Dry lake bed salts promote cloud formation
Tuesday, August 31, 2010 - 09:28
in Earth & Climate
One of the major uncertainties in climate modeling is the effect of aerosol particles on cloud formation. Sea salt in the air has been known to be important in cloud formation over oceans. A new study now provides the first direct measurements of clouds showing that wind-blown dust from dry lake beds (playas) can also act as cloud condensation nuclei, encouraging the formation of clouds over continents and thereby affecting climate.