Melting sea ice combines with Arctic sea to make clouds

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown natural process in the Arctic that significantly increases cloud-forming particles, which could alter cloud cover, sunlight reflection, and future climate change. This process is triggered by the combination of marine life, sunlight, and a chemical mixture of iodine, sulfur, and organic compounds emitted from melting sea ice at the ice edge.

The research, published in Nature Geoscience, provides the first real-world evidence of this phenomenon, demonstrating that the number of particles capable of forming cloud droplets can rise 50-fold in a single day near the ice edge. The findings could have significant implications for understanding and predicting climate change in the rapidly warming Arctic region.

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