June 19, 2017
New global volcanic emissions map debuts
Volcanoes may not always be erupting ash or lava, but that doesn’t mean they’re not venting other materials. Many, in fact, continuously spew …
The EARTH archive
Aerosol
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11 articles · Page 1 of 1
February 7, 2017
To cool the planet, volcanoes of the future will need more firepower
Explosive volcanic eruptions can spew sulfur gas into the stratosphere — the layer of the atmosphere above where most clouds and weather occur — …
September 13, 2016
Clouds can form without particles
In addition to their aesthetic and photogenic appeal, clouds play a crucial role in Earth’s climate and ecosystems, helping regulate temperatures …
February 19, 2016
Volcanic aerosols not enough to cause mass extinctions?
Mass extinctions — when more than half of Earth’s species disappear in a geologic instant — offer some of the planet’s most perplexing unsolved …
October 23, 2015
Marine microorganisms drive summer clouds over Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica is home to some of the most pristine air anywhere on Earth. And yet it’s also one of the cloudiest …
January 5, 2015
Secondary aerosols a primary cause of Chinese smog
Images of Chinese skylines and streetscapes blurred by pollution-fueled hazes have become increasingly common in recent years amid ongoing …
September 3, 2014
For cloud formation, a little aerosol goes a long way
Clouds play a starring role in creating and controlling climate, but cloud physics are notoriously difficult to model, leaving wide gaps in …
June 25, 2013
Hurricanes suppressed by air pollutants
Understanding how often devastating tropical storms like Superstorm Sandy occur, and how humans may play a role in their frequency, is a major …
January 5, 2012
Natural dust may be harmful to ocean organisms
Although human-made aerosols sometimes are toxic, natural aerosols from deserts and volcanoes are important contributors to ocean fertilization. …
January 5, 2012
Blogging on EARTH: Controversy over the weekend effect
It’s Friday: Is it raining where you are? For several decades, humans have been blamed for climate phenomena, including the so-called weekend …
January 5, 2012
Air pollutants from "megacities" a growing problem
Megacities — cities with populations equaling or greater than 10 million people — are producing an unprecedented amount of air pollution, …