rainy season is upon our heads

this summer memorable regular weather anomalies. Say, an abundance of strange rains: Suddenly the sky fell upon shorter showers. They were stopped after ten minutes, leaving the streets of turbulent flows of water. And the rain that occurred in early September and Rained almost day and night, covered the fortnightly rate of precipitation.
Maybe "blame" a succession of holidays, which was marked by warm-season? Or rather - repeated crackdowns clouds? In June, Aviation Week "bombed" the clouds near St. Petersburg. Not one day in the capital city is complete without the same event - so it was at this time. Nature takes revenge on us for the unauthorized intrusion into the atmosphere, according to Muscovites. Dispersal of the clouds turn into unpredictable disasters. There is still one must wonder: what of the water flowing to us on the head from the sky? I do not whether it is acidic (or some) of rain?
Nature of our holidays on the drum
Imagine that the air mass is moving somewhere with a definite, but known to her. This air mass is a large cluster of rain clouds. And then there are planes and start rattling off the clouds special reagents - dry ice and dry carbon dioxide, something else. All of these substances, of course, natural origin, they are found in wildlife, but because the air mass to such an attack was not ready. How does it behave now? The author of these lines have heard that people living even thousands of miles from the Baikonur launch site, feel change in the weather for launch. Consequently, multiple dispersal of clouds can lead to climate change?
«I'm still inclined to believe that the movement of air masses is subject to physical laws, and not some supernatural forces - smiles Valery Chelyukanov, head of the monitoring of environmental pollution Hydromet. - Such an event as the dispersal of the clouds with chemicals, can not exert any serious influence on the atmosphere. Only the rain poured ahead of time and another place, that's all. With regard to Baikonur, there were special studies. They ordered the Kazakh side, when the conversation turned to lease Baikonur: Kazakhstan wanted to know, do not affect whether the missile launch on the local climate. It has been well established that no ».
Solidarity with a colleague Gidrometeobyuro director of Moscow and Moscow region Alexei Lyakhov. In his opinion, to change the weather on a global scale, we need huge energy costs. A scattering of dry ice in the atmosphere - it is too insignificant impact, it is unable to affect the climate. Moreover, the effect caused by the reagents, after two or three hours lost.

Bad everything except pests
Even more troubling question: what Muscovites poured on his head? To worry about more than enough - of acid rain in Europe have started talking in the 50-ies. the last century. Most of them suffer from Scandinavia: because of the peculiarities of soil precipitation can easily penetrate into the groundwater and then into rivers and lakes. Acidification and toxic water destroys the skeletons of fish and reduces their ability to reproduce. This, in turn, leads to a reduction in populations of terrestrial animals and birds whose lives are somehow related to the water world. By acid rain and gets Forests: destroyed the root system of trees, broken processes of photosynthesis (as is seen in brown leaves), plants become less resistant to pests - fungi, bacteria, beetles. But for pests acid rain - that living water. They begin to breed with triple force.
As people, inhaling moist air containing sulfur dioxide (acid rain are caused by the presence of atmospheric water-soluble gases such as sulfur dioxide, and numerous nitrogen oxides), causes in the elderly aggravation of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. In some cases, possible pulmonary edema. And for healthy people, such air is not present: the sulfate particles have a carcinogenic effect. Finally, from acid rain affected the city itself. Weaken the concrete and other building materials. Destroyed the ancient window panes of churches and cathedrals. A metals lose their properties more quickly than building materials and glass. Acid gradually destroys them. Say, a high index of acidity aluminum ions leached from the crystal lattice.

better rain than snow
Of course, the above Moscow, as well as over other metropolitan areas of the world, periodically drop acid rain. After acid-emissions - a direct result of burning of combustibles. According to long-term measurements Meteorological Observatory of Moscow State University, in different years, the frequency rate of rainfall was 50-60%, with the noted changes in the level of acidity during one rain. Still, scientists have found that the capital of rain and snow are different indicators. During the warm period falls more acid rain than in the cold. So that the snow in this sense is cleaner rainwater.
However, one should not exaggerate the situation - they say, is to blame human activity and the most acid rain falls over the major cities. "First, the nature also takes active part in it. In those days, when the Earth was of volcanic activity, rainfall was much acid - continues Valery Chelyukanov. - Secondly, the air masses transported over great distances. Substances emitted into the atmosphere in one area, precipitation will fall over hundreds or thousands of miles away. I can give you an example: in his time in China was produced by a nuclear explosion, and discarded products of decay, twice going around the Earth, have been registered in the territory of our country! Thirdly, the problem of environmental pollution can not be reduced to the level of acidity of a particular rain. This process is long and complicated, the effect of acidifying emissions seen in many years. On the other hand, these emissions may be neutralized even in the atmosphere and fall to the ground normal, neutral rain ».
However, going outside on an overcast day, do not forget grab an umbrella. And if the rain starts, try to water the taste. Sour? Hence, breathe less. Why do you bronchitis or asthma?

Dmitri Pisarenko