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Hurricanes
Thunderstorms Hurricanes Tornadoes Global Cooling Cycle
As was described in the last section, if the sulfur cycle is the main driving force in the generation of thunderstorms, then it would be logical to predict that it is the driving force behind the formation of hurricanes which are the planet's largest manifestation of the thunderstorm process. Hurricanes are a series of organized thunderstorms that feed each other moisture and sulfur oxides (SOx) and as one thunderstorm collapses, the next one grows from the remaining sulfur oxides and moisture. As the storm moves forward on its path, it collects more moisture and SOx from the sea and the atmosphere. Large phytoplankton blooms in the oceans give off sulfur by-products such as DMS that helps to feed these storms.
You will notice in the map below that there are five main areas where hurricanes form - the central Atlantic, the eastern Pacific, the central Pacific, the southwestern Pacific and the eastern Indian ocean. These areas all have three things in common. They are over very warm waters of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius where phytoplankton blooms grow; they all fall within the ITCZ or Inter-tropical Convergence Zone; and they are all downwind of the largest sulfur producing volcano regions on the globe.
For a hurricane to form, there must be an adequate source of heat to drive the storm. This heat comes from the water's surface and this ensures that there is enough moisture in the atmosphere for sulfur oxides to react with. The map below shows hurricane storm tracks from 1985 to 2005 and how they form in given areas of the oceans.
The map below shows time of year and location information for storm formation combined with global water temperatures.
The black dots on the map below indicate major sulfur producing regions on the planet. Volcanoes in these regions put thousands of tonnes of sulfur per day into the atmosphere. This can be seen in the atmosphere as what is termed VOG .
An example of this is Hawaii which is a major VOG source. Etna in Sicily is another major VOG source and is the driving force behind the Atlantic hurricane season. Illustrated below is the typical off gassing pattern from Etna and how it spreads out over North Africa towards the Atlantic Ocean.
The many volcanoes of central and south America are what drive the eastern Pacific hurricane seasons; and the many volcanoes of the southern Pacific islands are what drive Australia's hurricane season from volcanoes such as Tambora, Pinatubo and Krakatoa. The VOG from the Hawaiian Islands is the reason for the Pineapple Express, which in the winter brings VOG back over the North American west coast causing coastal storms.
The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shown below in white is where calm air rises out of the tropics between the north and south Hadley Cells. This air is what sailors refer to as the doldrums because of the lack of wind. It is also where hurricanes form in the tropics as sulfur mixes with warm moist air to cause thunderstorms. If upper atmospheric wind sheer does not cut the tops off these storms and they begin to organize, they will form a tropical depression and then a hurricane. Click here ITCZ for an illustrative animation showing how ITCZ moves north and south with the seasons. You may have to click on the tabs within the ITCZ link to activate the animation. The ITCZ is shown as a line but in reality it is a zone about 750 to 1000 km wide covering a large swath. If you look on the left side, it is the area between the Hadley Cells. The Hadley Cells feed sulfur oxides into the ITCZ from Italy to sub-Saharan Africa or from southern California to northern Bolivia, with the widest zone being from central China to southwestern Australia.
It is important to understand that our environment and atmosphere are controlled by many factors and hurricanes are no different. However, once this Sulfur Cycle process is recognized and accepted by science, hurricane prediction can become much more accurate then it is today and much can be done to prevent or reduce the catastrophic impact on human life. DiAxiom is presently undertaking a study to match volcanic SOx and hydrogen sulfide emissions from these volcanoes to the multidecadal hurricane frequency data available, to show this direct correlation. Our preliminary study over a three month period, showed there is a likely direct correlation to hurricane formation. However, correlation should not be confused with cause and effect and many other factors must be examined.
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Australian Tropical Cyclones 2005 - 2006
As an example, the 2005 - 2006 Australian tropical cyclone season may have been initiated as a result of the volcano above, located in the Galapagos islands, emitting sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. This satellite image occurred on Oct. 23, 2005 and the cyclone season started ten days later on Nov. 4, 2005 almost a full two months earlier then normal. Typically the season starts in January and runs to the end of March as shown above. To understand this process and the Australian drought process you must first understand VOG's complete role in the environment. This next scientific article shows how sulfur emissions in one area can dramatically effect the climate in another area over an extended period of time. Have Australian Rainfall and Cloudiness Increased Due to the Remote Effects of Asian Anthropogenic Aerosols?
