New Mechanism Discovered for Earth's Atmosphere to Self-Clean
Earth's atmosphere can clean itself by creating hydroxide (OH) through a previously unknown mechanism, according to a new study. Hydroxide oxidises many gases released by natural processes and human activity, decomposing them into water-soluble products that can be washed away and removed from the atmosphere. The study found that a strong electric field that exists at the surface between airborne water droplets and the surrounding air can create OH as well. The findings alter understanding of the sources of OH and will affect how researchers build computer models forecasting air pollution.