Sunrises and sunsets are plastered all over social media, photographed and depicted as a beautiful and captivating phenomenon of nature. However, these bright showcases of light are actually created by large amounts of dust and pollution– blinding us from the effects of climate change.
These perfect sunrises and sunsets are caused by dust and pollution-ignited rayleigh scattering. The clouds that are related to sunrises and sunsets are made of various elements and unique types of dust, pollution, and harmful gases that can enhance the colors of the sky and make sunrises and sunsets more “beautiful” and “unique.” This is described by Stephen Corfidi from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “…lower cloud forms such as cumulus and stratus more often are associated with generalized uplift through the cloud bases. This uplift leads to a gradual increase in relative humidity below the cloud bases and, via hygroscopic processes, to an increase in the size of natural and man-made pollutants in the sub-cloud layer.” Light is given more particles to reflect off of, so the sky showcases more vibrant colors when things such as wildfires, pollution, and fossil fuels are presented to an atmospheric environment.
On a more drastic note, let’s refer to the current Los Angeles wildfires that have devastated homes, ecosystems, and populations. NASA itself has produced reports about “orange skies” and brighter sunsets due to wildfires, and currently in Los Angeles, the sky is full of red and orange hues even during the day. Smoke and particles that come from wildfires and the burning of fossil fuels can make sunrises and sunsets “pop”, making them extremely enhanced in color. With the ferocious fires from the Los Angeles Wildfires, the skies have been given hundreds of particles to reflect light off of, and as the heat from the flame rises, the skies of LA have been becoming more colorful during this city’s dark time. This is why other polluted areas, generally like New York City, have brighter and more colorful sunrises and sunsets. The effect of wildfires on atmospheric pollution is best described in a text from Colorado’s Public Radio, “The thing with wildfires is that the smoke puts a lot of extra particles up in the atmosphere. So now we’re getting the red scattering over even more of those particles, and you can get some amazing red sunsets during wildfires…” (Warner, Ryan, and Alex Scoville). Consequently, with more particles in the air, there is more material for wavelengths of light to react with, and thus more colorful reactions in the sky! This pollution can devastate ecosystems, deplenish essential CO2 from the air, create dangerous local air quality levels, and can set the stage for wildfires (Plait, Phil, and Lee Billings).
All of these problems relate back to climate change and our environment. While we cannot “fix” the sky directly, over time, if humanity takes simple steps towards a clean environment, like planting more trees, or preventing future wildfires, our sunrises and sunsets could return to being naturally beautiful. Speaking of supporting a clean environment: if you have a chance, please donate to support the Los Angeles wildfire victims at LASTRONG or the national organization, the American Red Cross. While bright and colorful sunrises and sunsets may be beautiful, they are a sign that something dangerous is happening to our environment. The brighter our sunrises and sunsets get; the dimmer our ecosystems and gardens become.
Works Cited
Corfidi, Stephen F. “The Science of Sunsets.” NOAA, NOAA, October 2024, https://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/corfidi/sunset.html. Accessed 29 December 2024.
Plait, Phil, and Lee Billings. “Why Does Smoke Turn the Sky Orange?” Scientific American, 16 June 2023, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-smoke-turn-the-sky-orange/. Accessed 29 December 2024.
Warner, Ryan, and Alex Scoville. “The Science Behind Why Sunset Colors Pop When Wildfire Smoke Chokes The Air.” Colorado Public Radio, 12 August 2020, https://www.cpr.org/2020/08/12/colorado-wildfires-smoke-sunset-why-more-colorful/. Accessed 29 December 2024.
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