Meghan Hodges
The vibrant pinks, oranges, and reds that colour the sky during sunset are the result of a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering. During sunset, when sunlight enters the atmosphere at a less direct angle, light must travel through more atmospheric particles to reach us. The shorter blue and green wavelengths scatter more easily and have a harder time making it through, while the longer wavelengths, which produce orange and red colours, do make it through, giving us those rich, vibrant colours. Factors like atmospheric pollution, humidity, time of year, and clouds can also affect the intensity and colouring of sunsets.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Phenomenon | Raleigh scattering |
| Cause | Light from the sun hits the particles of our atmosphere |
| Scattering | Blues and violets are scattered, leaving oranges and reds to be more visible |
| Factors | Pollution, humidity, time of year, clouds, dust, volcanic eruptions, wildfire smoke |
| Effect of pollution | Deepens sunset colors when the sun is above the horizon |
What You'll Learn
The role of atmospheric particles in pink sunsets
The vibrant pinks, oranges, and reds that colour the sky during sunrise and sunset are the result of a phenomenon called Raleigh or Rayleigh scattering. During sunrise and sunset, light must travel through more atmospheric particles to reach us. The shorter blue and green wavelengths scatter more easily and have a harder time making it through. However, the longer wavelengths, which produce yellow, orange, and red colours, do make it through, giving us those rich, vibrant colours.
Secondly, particles in the atmosphere, such as pollution, dust, and other naturally occurring substances, can also affect the intensity and colouring of sunsets. For example, smoke from wildfires can put more particles in the air, allowing red hues to dominate. Similarly, volcanic eruptions can inject sulfuric acid droplets into the stratosphere, leading to spectacular sunsets.
Thirdly, while nitrogen and oxygen scattering can explain orange and reddish sunsets, aerosols are needed to achieve a red sky. These solid or liquid particles suspended in the air can originate from both natural processes and human activity.
Lastly, the angle at which the light hits the atmosphere is crucial. As the sun moves, the angle changes, and so does the colour expressed as the light passes through the atmosphere.
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How pollution affects sunset colours
The vibrant colours of sunsets are the result of a phenomenon called Raleigh scattering. During sunrise and sunset, light must travel through more atmospheric particles to reach us. The shorter blue and green wavelengths scatter more easily, while the longer wavelengths, which produce orange and red colours, make it through, giving us those rich, vibrant colours.
However, pollution can also play a role in the colours of sunsets. Factors like atmospheric pollution, humidity, time of year, and clouds can affect the intensity and colouring of sunsets. Wildfire smoke, for instance, puts more particles in the air, allowing red hues to dominate. Similarly, volcanic eruptions can inject sulfuric acid droplets into the stratosphere, leading to spectacular sunsets.
Particles in the atmosphere, whether from pollution or natural sources, can scatter short wavelengths, such as blues and violets, more than long wavelengths, such as reds. This can result in deeper crimson sunsets in polluted cities.
Yet, it is important to note that excess pollution can also dampen the overall sunset experience. When large numbers of big particles accumulate in the atmosphere, the sunset can appear bright but washed out, as larger particles scatter all colours indiscriminately, increasing the sky's brightness while reducing colour contrast.
Therefore, while pollution can indeed enhance sunset colours under certain conditions, it can also diminish the overall visual experience when it becomes too saturated in the atmosphere.
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The impact of natural disasters on sunset hues
The hues of a sunset are determined by a phenomenon called Raleigh scattering, where shorter-wavelength blues and violets are scattered, leaving longer-wavelength colours like yellow, orange, and red to be more visible. The longer the light from the sun travels through atmospheric particles, the more blue and green wavelengths scatter, resulting in vibrant oranges and reds.
Natural disasters, such as wildfires, can cause an increase in atmospheric particles, which can lead to more intense sunset colours. The smoke from wildfires can travel great distances and inject aerosols into the atmosphere, enhancing the dominance of red hues during sunset. This was evident when smoke from wildfires in Canada was observed to have reached as far as Florida and Europe, potentially impacting sunsets in these regions.
Volcanic eruptions are another example of natural disasters that can influence sunset colours. Volcanoes can inject sulfuric acid droplets into the stratosphere, creating spectacular sunsets throughout history. The particles emitted by volcanoes can cause the scattering of light, affecting the colours observed in the sky.
Overall, natural disasters that release particles into the atmosphere can have a significant impact on sunset hues, influencing the intensity and dominance of certain colours. These events can create unique and memorable sunsets that capture the attention of people worldwide.
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The science of Raleigh scattering
The vibrant colours we see at sunrise and sunset are the result of a phenomenon called Raleigh scattering. This phenomenon is named after the 19th-century British physicist, Lord Rayleigh (John William Strutt), who, in 1871, published a paper describing this process.
Raleigh scattering is the scattering or deflection of light by particles that are much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation. In the case of sunsets, the light from the sun hits particles in our atmosphere, causing about one-third of the light to scatter. The particles may be individual atoms or molecules, but Raleigh scattering is most prominent in gases.
During sunrise and sunset, the sunlight enters the atmosphere at a less direct angle than during the day, so the light has to travel through more atmospheric particles to reach us. The shorter blue and green wavelengths scatter more easily, so they have a harder time making it through. However, the longer wavelengths, which produce orange and red colours, do make it through, resulting in the rich, vibrant colours of sunsets.
The presence of particles in the atmosphere, such as pollution, can deepen these colours when the sun is above the horizon. This is because the particles the light is passing through are bigger than those in an unpolluted atmosphere. However, it is important to note that sunsets would still be orange and red in an unpolluted environment. The pollution simply serves to enhance the colours.
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The influence of clouds on sunset intensity
The intensity of sunsets is influenced by the presence and characteristics of clouds. Cloud observations are crucial due to their impact on energy balance, climate, and weather. The effect of clouds on the intensity of sunsets depends on various factors such as cloud base or top height, water content, and cloud optical thickness.
Cloud cover can influence solar radiation intensity, usually weakening it but intensifying under certain weather conditions. For example, the presence of convective clouds and a partly cloudy sky (3/8–6/8 cloud cover) can result in greater solar radiation intensity than a completely clear sky. This effect was observed in Krakow, Poland, between 2003 and 2007.
The type of clouds also plays a significant role in the intensity of sunsets. For instance, cirrus clouds are characterized by high transmission of solar radiation, while Cumulonimbus clouds, when covering the sun's disk, can significantly reduce solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Stratocumulus clouds, which are lower in the sky, often appear dark during sunset, while higher clouds like cirrocumulus or altocumulus can reflect the reddish sunlight, creating a pink hue.
Additionally, the presence of clouds during sunrise and sunset can result in different appearances of the same cloud types in various regions of the sky. For example, cumulus clouds will reflect more light in regions opposite to the sun compared to clouds closer to the sun, creating a varied contrast.
Overall, the influence of clouds on sunset intensity is complex and depends on multiple factors, including cloud type, height, thickness, and the presence of other atmospheric particles.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, pollution can cause pink sunsets. This is due to a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering, where shorter-wavelength blues and violets are scattered, leaving longer-wavelength pinks, oranges, and reds to be more visible.
Light from the sun hits the particles in our atmosphere, causing about one-third of the light to scatter. The smallest wavelengths, which correspond to blue hues, scatter the most easily. During sunrise and sunset, when sunlight enters the atmosphere at a less direct angle, light must travel through more atmospheric particles to reach us. The shorter blue and green wavelengths have a harder time making it through, while the longer wavelengths, which produce pink, orange, and red colors, do make it through, giving us those rich, vibrant colors.
Factors like atmospheric pollution, humidity, time of year, and clouds can also affect the intensity and coloring of sunsets. Clouds, particularly those high enough in the sky to not block the light, reflect the light of a sunset, leading to a more spectacular show. Pink clouds at sunset are often seen when the sun is low and its rays pass through a thicker layer of the atmosphere, amplifying the colors.
Yes, while pollution can lead to more vibrant sunsets, excess pollution will also dampen the overall sunset experience. At a certain point, the air pollution is so bad that the sky is so saturated, you don't even see the sun clearly anymore.
