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The world regulated sulfur in ship fuels, and the lightning stopped

A study shows that lightning activity over the shipping lanes near the Port of Singapore dropped by about 50% after international regulations reduced ships' sulfur emissions by 77% in 2020.
The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, implemented these regulations to limit toxicity near ports.
Research indicates that fewer sulfur emissions resulted in fewer particles for water droplet condensation, decreasing lightning frequency.
There is ongoing research to understand how human emissions impact lightning, storms, and climate change.

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Phys.org

The world regulated sulfur in ship fuels, and the lightning stopped

3 days ago·United Kingdom

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The Conversation

The world regulated sulfur in ship fuels − and the lightning stopped

An unplanned experiment takes scientists closer to solving a long-standing mystery: To what extent, if any, have human-created emissions influenced thunderstorms?

3 days ago

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ZME Science

Lightning Strikes Plummet by 50% After Global Shipping Industry Cut Sulfur Emissions

An unplanned experiment takes scientists closer to solving a long-standing mystery.

17 hours ago·Bucharest, Romania

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golem.de

Golem.de: IT news for professionals

Because sulphur emissions have been reduced by almost 80 percent, the weather has changed considerably along world shipping routes. (Environmental protection, science)

19 hours ago

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Blikk.hu

Smoke from large ships has a dramatic effect on lightning

The intense lightning activity over Singapore's harbor is being driven by tiny particles emitted by ships. Reducing sulfur emissions from ships has dramatically reduced the frequency of lightning strikes along the world's busiest shipping lanes, new research suggests. The findings suggest that thunderstorms are sensitive to tiny particles from human activity.

2 days ago

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Science Alert

Lightning Over Shipping Lanes Suddenly Halved Following New Regulations

If you look at a map of lightning near the Port of Singapore, you'll notice an odd streak of intense lightning activity right over the busiest shipping lane in the world. As it turns out, the lightning really is responding to the ships, or rather the tiny particles they emit. Using data from a global lightning detection network, my colleagues and I have been studying how exhaust plumes from ships are associated with an increase in the freque…

2 days ago·Australia

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