Recent studies show that bioparticles emitted by natural ecosystems, like bacteria, pollen and spores, play a crucial role in shaping how much and where it rains. These little creatures are heavily organic in composition. They might even be important in seeding cloud condensation nuclei to help form raindrops in the atmosphere. Researchers are just now starting to understand how crucial these bioparticles are for weather modeling and all precipitation dynamics.
Because bioparticle levels vary from day to day, the presence of rainmaking particles may vary. Under typical midday weather conditions, research indicates that biologically derived particles make up most of the rainmaking particles observed. They lose their mojo when winds kick Saharan dust into the equation. In the few cases where bioparticles have been identified, they only make up around 10 to 30 percent of the rainmaking particles.
Most importantly, our research demonstrates that bioparticles are extremely influential actors in regulating the daily ebb and flow of rainmaking particles,” explained Athanasios Nenes of the EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. In particular, he underscored the pressing need to integrate bioparticles into current weather models. This aspect has truly never been factored into any predictive climate models prior, he explained.
This study used remote sensing technologies deployed on Greece’s Mount Helmos to monitor the concentration of bioparticles in the lower atmosphere. This novel and creative application provided researchers a unique opportunity to see how bioparticles influence cloud chemistry. Bioparticles can act as nuclei for supercooled cloud vapor, allowing this vapor to freeze around them and speed up precipitation forming processes.
By adding bioparticle data to weather pattern simulations, the researchers found they were able to significantly raise precipitation levels. Occasionally, the new models projected rainfall amounts an order of magnitude higher than previous forecasts. This discovery highlights the ability of bioparticles to significantly influence regional and global rainfall patterns.
“It’s something we need to start thinking about,” Nenes remarked, highlighting the necessity for a paradigm shift in how scientists approach weather prediction.
The unique properties of bioparticles set them apart from regular dust particles. Dust acts as a double-edged sword when it comes to precipitation by inducing unfavorable thermodynamic and dynamic conditions in the atmosphere. In contrast, bioparticles triple rainfall’s efficacy by engaging with clouds.
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