News & Events

05/09/08 - C-CAPS Raindrop Research to Inform Climate Change Predictions

A C-CAPS climate researcher has made a major breakthrough in understanding the effect of air pollution and climate change on precipitation.  Dr Colin O’Dowd and a team of leading international experts propose a new theory explaining why atmospheric aerosol pollution plays a dichotomous role in increasing and suppressing rainfall under different levels of pollution. Their results are essential to providing an improved understanding of how air pollution and climate change will influence flood and drought patterns in the future.  The high-profile article ’Flood or Drought: How do Aerosols Affect Precipitation?’ was published recently in the  international journal, Science.

The scientific article ’Flood or Drought: How do Aerosols Affect Precipitation?’ looks at how, as the level of aerosol pollution increases above a critical threshold, aerosol components absorb sufficient incoming solar radiation to warm and stabilize the troposphere.  This inhibits convection of cloud parcels, and reduces the amount of energy absorbed at the Earth’s surface, thus reducing the release of water vapour. 

O’Dowd and his co-authors comprise the Steering Group developing the international project on Aerosols-Clouds-Precipitation and Climate (ACPC).  ACPC is a joint International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme - World Climate Research Programme (IGBP-WCRP) project.  O’Dowd represents two IGBP sub programmes on ACPC, namely the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) programme, and Surface Ocean Lower Atmospheres Studies (SOLAS) programme.

To download the Science article ’Flood or Drought: How do Aerosols Affect Precipitation?’  click here.

To download the Galway City Tribune Article 'NUIG research reveals the effect of pollution on rainfall levels' click here.

You are redirected to the Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station site for further news and information.

• Disclaimer
• Privacy
• Copyright
• Accessibility