News Climate

Earth’s jet stream helps create the seeds of clouds

The newly discovered process for making aerosols might also be the most productive

Satellite image of clouds blown by the jet stream.

Waviness in the high-speed flow of the jet stream (shown) can cause the stratosphere to dip and fold into the underlying troposphere. The mixing of those atmospheric layers can spur chemical reactions that lead to the formation of new aerosol particles.

NASA

By Carolyn Gramling

Scientists have sussed out a new source for the seeds of clouds.