Soot Melts Snow Experiment Redux
December 5, 2010, I posted my experiment to demonstrate that soot melts snow much more quickly than if the snow is clean. The "soot" came from old fireplace ashes. This is a realistic "real world" substance since much of the soot that reaches the Arctic comes from wood burning.
However, the climate models assume soot is carbon black. So, I was asked to repeat the experiment with lamp black. I did it earlier today.
Here is the virgin snow at 9am. Snow depth, 4 inches.
I spread the lamp black and measured four hours later.
In the clean snow, the amount is just under 4 inches, less than 1/4" of melting occurred. Note the drop off to the left where the carbon was spread.
Snow depth 2 inches. There was an area of lighter carbon with the amount 3" (not shown).
The results of the experiment are the same -- the snow melts much more quickly in areas where the snow cover has been darkened than in areas that remain pristine.
The point is this: It is pollution from China (as indicated by four peer-reviewed papers) that has caused the rapid Arctic ice melt, not temperatures which have been colder than normal the last three melt seasons.
However, the climate models assume soot is carbon black. So, I was asked to repeat the experiment with lamp black. I did it earlier today.
Here is the virgin snow at 9am. Snow depth, 4 inches.
I spread the lamp black and measured four hours later.
The results of the experiment are the same -- the snow melts much more quickly in areas where the snow cover has been darkened than in areas that remain pristine.
The point is this: It is pollution from China (as indicated by four peer-reviewed papers) that has caused the rapid Arctic ice melt, not temperatures which have been colder than normal the last three melt seasons.
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