|
About | Contact | Mongabay on Facebook | Mongabay on Twitter | Free newsletter |
|
|
Air pollution in China reduces rainfall mongabay.com August 31, 2009
Deliang Chen of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and colleagues found that aerosols generated by air pollution has reduced the size of raindrops, making it "more difficult for smaller raindrops to coalesce into rain clouds that can release rain," according to a statement from the university. The researchers note that the number of rainy days in parts of eastern China has fallen by 23 percent over the past 50 years while aerosol emissions have increased by 800 percent. "The consequences are increased drought and poorer harvests," the university statement said. Research in other parts of the world, including the United States, the Amazon rainforest, and Borneo, have also shown that aerosols from pollution and forest fires can reduce rainfall. Related articles Smoke from Amazon fires reduces local rainfall August 14, 2008 Smoke released by fires set to clear the Amazon rainforest inhibit the formation of clouds, thereby reducing rainfall, report researchers writing in the journal Science. The study provides clues on how aerosols from human activity influence cloud cover and ultimately affect climate
Tags: China's Environmental Problems china air pollution pollution fires precipitation earth science drought asia green environment Environmental news index | RSS | News Feed | Twitter | Home Advertisements:
|
|
|
DON'T LIKE ADS? Become a mongabay supporter WEEKLY NEWSLETTER RECENT FEATURES
POPULAR PAGES Photos
CALENDARS 
BOOKS BY MONGABAY AUTHORS
FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS / PRINTS 
|
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Copyright mongabay 2010 Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from mongabay.com operations (server, data transfer, travel) are mitigated through an association with Anthrotect, an organization working with Afro-indigenous and Embera communities to protect forests in Colombia's Darien region. Anthrotect is protecting the habitat of mongabay's mascot: the scale-crested pygmy tyrant. |
