In late January Murmansk residents finally saw the long-awaited sun. The polar night in Murmansk lasts for 40 days. It ended two weeks ago, but the low clouds prevented those who live there from finally enjoying the sunlight. Along with the sun, the Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) appeared in the sky over the entire region. This rare atmospheric phenomenon can be considered an indicator of climate change, said Vladimir Belakhovsky, a member of the Russian Geographical Society, senior researcher at the Polar Geophysical Institute.
Polar stratospheric (nacreous) clouds occur mainly in polar regions at an altitude of 15-25 km if stratospheric temperature is abnormally low. They are mainly observed in Antarctica, but they appear in Scandinavian countries, Canada, the north of the Russian Federation and the United States.
1674564670471-01.jpg
Nacreous clouds are very beautiful - they shimmer like a rainbow. This rare atmospheric phenomenon is observed mainly in the winter and spring. PSCs are the brightest when the sun goes a few degrees beyond the horizon.
— How frequent PSCs appear on the sky is one of the indicators of climate warming. An increase in the content of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere leads to negative temperature trends in the atmosphere above 15 km. This creates conditions for ice crystallization and the formation of polar stratospheric (or nacreous) clouds," said Vladimir Belakhovsky, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
1674564462350-01.jpg
The Murmansk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society has posted photos of this rare atmospheric phenomenon.