Taking a different approach, climate scientists have been looking upwards, focusing on clouds formation, focusing on the key element found in clouds and the process of cloud formation.
The new study comes from Ireland and it was developed at the National University of Ireland Galway’s Centre for Climate & Air Pollution Studies.
The reason for studying clouds is in relation to clouds sulphate, which is found in clouds and this links with cloud formation. Clouds are composed of droplets of condensed water fixed to air particles. Clouds play an important role in cooling the climate through the process of reflecting sunlight.
The research challenges some of the effects designed to minimize the impact of climate change, such as cloud ‘brightening’. Some argue that creating air pollution can actually serve as a condensation point for cloud droplets leading to more solar reflectance, and greater cooling. This counter-intuitive approach argues that fossil fuel emissions can actually help to offset global heating through the co-called process of cloud ‘brightening.’
The reason why the cloud brightening effect is dismissed is because of increased levels of sulfate in the atmosphere. This can occur, for example, through sea salt entering the atmosphere through vertical updrafts (which itself is linked to the warming of the seas).
To support the findings, the research team collected and analyzed systematic evidence from a cruise to Antarctica. This visit provided the large sample of clean air needed to conclusively support this study, when the results were compared to measurements made in more polluted areas.
The research provides the basis for improving climate change productions through taking a detailed examination of sulfate levels in the atmosphere, according to Laboratory Manager magazine.
The research as been published in the journal Nature Climate and Atmospheric Science. The research paper is titled “Sea-spray regulates sulfate cloud droplet activation over oceans.”
