New research reveals that aircraft contrails may have a significant cooling effect on the planet during the daytime, offering insights into reducing the climate impact of air travel.
The study indicates that soot particles emitted from jet engines facilitate the formation of ice crystals in the atmosphere, leading to the creation of persistent contrails. These vapor trails can linger for hours and play a crucial role in reflecting solar radiation back into space, contributing to a natural cooling effect. While they also impede heat escape from the Earth’s surface, their overall impact presents a complex dynamic in the discussion of aviation’s environmental footprint.
