Kiera Jefferson
There is ongoing research into the relationship between pollution and storms, with some studies suggesting that air pollution may be fuelling stronger thunderstorms. NASA has conducted airborne science campaigns to study how air pollution and natural emissions are pushed into the upper atmosphere by large storms, and how this affects the climate. The TRACER project is also investigating how particles from pollution sources like petrochemical processing facilities influence thunderstorms. While the impact of pollution on storm strength is not yet fully understood, there is evidence that pollution can affect the microphysics of storms, including the size of cloud and rain particles, which in turn can influence lightning activity. Additionally, storms themselves can cause air pollution, as seen in the aftermath of hurricanes where mold, contaminated water sources, and industrial pollution contribute to poor air quality.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Does pollution cause stronger storms? | There is no clear consensus on this. Some sources claim that global warming may prime the atmosphere to produce fewer but stronger storms. NASA has also conducted studies to understand how air pollution and natural emissions affect atmospheric composition and climate. |
| Factors that influence storm strength | Wind speed, wind field, pressure at the center, rain and snowfall, storm surges, updraft strength, microphysics inside the storm, etc. |
| Role of aerosols | Aerosols do not affect the strength of the updrafts but do affect the microphysics of the updraft. They change the size of the cloud and rain particles produced within the updraft. |
| Role of humidity | Humidity can decrease ozone pollution. Afternoon thunderstorm clouds block sunlight, reducing ozone production. Moisture from storms also destroys the ozone that has formed. |
| Role of temperature | Heat waves often lead to poor air quality and increase ozone and particulate pollution. Higher temperatures also increase carbon monoxide and particulate pollution from forest fires. |
| Role of pressure systems | Low-pressure systems bring wet and windy conditions that can wash pollutants out of the atmosphere or transport them to new areas. High-pressure systems create stagnant air that concentrates pollutants over an area. |
| Role of industrial emissions | Industrial emissions can be transported over long distances and cause acid rain, which negatively affects lakes and fish populations. |
| Impact of storms on air pollution | Storms can trigger air pollution by damaging refineries and industrial complexes, leading to the release of pollutants into the atmosphere. Hurricanes and floods can also cause mold, which creates indoor air pollution. |
What You'll Learn
NASA's airborne science campaign
The campaign is based in Houston, Texas, and utilizes a range of aircraft, sensors, and ground sites to collect data. Houston was chosen as it offers a unique opportunity to study the impact of pollution on storm formation and strength. The region experiences relatively clean air flowing in from the Gulf, while also having a significant pollution source in the form of its urban area and the many companies that refine petrochemicals. This contrast allows for a comparison of storms forming in polluted versus less polluted air.
NASA's fleet of aircraft includes the DC-8 flying laboratory, which carries scientists and sensors, and the high-altitude ER-2 aircraft, which flies into the stratosphere. A third aircraft from SPEC Inc. of Boulder, Colorado, measures cloud properties. These aircraft are equipped with various scientific instruments, such as the JPL Laser Hygrometer, which measures water vapor and maps humidity in the upper atmosphere, and the Microwave Temperature Profiler, which measures thermal emissions from oxygen molecules to study atmospheric gravity waves.
The campaign also employs the Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager, which captures images to determine the characteristics of particles that make up aerosol and cloud fields. These images will help scientists understand how airborne particles, such as haze, pollution layers, smoke, and dust plumes, influence the Earth's climate. By comparing measurements from aircraft and satellites, NASA aims to improve the quality of data collected from space.
The data collected during the campaign will be analyzed to understand the impact of pollution on storm behavior and atmospheric composition. This information will contribute to improving air pollution forecasts and developing strategies to reduce air pollution effectively. The findings will be shared with state and local environmental officials to inform decision-making.
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Aerosols and lightning
The relationship between aerosols and lightning is a complex one, with ongoing research seeking to understand how aerosols influence lightning activity. Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, which can be natural or a result of human activity, such as air pollution.
Lightning is produced by the electrical discharge between positively and negatively charged areas within a storm. The intensity of lightning depends on various factors, including the size of ice particles, the charging rate of the atmosphere, and the microphysics of the storm. Aerosols have been found to influence these factors, particularly the microphysics of the storm, which includes the size of cloud and rain particles.
Studies have shown that aerosols can have a dual effect on lightning activity, either enhancing or suppressing it. In the Arabian Peninsula, for example, lightning activity was found to be strongly correlated with Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) loading up to a certain threshold, after which the trend flattened or reversed. This indicates that while aerosols can enhance lightning activity up to a point, too much aerosol suppression can inhibit lightning formation.
The relationship between aerosols and lightning is further complicated by factors such as relative humidity and cloud droplet size. In a study conducted in northern India, lightning activity was found to be higher in a humid region (R1) compared to an arid region (R2). The study also found a positive correlation between Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and lightning activity, with the highest lightning flash density recorded in the humid region. This suggests that aerosol concentration can influence lightning frequency by modulating the size of cloud droplets and the relative humidity.
Projects such as NASA's Studies of Emissions, Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling (SEAC4RS) and the TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) aim to further investigate the complex relationship between aerosols and lightning, as well as the role of air pollution in thunderstorm strength and lifecycle. By deploying advanced instrumentation and field campaigns, these projects seek to improve our understanding of the intricate interplay between aerosols, lightning, and atmospheric processes.
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Hurricanes and air pollution
Hurricanes are not just brief events. They can create long-lasting effects on the environment and air quality after the storm has passed.
A hurricane can transform landscapes and ecosystems, leading to years of damaging effects. For instance, after a hurricane, water sources can become contaminated as pesticides and fertilizers from the land wash into waterways. These chemicals influence the growth and development of toxic algae blooms, which can kill fish and other aquatic life.
Additionally, hurricanes can cause structural damage and trigger air pollution. Floodwaters from hurricanes can damage refineries and other industrial complexes, releasing pollution into the atmosphere. For example, after Hurricane Harvey, refineries and petrochemical plants in the area released 8.3 million pounds of pollution into the atmosphere. Furthermore, when storm surges and floodwaters recede, soil can erode and the moisture left behind can cause mold, which can affect household air quality.
Research has also examined the relationship between air pollution and the formation and activity of hurricanes. A study by Hiroyuki Murakami found that the decline in pollution in the form of tiny aerosol particles from transportation, energy production, and industry in North America and Europe was responsible for the increased numbers of hurricanes and other tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean. This is because lower aerosol levels in the region block less sunlight and drive up sea surface temperatures, leading to more hurricanes. On the other hand, increasing pollution from the growing economies of India and China had the opposite effect, reducing hurricane activity in the Western North Pacific.
Another project called TRACER aims to understand how thunderstorms form and how particles from air pollution may affect their strength and lifecycle. The project is geared towards getting a detailed sense of what is happening inside real thunderstorms and coming up with the best model to compare and understand the differences.
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Storms and climate change
Storms are a natural part of the Earth's climate system, but human activities can influence their frequency and intensity. Climate change, driven by human activities such as pollution, is altering the frequency and intensity of storms worldwide.
The impact of pollution on storms is a complex area of study. While it is challenging to establish a direct causal link, there is growing evidence that certain pollutants can influence storm formation and behaviour. For example, NASA has conducted airborne science campaigns to investigate how air pollution and natural emissions are pushed to higher altitudes by large storms, and how these emissions affect atmospheric composition and climate.
One hypothesis suggests that aerosols, or tiny particles in the atmosphere, may influence the microphysics of thunderstorms, potentially making them stronger. The TRACER project, a collaboration between NASA and the Department of Energy, is specifically studying how particles from air pollution may affect the strength and lifecycle of thunderstorms. By deploying advanced technologies such as radar, lidar, radiometers, and aerosol measurements, the project aims to improve our understanding of the complex interactions between pollution and storms.
Additionally, it is important to consider the indirect effects of storms on pollution. Storms can trigger the release of pollutants from industrial complexes, refineries, and petrochemical plants, leading to increased air pollution in the region. Flooding caused by storms can also result in indoor air pollution due to the development of mould in flooded homes and buildings. Furthermore, pesticides and fertilizers washed away by floodwaters can contaminate water sources, leading to toxic algae blooms that require expensive filtration processes to make the water potable again.
While the relationship between pollution and storms is intricate, ongoing research and projects are dedicated to enhancing our understanding of their complex dynamics. By studying the interplay between these two phenomena, scientists aim to improve weather and climate forecasting, ultimately helping communities better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of stronger storms in a changing climate.
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Storms and air quality
How storms affect air quality
Hurricanes can have long-lasting effects on the environment and air quality even after the storm has passed. Floodwaters from hurricanes can trigger air pollution by damaging refineries and other industrial complexes. After Hurricane Harvey, refineries and petrochemical plants in the affected area released 8.3 million pounds of pollution into the atmosphere. Flooded homes can also develop mold, creating indoor air pollution. Hurricanes can also cause soil erosion, which, along with the moisture left behind, can lead to the growth of mold, further impacting household air quality.
In addition, storms can carry air pollution over long distances. For example, studies in the 1980s found that sulfur dioxide from coal burning in the Ohio Valley was transported by wind to regions of the eastern US and Canada, as far as 1,000 miles away. This caused acid rain, which creates "dead lakes" where fish eggs cannot develop. Similarly, powerful winds in Asia carry industrial pollutants from China across the Gobi Desert, picking up particle pollution and causing yellow dust storms that affect the Korean Peninsula and parts of Japan. These dust storms reduce visibility, damage plants and soils, and pose health risks to humans.
How air pollution affects storms
Air pollution, particularly from forest fires and natural emissions, can impact humidity in the upper atmosphere. Additionally, there is a hypothesis that aerosols from air pollution can influence the strength of thunderstorms by affecting the microphysics of the updraft, including the size of cloud and rain particles produced. While aerosols do not seem to impact the strength of updrafts directly, changes in the microphysics of the updraft can lead to significant alterations in the size of ice crystals produced, which then interact with supercooled water to produce charging effects. These charging effects can potentially enhance lightning activity.
To better understand the relationship between air pollution and storms, NASA has conducted airborne science campaigns, deploying various instruments and aircraft to study how air pollution and natural emissions are pushed high into the atmosphere by large storms, influencing atmospheric composition and climate. The TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) project is another initiative aimed at investigating how particles from air pollution may affect the strength and lifecycle of thunderstorms. By studying thunderstorms in the Houston region, where relatively clean air from the Gulf meets significant pollution sources from urban and petrochemical refining areas, TRACER seeks to improve our understanding of the role of aerosols in storm formation and behavior.
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Frequently asked questions
It is not yet clear whether pollution causes stronger storms. NASA has conducted airborne science campaigns to study how air pollution and natural emissions are pushed high into the atmosphere by large storms, and how this affects the climate. The TRACER project is also investigating how particles from air pollution may affect the strength and lifecycle of thunderstorms.
Pollution can be transported from one area to another by the wind. For example, studies have found that sulfur dioxide from coal burning in the Ohio Valley travelled across large distances by wind, causing acid rain in regions of the eastern US and Canada.
There is a consensus emerging among scientists that global warming may prime the atmosphere to produce fewer but stronger storms. However, it is difficult to say how global warming will affect the formation of storms.
