Chaos theory produces map for predicting paths of particles emitted into the atmosphere

Eurekalert  July 16, 2019
Floating air particles following disasters and other largescale geological events can have a lasting impact on life on Earth. Using available wind data, researchers in Hungary have developed a model for following air particles as they travel around the globe. They found that lifetimes of particles ranged from about two to 150 days for typical volcanic ash particles, more than 10% of smaller particles survive in the atmosphere as much as one year, and more than 1% survive two years, particles coming from the area around the equator remain in the atmosphere for the longest time, and particles smaller than one micron could stay in the atmosphere for years before falling. Atmospheric particle motion exhibits fractal-like behavior. Findings have potential applications for geoengineering to combat climate change…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE

A new model drawing on chaos theory looks to help predict how these particles move, with an eye toward applications for geoengineering. Credit: Tímea Haszpra

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