Air pollution exacerbates thunderstorms and lightning

(ORDO NEWS) — Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found that air pollution can exacerbate thunderstorms and lightning. The fact that the number of such phenomena is growing is proved by meteorological monitoring.

According to Naked Science, satellite images show that lightning strikes most often along the busiest trade routes. Scientists have understood why this can happen.

They said that particles suspended in the air are centers of moisture condensation. This facilitates the growth of droplets and the formation of clouds. If the concentration of aerosol particles is sufficient, then they cannot become large drops and rain down. As a result, they rise higher into the less humid layers of the atmosphere and begin to evaporate there.

Provided that the air also carries enough moisture (and this makes evaporation difficult and does not allow the cloud to cool down and stop actively rising), all opportunities are created for the occurrence of lightning.

Scientists have come to the conclusion that the constant pollution of the atmosphere with aerosol particles contributes to this process.

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