About Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSC)

Context:

Recently, weather watchers have captured images of rare Polar stratospheric clouds over Scotland, northern England and the West Midland.

Relevance:

GS I: Geography

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSC)
2. Impacts

About Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSC):

• Other Names:
  • Also known as nacreous clouds or mother of pearl, owing to their iridescence.
• Formation:
  • Formed in extremely cold conditions over Polar Regions within the stratosphere, approximately 12-19 miles (19-31 km) high, well above regular clouds.
  • Composed of smaller ice particles compared to those in common clouds.
  • These smaller particles scatter light differently, resulting in their distinctive iridescent appearance.
• Timing of Appearance:
  • Typically, PSCs first appear in January.

Impacts:

• Ozone Depletion Indicator:
  • The frequency of PSCs serves as an indicator of potential ozone depletion.
• Chemical Role in Stratosphere:
  • PSCs facilitate chemical reactions, transforming benign forms of chlorine into reactive, ozone-destroying forms.
  • They also eliminate nitrogen compounds that would otherwise mitigate the destructive impact of chlorine on the ozone layer.

-Source: India Today