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Hurricane-killing particles could sabotage storms before they grow
To date, storm-killing efforts haven't been impactful, largely because tropical cyclones (TCs) are unpredictable and incredibly challenging to study. In this latest study, the ANU team has aimed to take the guesswork out of diffusing a hurricane's power, and used comprehensive geophysical models to demonstrate how tiny particles of varied shapes can fundamentally alter a storm's ability to grow. And the earlier they're deployed into a storm, the better.

"If you use different sizes of aerosols, you get a different impact on the cyclone, but they all hold promise," said Prinsley. "Our study shows, for the first time, the impacts of aerosols of varied sizes on the formation of a tropical cyclone. We found that coarse aerosols initially dampen vortex acceleration, while fine or ultrafine aerosols boost it first, but later weaken it more than coarse aerosols."

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