How atmospheric Aerosols Shape Clouds and the Overestimation of Ship-track Data

Ship exhaust has been overrated in their interaction with clouds that is believed to alter climate. Weather forecasters have failed to link the atmospheric aerosols and the cooling effect on the planet, scientific study has revealed.

Researchers report on the Science Magazine has shown the interaction between aerosols and clouds have an overestimated magnitude of 200 percent, owing to the uncertainties surrounding climate prototypes. 

The research concluded that “satellite analyses demonstrate that ship track studies cannot be comprehensive to evaluate the meteorological forcing of anthropogenic aerosol.” The assumption that led to the overvaluation was because the “warming impact of reducing stratocumulus amount” was not accounted for.

Ship tracks refer to the clouds that form around the exhaust released by ships in the still ocean atmosphere. Water molecules then coalesce around the tiny particles, referred as aerosols, from the exhaust to form cloud condensation nuclei.

The distinctive clouds form in regions where there is a thin, low-lying stratus and cumulous clouds. The cloud lines can be used to locate the curved course of ships. Aerosols can be natural or anthropogenic. Natural aerosols include mist, fog, dust, geyser steam and exudates. Anthropogenic aerosol include pollutants, smoke and particulate air.

The tracks can be visualized and measured by the satellite and that is how you can note the magnitude of industrial pollution that is altering the cloudscape.