An international team of scientists has discovered important information about how aerosols formed before the industrial era. They conducted a study in a pristine peatland to understand how particles form in the atmosphere with minimal human influence. This research provides valuable insights into historical climate conditions.
An international group of researchers has uncovered significant insights into pre-industrial aerosol formation processes through a study conducted in a pristine Finnish peatland. The investigation aimed to understand atmospheric particle formation in an environment with minimal human influences, shedding light on historical climate conditions.The analysis discovered that the Siikaneva peatland in southern Finland releases oxygenated organic molecules at night, which leads to the formation of aerosol particles that closely resemble the atmosphere before industrialization. This 9000-year-old minerotrophic peatland emits high levels of terpenes, including isoprene and alpha-pinene. Researchers observed the creation of new atmospheric particles triggered by natural vapors, a process that mimics the pre-industrial atmosphere.The confirmation of pure biogenic new particle formation can only be verified at the molecular level under laboratory conditions. Postdoctoral Researcher Wei Huang from the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research INAR at the University of Helsinki stated that the results indicate the possibility of pure biogenic new particle formation in ambient conditions. The study was published in the journal Science Advances in April. These findings highlight the significance of pristine environments like present-day Finnish peatland in the study of pre-industrial aerosol production.
These areas with low levels of sulfur or nitrogen oxide pollution act as natural testing grounds. Our research is possibly the most accurate demonstration of aerosol production processes before industrialization, indicating that completely untouched environments still exist in today’s atmosphere, largely affected by human actions. It also proves that natural aerosol formation could be a common occurrence in today’s world. This could have a significant impact on the climate of regions dominated by peatlands, as well as other areas with flat terrain,” Professor Feder explains.ico Bianchi from INAR.
Peatlands are extensive in the Northern Hemisphere, covering approximately four million square kilometres north of the 30th parallel and half a million square kilometres north of the 50th parallel. The organic particles produced from these large areas may have been a significant source of cloud condensation nuclei for cloud formation during the pre-industrial era.
Studying historical aerosols for insight into the future
Examining pre-industrial aerosol formation is crucial for understanding climate change, as it involves comparing current atmospheric conditions with those from the pre-industrial era. Aerosol particles are a key aspect in this comparison.Aerosol particles play a crucial role in cooling the atmosphere and influencing the climate. They scatter incoming radiation and serve as cloud condensation nuclei, affecting cloud properties and the reflection of sunlight. Studying past conditions can help us understand how aerosol formation processes have changed over time and how they currently impact the global climate.
Furthermore, this research may offer insights into new particle formation in the future. As air pollution is reduced, there may be a shift towards particle formation with different characteristics, resembling pre-industrial conditions. This could have implications for understanding and mitigating the effects of air pollution on the environment.The impact of aerosols from peatlands can have significant effects on the climate, including cloud formation and temperatures on Earth. The findings from this study can be used as constraints for future simulations of pre-industrial peatland aerosol impacts on the climate.
