Fractality of sooty smoke: implications for the severity of nuclear winter

摘要: IT is now recognized that the sooty fraction of smoke produced by fires in wake a nuclear exchange critical factor determining climatic effects1–3. Sooty particles occur as chained aggregates small spherules which are fractal with dimension 1.7–1.9. According to recently developed mean-field theory4 for optics such clusters, their short-wavelength absorption and scattering characteristics should differ fundamentally from those spheres. Here I present results simulations computer-generated clusters confirm theory appropriate soot. The indicates soot absorptivity insensitive particle size hence coagulation aerosol affects only slightly its optical depth. Studies climate effects war model coalescing spheres therefore likely underestimate severity 'nuclear winter'.