Weather monitoring
Canadian wildfires created disruptive ice clouds in Arctic, say researchers
Jan 30 2025
Following Canada's record-breaking wildfires in 2023, a team of researchers set out to monitor their contribution to ice clouds in the Arctic. What they found has profound consequences for climate action.
A recent study conducted by researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), part of the Research Organization of Information and Systems (ROIS), has provided fresh insights into how aerosols from Canadian wildfires in the summer of 2023 played a crucial role in the formation of ice clouds over the Arctic.
Clouds, composed of either liquid droplets or ice crystals, are fundamental to regulating Earth’s climate by modulating solar radiation. While liquid clouds tend to reflect more sunlight, ice clouds influence atmospheric warming.
Traditionally, ice clouds form in extremely cold temperatures—typically below -38°C. However, recent studies have observed their formation at comparatively warmer temperatures in the Arctic, a phenomenon attributed to the presence of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) such as mineral dust, organic aerosols, and bioaerosols.
Wildfires, particularly in regions like Canada, Alaska, and Russia, generate large quantities of organic carbon aerosols. These particles can be transported over long distances into the Arctic atmosphere. Despite substantial evidence of aerosol transport from mid-latitude wildfires, the direct connection between these aerosols and ice cloud formation in the Arctic has remained an open question—until now.
The week that New York had the worst air quality in the world
New York City is as much a set of world-famous icons as it is a city: the City That Never Sleeps. Moreover, it is world-renowned in a variety of fields, from finance and tech to medicine and the a... Read More
Combining field observations and atmospheric modeling
A research team led by Assistant Professor Kazutoshi Sato, in collaboration with Professor Jun Inoue from NIPR, embarked on an expedition aboard the RV Mirai in September 2023. As a leading institution in polar atmospheric research, NIPR has conducted numerous field studies to understand climate interactions in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
The mission aimed to capture real-time data on aerosol presence and cloud formation over the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. The scientists employed cutting-edge technology, including cloud particle sensor (CPS) sondes and drone-based measurements, to analyze atmospheric conditions.
Their findings revealed a significant spike in aerosol concentrations in the lower troposphere, particularly organic carbon particles traced back to wildfire regions in Canada. Furthermore, they identified ice clouds forming at relatively warm temperatures—above -15°C—associated with atmospheric rivers (AR), which are channels of warm, moisture-laden air moving from mid-latitudes to polar regions.
Using a backward trajectory model, the team successfully tracked the origin of these aerosols to wildfire zones in Canada. Their research confirmed that these transported aerosols acted as INPs, catalyzing ice cloud formation under conditions previously deemed too warm for such processes.
What does this mean for our understanding of Arctic climate dynamics?
This groundbreaking study underscores the need for robust, field-based atmospheric data to refine climate modeling in polar regions. By demonstrating a clear link between wildfire-emitted aerosols and ice cloud formation, the research provides valuable insights into the impact of increasing wildfire activity on Arctic climate dynamics.
Professor Inoue emphasized the broader implications of the study, stating, “Atmospheric rivers are key drivers of moisture transport to the Arctic, and our findings indicate that they also facilitate the movement of aerosols, influencing cloud formation. These interactions must be integrated into climate models to improve our understanding of Arctic climate change.”
As climate change intensifies, wildfires are expected to become more frequent and severe, potentially altering Arctic cloud cover and contributing to shifting weather patterns. NIPR, founded in 1973, continues to be at the forefront of such research, conducting comprehensive polar studies through its observation stations in the Arctic and Antarctica.
To read the study, click here.
LA wildfires: what pollution can we expect?
Beyond the immediate destruction caused by California's latest wildfires, they released a whole lot of medium- and long-term pollution into the environment, contributing to climate change and har... Read More
Digital Edition
IET 35.1 Jan 2025
February 2025
Gas Detection - Use of innovative NDIR gas analysis for monitoring industrial gas mixing equipment Environmental Laboratory - Chromatography provides key insights for sustainable fuel deve...
View all digital editions
Events
SPS Smart Production Solutions Guangzhou
Feb 25 2025 Guanghzou, China
World Water-Tech Innovation Summit
Feb 25 2025 London, UK
Feb 26 2025 Chennai, India
Feb 26 2025 Tulsa, OK, USA
Feb 27 2025 Kathmandu, Nepal