An international group of researchers, with the participation of Brazilians in particular, has succeeded for the first time in unraveling the physiochemical mechanism that explains the complex system of rain formation in the Amazon, which influences the global climate. It involves the production of aerosol nanoparticles, electrical discharges and chemical reactions at high altitudes that occur between night and day, resulting in a kind of aerosol “machine” that produces clouds.
The research, published on the cover of the journal Nature, describes the mechanisms by which isoprene – a gas emitted by vegetation as part of its metabolism – is transported into the layer of the atmosphere above the Earth’s surface near the tropopause during nighttime storms. A series of chemical reactions triggered by solar radiation produces large quantities of aerosols that form clouds. This particle production is accelerated by reactions with nitrogen oxides produced by electrical discharges in the upper atmosphere in clouds dominated by ice crystals.
Previously, scientists had already identified the particles on another expedition, but not the full physiochemical mechanism. It was thought that isoprene would not reach the upper layers of the atmosphere because it would react along the way, being highly reactive and quickly broken down by sunlight. With the discovery of these new mechanisms, it will be possible to improve models of the Earth’s system, which are fundamental tools for simulating climate and understanding the present and future functioning of the planet.
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