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Image depicting Lightning releases chemicals that remove air pollution

Lightning releases chemicals that remove air pollution

 

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Lightning releases chemicals that remove air pollution

In 2012, researchers flew a NASA jet plane over the anvil (or top portion) of storm clouds to study lightning.

The data collected from these clouds has confirmed that lightning releases chemicals that remove air pollution from the atmosphere.

The study, which was recently published, says that lightning bolts and less visible electric charges produce large amounts of chemicals that remove air pollution called oxidants. They include the chemicals hydroxyl (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2). Hydroxyl is often called the “detergent of the atmosphere“.

How do oxidants work?

Oxidants help clear the air by reacting with polluting chemicals like methane to form molecules that are more water-soluble. This means it makes methane easier to dissolve in water and rain can wash it out of the air.

The data from the 2012 flight showed that after each lightning flash, the concentrations of hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl in the atmosphere increased a lot. Moreover, later lab experiments also confirmed these findings.

Climate change is leading to more lightning storms. So, studying how it changes the atmosphere is important.

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