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Evidence that nitric acid increases relative humidity in low-temperature cirrus clouds

R S Gao1, P J Popp, D W Fahey

  • 1Aeronomy Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO 80305, USA. rgao@al.noaa.gov

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|January 24, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Scientists discovered a new type of ice particle, called Delta-ice, in cirrus clouds. These particles contain nitric acid (HNO3) and significantly increase relative humidity with respect to ice (RHi), impacting climate models.

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