Coal-fired power stations disrupt natural rain patterns
Ultrafine particles from coal-fired power plants are disrupting rainfall patterns more than 1000km away, a new study has found.
The 15-year study by researchers in South Australia and Germany mapped the source, journey and effect of ultrafine particles in the lower troposphere.
It found that filtration systems on modern coal-fired power stations are the biggest individual source of ultrafine particles (UFPs) ahead of urban road traffic.
Results were gathered using ultralight research trikes and other small aircraft around the world, including Mongolia, Germany, Mexico, China and Australia. The flying laboratories are equipped with highly sensitive instruments and sensors measuring dust particles, trace gases, temperature, humidity, wind and energy balances.
The research aircraft followed the ultrafine particles for more than 1000km and could still identify from which power plant they originated.
The paper, published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, identifies ultrafine particles as particles smaller than 100 nanometres.
Although the pollution isn’t visible to the naked eye, and they don’t generate haze and are difficult to detect with optical equipment — these particles have been previously linked to…
