Earth ID: 20026

Dust, Fire, Soot Inhibits Rainfall

Animations by Susan Twardy Released on February 9, 2004

Three Contributing Factors for Rainfall Inhibition - Dust is only one of three types of aerosols which can inhibit rainfall. Previous studies have shown that aerosols from biomass burning (i.e. burning of plant material such as forests, grasslands, and agricultural waste) and aerosols from man-made pollution also contribute to disturbing the rainfall process. This animation highlights the power of these three factors vs. the normal conditions of the rainfall
process. In this virtual world, a dust storm rises from arid conditions. Biomass burning sends smoke and an industrial complex adds pollutants into clouds and the atmosphere, thus preventing any rainfall. The cloud on the left shows rainfall production in normal conditions.

Animation Credits

Susan Twardy (HTSI): Lead Animator

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20026

Goddard TV Tape:
G2001-038

Keywords:
SVS >> Byrne
SVS >> Dust
SVS >> Gonnelli
SVS >> Pollution
SVS >> Rainfall
SVS >> Soot
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Aerosols
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Biosphere >> Ecological Dynamics >> Fire Occurrence
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0