Rainfall feedback via persistent effects on bioaerosols

Abstract

Consistent temporal differences between ice nucleus concentrations after and before a heavy fall of rain have been found in four areas of Australia. Closely similar differences were found between rainfall quantity or frequency at 106 sites in south-eastern and 61 sites in south-western Australia that had >92 years of daily rainfall records. The differences suggest an impulsive increase in ice nuclei or in rain on the day following heavy rain that decreased exponentially with time and was often still detectable after 20 days. The similarity of ice nucleus concentrations, bacterial populations, bioaerosols and rainfall responses to heavy rain strongly corroborate the involvement of biological ice nuclei in a rainfall feedback process. Cumulative differences of after-before rainfall amount or frequency for each rainfall event were next combined to form a historical record of the feedback process for each site. Comparison of cumulative totals pre-1960 and post-1960 showed differences bearing apparent relations to upwind coal-fired power stations, growth of metropolitan areas and increased areas of cultivation of wheat. These observations suggested that fungal spores or other bioaerosols as well as ice-nucleating bacteria were involved in the feedback. The overall conclusion is that interactions between micro-organisms, bioaerosols and rainfall have impacts over longer time spans and are stronger than have been previously described.