What are the Mother-of-Pearl clouds?
Mother-of-pearl clouds, also known as nacreous clouds or Mother-of-Pearl nacreous clouds, are the polar stratospheric clouds natural phenomenon that mostly occurs in high latitudes 20 to 20km above the ground.
Mother-of-pearl nacreous clouds mostly appear in high latitude areas 20-30km above the ground, about 2-3km thick, mother-of-pearl clouds have a pearl-like luster, light transmission, such as cirrus clouds;
Mother-of-pearl clouds are accompanied by lighter violet, blue, red, yellow, and another nearly concentric arrangement of light arcs as if the sunlight shells shining ribbons of colors.
Natural phenomenon of mother-of-pearl clouds
Mother-of-pearl clouds are common in the polar regions and can occur as far south as England towards the equator. They form at the bottom of the extremely cold stratosphere, nearly 20,000 meters above the ground, and are made up of nitrate hydrate as well as ice crystals.
On 11 February 2016, a rare mother-of-pearl cloud appeared in the evening sky over parts of northern England and Scotland in the UK. In Ambleside, Cumbria, photographers captured stunning images of mother-of-pearl clouds. The rainbow-like clouds of dreamy colors floated in the dull evening sky, looking bright and striking in an impressionistic style.
Against the distant trees, the birds in the air, the rolling hills, and the sandy beaches of the sea, the mother-of-pearl clouds look like a poetic landscape painting. Mother-of-pearl clouds are often mistaken for the aurora borealis because of their bright colors.
Experts say the recent appearance of mother-of-pearl clouds in parts of the UK may be linked to recent storms, which have brought water vapor into the stratosphere, increasing the likelihood of mother-of-pearl cloud formation.
The presence of mother-of-pearl clouds (stratospheric clouds) means that ozone depletion is increasing because they provide the conditions necessary for photochemical reactions of chlorine compounds, which destroy about 1 percent of ozone every day. The appearance of mother-of-pearl clouds in the Antarctic region may be a sign of global warming.
How are the mother-of-pearl clouds distributed?
Mother-of-pearl clouds are common in the polar regions and can occur as far south as England towards the equator. They form at the bottom of the extremely cold stratosphere nearly 20,000 meters above the ground and are made up of nitrate hydrate as well as ice crystals.
The rare mother-of-pearl cloud appeared in the evening sky over parts of northern England and Scotland in the UK on 2 February 2016, with many local photographers flocking to their cameras to record the beautiful and rare sight.
These colored pearl clouds can be seen in many parts of the UK and are characterized by their colorful, pearl-like shimmer. These mother-of-pearl nacreous clouds are often accompanied by specific meteorological conditions, such as low pressure, moist air, and strong sunlight.
When sunlight hits these clouds, the refraction and reflection of light by water droplets and ice crystals in the clouds create a pearl-like glow.
The appearance of such colorful mother-of-pearl nacreous clouds not only brings people visual enjoyment but also triggers people’s awe of nature. In the relationship between mankind and nature, we often marvel at the magic and beauty of nature. And the appearance of this colorful pearl cloud makes us deeply appreciate the charm of nature.
What causes Mother-of-Pearl nacreous clouds?
At the bottom of the stratosphere at high latitudes, the atmospheric temperature is about -53℃. At the bottom of the stratosphere, 20,000 to 30,000 meters above the ground, the temperature rises, i.e. the inverse temperature tends to strengthen, which is conducive to the gathering of atmospheric condensation nuclei.
If there is sufficient water vapor in the area at the same time, there is a possibility of condensation into bergschrund clouds.
These beautiful clouds, known as mother-of-pearl clouds, can be observed in the Antarctic region every year in the southern hemisphere during the spring and autumn when the upper atmospheric temperature drops low enough. Mother-of-pearl clouds are usually found in the stratosphere at temperatures below -80°C, 10 to 30 kilometers above the ground.
Slender mother-of-pearl clouds appear at sunset: fading light passes through tiny water droplets – ice crystals formed by strong stratospheric winds. According to scientists, wind speeds at the same altitude reach almost 230 kilometers per hour (143 miles per hour).
Mother-of-pearl clouds are bright because they are high enough that the sun’s rays can reach them long after local sunsets – at high latitudes, the sun is never far from the horizon from late spring until early autumn. The light, pastel colors of mother-of-pearl clouds are the result of the diffraction of sunlight.
From a meteorological point of view, the appearance of such colored pearl clouds is an indication of weather changes.
When an area of low-pressure forms, water vapor in the air condenses into water droplets or ice crystals, forming clouds.
When sunlight hits these clouds, the light is refracted and reflected by the water droplets or ice crystals, creating a glow of various colors.
The appearance of such colored pearl clouds is also related to pollutants in the atmosphere. When there are more pollutants in the air, they combine with water droplets or ice crystals to form impurities in the clouds. These impurities have a scattering effect on sunlight, making the glow in the clouds more brilliant.
Mother-of-pearl clouds are more common on the Antarctic Peninsula, where the presence of mountain ranges creates a backwash that affects the upper atmosphere. Conditions here allow them to persist for months at a time.
Mother-of-pearl clouds appear to be bright because they are high enough that the sun’s rays are still visible long after the local sunset – at high latitudes, the sun is never far from the horizon from late spring until early autumn. The light, pastel colors of mother-of-pearl clouds are the result of the diffraction of sunlight.
Mother-of-pearl clouds are more common on the Antarctic Peninsula, where the presence of mountain ranges creates a backwash that affects the upper atmosphere. Conditions here allow them to persist for months at a time. Occasionally, mother-of-pearl clouds appear in areas as far south as England towards the equator.
The presence of mother-of-pearl nacreous clouds means increased ozone depletion because they provide the conditions necessary for photochemical reactions of chlorine compounds, which destroy about 1 percent of ozone every day.
Effects of Mother-of-Pearl Clouds
The presence of mother-of-pearl nacreous clouds (Polar stratospheric clouds) means increased ozone depletion because they provide the necessary conditions for photochemical reactions of chlorine compounds, which destroy about 1 percent of ozone per day. The appearance of mother-of-pearl clouds in the Antarctic could be a sign of global warming.
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