While the clouds block our sunshine, they were the focus of a 12-month research cycle to find out how clouds and particles interactScientists are constantly looking for creative ways to slow global warming, and now they're turning their attention to the sky. While most San Diegans prefer a sunny day at the coast, local researchers say the cloudier days work to their advantage when studying how clouds and particles interact.
"We actually think that’s an advantage because you can have this effect with the particles and it will keep cooling for a while," Russell said.While the clouds block our sunshine, they were the focus of a 12-month research cycle to find out how clouds and particles interact. ”Marine cloud brightening is the idea of enhancing the natural effect of clouds by making them reflect more sunlight," Russell said."The idea is to enhance that effect and make them even brighter than they would be naturally, and it turns out that that’s sort of already happening for us in some places because pollution tends to make clouds brighter because it makes the droplets in the clouds smaller," Russell explained.