Although volcanic eruptions are mostly known for their devastating impacts on land, they also influence the atmosphere in surprising ways. Particles that are catapulted into the sky by eruptions can alter the composition of clouds, cooling the surface below. Volcanic ash, as new research suggests, plays an unexpected role in cloud formation by manipulating ice crystals.
A new study published in Science Advances found that volcanic ash enables ice to take shape in clouds, a process that hasn’t been studied extensively before. The environmental effects — how volcanic ash contributes to radiation on Earth — are still up for debate, but a better understanding of cloud formation could inform geoengineering efforts that aspire to slow global warming.
Clouds have a complex relationship with radiation. This is seen with their influence on Earth’s radiation budget, the balance between incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun and outgoing longwave radiation from Earth. Depending ...
