Researchers affiliated with the Department of Life, Light & Matter (LLM) at the University of Rostock, from the research group led by Ralf Zimmermann, are involved in a new international study demonstrating that smoke particles from vegetation and forest fires can actively contribute to cloud formation. The results have been published in the renowned journal Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
The study focuses on so-called aerosols—tiny particles produced during the combustion of biomass. Controlled laboratory experiments show that these particles can act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). In this role, they enable the formation of cloud droplets and influence key cloud properties such as spatial extent, lifetime, and optical characteristics.
Smoke particles from different biomass types were investigated, including emissions from savanna regions and boreal forests. The measurements reveal that the particles’ ability to take up water and form cloud droplets strongly depends on their chemical composition, particle size, and atmospheric ageing processes. Of particular importance is the particles’ hygroscopicity, i.e. their affinity for water, which is a decisive parameter for cloud formation.
The findings provide important insights for improving weather and climate models. To date, the impact of biomass burning on clouds has often been represented in a simplified manner. The new experimental data, however, demonstrate that smoke aerosols are far more variable and effective than previously assumed. As a result, clouds may form more frequently, become denser, or persist longer—directly affecting the Earth’s radiation balance and potentially altering precipitation patterns.
Through their involvement in this study, researchers associated with the Department of Life, Light & Matter highlight its interdisciplinary expertise at the interface of atmospheric physics, environmental research, and climate science. The work makes an important contribution to understanding climate-relevant processes in a world where biomass burning is gaining increasing importance as a consequence of climate change.