COMPETING THERMODYNAMIC AND RADIATIVE EFFECTS ON ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION IN POLLUTED ENVIRONMENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68302/std2026.vol1.97Keywords:
adiabatical constant, damping, pollutants, speed of windAbstract
This study develops a unified method linking thermodynamic processes and radiative feedbacks in a human altered atmosphere, combining an adiabatic calorimetric perspective with a radiation balance model to describe wind changes. Air pollutants produce two competing effects: thermodynamic damping, where polyatomic gases and aerosols modify air properties and reduce wind speed, and radiative effects linked to increased reflectivity that can enhance or stabilize winds. A feedback ratio determines which mechanism dominates. When thermodynamic damping prevails, wind stilling occurs in regions with high absorbing aerosols; when radiative effects dominate, winds remain stable or slightly intensify in scattering aerosol environments. The regime depends strongly on aerosol composition, with scattering particles promoting stability and absorbing particles driving destabilization. These results show that accurate climate projections require considering aerosol composition alongside greenhouse gases, highlighting complex non linear coupling between air quality and atmospheric circulation.
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