How do cirrus clouds form and what is their role

Cirrus clouds can be observed during good weather. Some of their species inform us that a warm sunny day will soon be spoiled. These are filiform white "fibers" through which always shine through such heavenly bodies as the moon and the sun. They are visible and very bright stars. On a clear day, cirrus clouds in no case diminish the illumination. They are located in the upper tier of the troposphere. Their height usually ranges from 6 to 12 kilometers. Consist of ice crystals formed by cooling water droplets. Note that the precipitation does not drop out of them!

Studying the cloud atlas, scientists have established that they have a direct effect on the climatic conditions of a global nature. Reflecting the incoming solar radiation in their direction, they cool our planet, and while retaining the outgoing heat, they heat it. To date, scientists have not thoroughly investigated them, but when this happens, cirrus clouds will be an excellent tool for meteorologists.

How are these clouds formed?

After a long and painstaking work, the researchers concluded that the formation of clouds of the pinnate type is due to dust and combinations of metal particles, of which their base is the crystals. What does it mean? The thing is that any cloud (not just a pinnate one) consists of small water droplets formed from water vapor, which, in turn, rises to the sky with heated air. Already at the top this air starts to cool down, and steam - to condense. But that the whole process could happen, droplets need very small particles that allow them to adhere. In this role, and appears dust. The scientific name of such a "union" is "condensation grains". This discovery is the greatest breakthrough in the science of studying clouds. By the way, there is an opinion that cirrus clouds can be formed through human activity. But which one exactly? Until it turns out, the version will not find its confirmation.

How is fog formed?

This is very simple. The droplets, about which we wrote above, condense almost at the very ground. The uniqueness of this phenomenon is that by entering the fog, we actually pass through the cloud! At the same time, on the clothes, on the face and hands, we feel its humidity. By the way, it easily explains the formation of the air exhaled by us during the winter: when exhaled, it becomes wet and warm, and when it comes into contact with the frosty it immediately turns into small foggy clouds.

"Relatives"

Very often cirrus clouds are combined with their "relatives" - pinnately-layered and pinnately-cumulus. They are called "mixed". Perico-layered remind a tonyushenkuyu transparent veil, against the background of which often around the moon or the sun formed colored rings. This is the result of refracted and reflected light rays in ice crystals,
Of which, strictly speaking, the cirrus clouds themselves consist. The Cumulus-Stratus are similar in appearance to lambs or scales of fish. They can be observed in parallel with cirrus clouds. They are important for our planet, preventing a decrease in temperature on the earth's surface.