Asian Air Pollution Fuels Stronger Storms

Asian Air Pollution Fuels Stronger Storms

March 2007 - Increasing 
levels of air pollution from Asia are affecting global weather 
patterns by intensifying clouds and storms over the Pacific 
Ocean, according to new research published Monday. The 
findings are more worrying news for the Arctic, which the 
authors of the research contend will warm more quickly due to 
the stronger Pacific storms. 
The study shows a "direct link" from large-scale storm systems 
to pollution from human activities, said lead author Renyi 
Zhang, an atmospheric scientist at Texas A&M University. 
Increased coal burning in Asia, notably China and India, over 
the past two decades has pumped massive amounts of pollution 
into the atmosphere, dramatically boosted the concentration of 
tiny pollution particles, notably soot and sulfur dioxide, 
over the region. 
The study warns of the link between pollution and stronger 
Pacific storms. 
Sulfur dioxide emissions alone have increased 35 percent over 
the past decade, the researchers report in this week's edition 
of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 
The local impacts of this pollution have long been recognized, 
and many Chinese and Indian cities continue to struggle with 
the impacts of poor air quality. 
But these tiny particles of pollution, known as aerosols, do 
more than cause smog, the researchers report, and their 
increase has coincided with a rise in the deep convection 
clouds that comprise many Pacific storms. 
Aerosols affect the size of water droplets and change the 
dynamics of the clouds themselves, Zhang explained. More 
aerosols means smaller water droplets, which in turn leads to 
larger deep convection clouds and stronger storms. 
Zhang's research team analyzed satellite imagery and computer 
modeling and found the amount of deep convection clouds over 
the North Pacific between 1994-2005 increased 20 to 50 percent 
over the preceding decade. 
The researchers added that the intensified Pacific storm track 
"likely has profound implication on climate." 
The problem is especially worse during the winter months, the 
researchers said, noting that various climate conditions cause 
the northern Pacific Ocean is more susceptible to the aerosol 
effect in winter. 
The Pacific storm track also plays a role in global 
atmospheric circulation, carrying polluted particles to the 
west coasts of Canada and the United States, across America 
and eventually, most of the world. It also tends to transport 
heat and moisture to the world's northern latitudes. 
Scientists are just beginning to understand the global 
ramifications of increasing air pollution - here a thick layer 
of smog and smoke hangs over China on July 11, 2002. 
"The Pacific storm track can impact weather all over the 
globe," Zhang said. "The general air flow is from west to 
east, but there is also some serious concern that the polar 
regions could be affected by this pollution. That could have 
potentially catastrophic results." 
The concern comes from the belief that this pollution, 
particularly soot, can settle on Arctic ice, causing it to 
absorb more heat from the sun. This could accelerate melting, 
Zhang said, who added that the pollution from storm tracks 
could also signify stark changes in weather patterns. 
"You might have more storms, and these storms might be more 
severe than usual," he said. "Or it could lead to the opposite 
- severe droughts in other areas. The Pacific storm track 
plays a crucial role in our weather, and there is no doubt at 
all that human activity is changing the world's weather." 





 

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