Air pollution 'affects rainfall'

New research has revealed that a decrease in air quality affects rainfall, causing an increase up to a certain point of pollution, after which rainfall subsides.

Scientists headed by Professor Daniel Rosenfeld of the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that reduced air quality can cause rainfall to rise or fall depending on local conditions.

The findings were published in the current issue of the Science journal, with researchers exploring the influence of airborne particles on the energy flow through the atmosphere.

Prof Rosenfeld of the Hebrew University, said: "The amount of aerosols is the critical factor controlling how the energy is distributed in the atmosphere."

He added that these results have great significance for countries where rainfall is scarce and can be affected by overproduction of aerosols

Earth Observatory Library describes aerosols as tiny particles suspended in air, either naturally from volcanoes, dust storms, sea spray, living vegetation or natural fires, or from human activities, like the burning of fossil fuels.