanoparticles from human activities rapidly grow in atmosphere and influence cloud formation, affecting raindrop formation and changing rainfall regime. The study provides new insights into the impact of small aerosols on precipitation and improves climate change studies based on mathematical models.
Researchers at Durham University have identified a medieval text written by Benedictine monk Gervase of Christ Church Cathedral Priory as the earliest known account of ball lightning in England. The description, composed around 1200, matches historical and modern reports of the phenomenon.
New insights into cloud behavior in the southern hemisphere reveal a stronger influence of updrafts, resulting in liquid water droplets and altered radiation balance. This study, led by Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, uses long-term measurements to improve climate models.
A new study by University of Helsinki researchers shows that boreal forests can mitigate climate change through aerosol formation and growth, influencing cloud properties and regional climate. The study found that aerosol particles produced by the forests alter cloud reflectivity, potentially cooling the climate.
Researchers used aircraft data and Ka-band radar to analyze microphysical properties of cumulus clouds. High liquid-water-content regions showed little variation in cloud droplet concentration, while strong updrafts increased particle sizes.
A recent study found that biomass burning aerosols enhance cloud formation in southeastern Asia through aerosol-radiation interactions, leading to significant climate effects. The researchers used a comprehensive approach combining model simulations with multiple data sources to investigate the role of wildfires in low-cloud formation.
A recent study by Dr. Henrik Svensmark and colleagues reveals a close connection between supernovae occurrence and the burial of organic matter in sediments on Earth. The correlation indicates that supernovae are essential for life's existence, with high nutrient concentrations leading to increased bioproductivity and oxygen production.
The MDI Biological Laboratory has been awarded a grant to promote cloud computing among researchers in Maine, aiming to level the playing field by providing access to sophisticated computing resources. The program will provide training on Google Cloud Platform and assist institutions in implementing cloud computing services.
Climate scientists found that marine aerosols contribute to low-level ice-cloud formation over the Southern Ocean even under higher temperatures. This discovery will help reduce errors in numerical climate models and improve global climate understanding and predictions.
The Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement mobile facility has relocated from Oliktok Point in Alaska to the southeastern United States. This move will allow for continued research on climate and weather models with a new fixed observatory at Utqiaġvik, formerly known as Barrow.
A recent survey reveals a new method using cloud-cleared radiances improves forecasting of high-impact weather events like hurricanes and typhoons. The technique is now being applied to numerical models for enhanced daily forecasts.
Jupiter's banded pattern extends deep beneath the clouds, and the appearance of its belts and zones inverts near the base of the water clouds. The planet's microwave emissions reveal a transition zone between five and 10 bars, where the zones become bright and the belts dark.
Environmental engineers at Duke University demonstrated that sharp contrasts in small landscape features refine local weather developments and influence climate trends. The study suggests that incorporating detailed data can improve forecast accuracy.
A Brazilian study reveals that forest fires and wildfires modify the freezing process of cloud droplets, altering natural cloud functioning and potentially impacting precipitation. The research used a large dataset to show that aerosols emitted by fires can affect cloud formation in southern Amazonia during the rainy season.
Researchers from DTU Space and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that solar eruptions reduce cosmic ray flux, leading to reduced aerosol production and decreased cloud cover. This results in an increase in the Earth's energy budget by almost 2 W/m2 within 4-6 days.
Marine plankton emit sulfur that can form clouds, but existing clouds absorb most of it, reducing cloud formation. The discovery challenges current understanding and may impact climate change predictions.
Researchers from TROPOS and Leipzig University are using a tethered balloon to study the Arctic air layers, which play a key role in climate change. The measurements aim to better understand the strong warming of the Arctic and improve climate models.
Researchers found a significant drop in Earth's albedo over the past two decades, primarily caused by reduced bright clouds in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This decrease in reflectivity allows more solar energy to be captured by the climate system, contributing to potential global warming.
A study by Finnish researchers confirms that aerosols formed from plant emitted compounds make clouds more reflective, reducing solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. This natural mechanism can slow down climate warming, with effects becoming stronger as temperature increases.
Researchers propose that giant hailstones called mushballs carry ammonia deep into the atmospheres of ice giants Uranus and Neptune, hiding it from detection. This process could explain the unexpected lack of ammonia in their atmospheres compared to other planets.
Naoko Sakaeda, a University of Oklahoma weather researcher, has received a $652,000 NSF CAREER award to study tropical meteorology and improve global weather forecasting. Her research aims to better understand the dynamics of tropical clouds and precipitation at various scales.
A new approach to analyze satellite measurements shows that clouds are likely to enhance global heating, further exacerbating climate change. The research suggests that a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations will lead to an average warming of more than 3°C.
A global lockdown reduced cirrus cloud formation by 9% and density by 2%, with a positive impact on the climate. This study demonstrates that aircraft contrails contribute to additional cirrus clouds and global warming.
Research highlights model biases in simulating large-scale and convective precipitation, leading to inaccurate rainfall projections. The study suggests that accurate convective/large-scale rainfall partitions are necessary for reliable climate projections.
Researchers discovered a new efficient pathway for creating natural aerosols and clouds that contribute significantly to temperature increases in the Antarctic region. The study shows that increased concentrations of sulphuric acid and alkylamines are essential for particle formation around the northern Antarctic Peninsula.
A team of researchers has discovered the dominant mechanism behind the formation of formic acid in the atmosphere, a key contributor to air acidity. The study reveals that formaldehyde reacts with water molecules to produce methanediol, which then oxidizes to form formic acid.
Researchers found lightning and subvisible discharges produce extreme amounts of hydroxyl radical and hydroperoxyl radical, which break down greenhouse gases like methane. The findings suggest these electrical events could significantly affect ozone and atmospheric models.
A global climate model simulation suggests that a cloud greenhouse effect could have warmed early Mars to support liquid surface water, with low clouds and warm stable climates emerging near surface water-ice patches. The results are consistent with geological data indicating a warm, arid early climate for the planet.
A new study reveals inconsistencies between satellite and ground-based radar data on cloud top height, highlighting the importance of surface temperature in these discrepancies. The Tibet Plateau proved an ideal location for this research, providing high elevation and sparse weather reporting stations.,
Researchers identified a Goldilocks zone for raindrop size to determine which drops make it to the surface. This behavior helps model cloud cycles and predict exoplanet habitability.
Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute have found that isoprene, a dominant non-methane organic compound emitted into the atmosphere, can form up to 20% of secondary organic aerosols in clouds. This process affects Earth's radiation balance and climate change.
A new study provides definitive evidence that shattering drizzle droplets drive explosive 'ice multiplication' events in Arctic clouds. The findings have significant implications for weather forecasts, climate modeling, water supplies, energy, and transportation infrastructure. The research used six years of data from a millimeter-wave...
Researchers discover that organic molecules, commonly found in aerosols, can facilitate ice crystal formation in clouds. They also investigate a memory effect where second-round ice formation is more effective than the first, revealing crevices in the nucleant surface can hold onto small amounts of ice.
A study found that Australian fires created a spreading stratospheric haze, peaking in January to March and persisting through July. The particles were transported by mid-latitude cyclone belts and weather patterns, eventually settling around the entire hemisphere.
Researchers have discovered four new lichen species in Kenyan cloud forests, showcasing the region's unique biodiversity. The isolated ecosystem is home to previously unknown Micarea genus species, highlighting the importance of preserving native forests.
A study investigates the role of vertical coupling in TC genesis, revealing a key mechanism behind the formation of TCs. The research suggests that VHTs play a crucial role in connecting the middle- and lower-troposphere trough axes, leading to VC.
Researchers found that Hawaii's location in the subtropical Pacific, combined with its mountains and clean air, create an ideal environment for frequent rainbow sightings. The new RainbowChase app, developed by Dr. Steven Businger, uses Doppler radar data and satellite images to alert users of favorable conditions.
Researchers found that a half-degree of additional warming would likely create a notably greater danger of fire on continents like the Amazon and African savanna, and around the Mediterranean. Suppressing extra warming could reduce climate-driven extreme fire activities in many places, potentially saving lives and billions of dollars.
Researchers studied ash from volcanic eruptions, discovering premature sedimentation and the rafting effect. These findings will refine forecasting models used by VAACs to predict volcanic ash clouds' impact on aircraft routes.
A recent analysis of CMIP6 climate models found that those with high climate sensitivity do not provide a plausible scenario of Earth's future climate. Models with lower climate sensitivity are more consistent with observed differences in temperature between the northern and southern hemispheres.
New research from Carnegie Mellon University reveals that wildfires can lead to more extensive cloud formation and intense storm development due to the chemical aging of particles emitted by these fires. This study's findings have significant implications for accurately modeling Earth's climate and how it may change in the future.
Researchers from Rutgers University discovered that clouds can carry bacteria and algae, which could impact human health and ecosystems. The study found various types of algae, including cyanobacteria, in cloud water and rainwater collected from France, highlighting the need for further research on these microorganisms.