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Dust Particles Found to Trigger cloud Freezing, Impacting Climate Forecasts
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Zurich, Switzerland – August 16, 2025 – A groundbreaking study from ETH Zurich has revealed a significant link between dust particles originating from distant deserts and the freezing process within clouds, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. This discovery has major implications for the accuracy of global climate models and our understanding of precipitation patterns.
How Desert Dust Influences Cloud Behaviour
Researchers found that airborne dust, carried by winds across vast distances, acts as a catalyst for ice crystal formation within clouds. This process directly affects how much sunlight a cloud reflects back into space and its ability to produce rain or snow. The study, led by postdoctoral researcher Diego Villanueva, highlights a previously underestimated factor in atmospheric physics.
“We found that clouds containing more dust are much more likely to freeze at their tops,” explained Villanueva. “This has a direct impact on the amount of solar radiation reflected back into space and the amount of precipitation that forms.”
Did You Know? Dust particles can travel thousands of miles, originating from deserts like the Sahara and impacting cloud formation in regions like Europe and North America.
The Role of Mixed-Phase Clouds
The research focused on mixed-phase clouds, which exist between -39°C and 0°C and contain both water droplets and ice crystals. These clouds are particularly sensitive to environmental changes and play a critical role in regulating Earth’s temperature. The study demonstrates that the presence of dust significantly increases the likelihood of ice crystal formation within these clouds.
| Factor | Impact on Cloud Freezing |
|---|---|
| Dust Concentration | Higher concentration increases freezing likelihood |
| Cloud Temperature | Most effective in clouds between -39°C and 0°C |
| Geographic Location | Most pronounced effect in Northern Hemisphere |
The findings align with laboratory experiments simulating the freezing process, providing strong evidence for the dust-induced ice nucleation mechanism. “This is one of the first studies showing that satellite measurements of cloud composition agree with our laboratory work results,” stated Professor Ulrike Lohmann of ETH Zurich’s atmospheric physics department.
The research team acknowledges the need for further investigation into other factors influencing cloud freezing,such as updraft strength and humidity levels. However, the current findings clearly demonstrate the significant role of dust in shaping cloud behavior and, consequently, the global climate.
Pro Tip: Understanding the impact of aerosols, like dust, on cloud formation is crucial for improving the accuracy of climate change predictions.
What other atmospheric particles might influence cloud formation in similar ways? And how can these findings be integrated into more sophisticated climate models?
Reference: Villanueva, D. (2025). The freezing of the droplets driven by dust explains the top of the clouds in the northern extropical regions.
Source: ETH Zürich. (2025). Do you want to freeze a cloud? Desert dust could help you!
ómico The study builds upon decades of research into aerosol-cloud interactions. Aerosols, tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, have long been recognized as influencing cloud properties. Though, the specific role of desert dust and its impact on ice nucleation has been a subject of ongoing investigation.this research provides compelling evidence for a key mechanism driving cloud freezing, offering valuable insights for climate scientists.Future research will likely focus on quantifying the global impact of dust and incorporating these findings into more complex climate models.
