It is almost impossible to associate the rainbow with something bad. It is a joy for everyone to see how it forms in the sky, especially when the full arch is observed. Psychologically, it only seems to have positive connotations. But, climatically speaking, can we say the same? That is, how could we relate it to the climate change?
This is a question recently asked by a team of scientists from several US research centers. After all, climate change will change the behavior of precipitation as we know it, so it is to be expected that there are places on the planet where more rainbows are seen and others where little by little they become a rarity.
To check what those places are and, above all, if the result could be seen as something positive or negative, these scientists carried out a series of photo-based models. The results show that, indeed, climate change can influence its presence. Although it is not yet clear what connotations this may have psychological level.
How is the rainbow formed?
Rainbows form when the sun peeks out of the clouds while it rains or immediately after. In both cases, the atmosphere remains charged with raindropswhich act as prisms, breaking down the light of the sun’s rays that fall on them.
Thus, what is initially white light breaks down into all those colors that we see in the form of an arc. Although it is not really a bow, but a circle. What happens is that the lower part cannot be seen because of the interference of the horizon.
From ground level, it can only be seen under solar angles between 0° and 42°, which occur early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Also, ideally there should not be too many clouds that can block sunlight.
In addition, of course, it also needs to rain. These liquid precipitations are what facilitate the light refractionso it is clear that climate change must play a role in some way.
The effects of climate change, according to models
To carry out this study, published in Global Environmental Changeits authors developed a database composed of rainbow pictures from around the world and various sources. Then, they trained an empirical model on the occurrence of this phenomenon and tested it both with the current climate and with three future climate scenarios.
Thus, they saw that, currently, on Earth there are on average 117 ± 71 days per year with suitable conditions for the rainbow. However, it is likely that by 2011 that average will increase between 4% and 4.9%. Although this would not be distributed evenly. In fact, between 21% and 34% of land areas would lose rainbow days. On the other hand, between 66% and 79% would experience this increase.
Hotspots where fewer rainbows would begin to be seen include the Mediterranean, much of Brazil and northeastern South America, southern Australia, and parts of Central and Southern Africa. At the other extreme, the hot spots where this phenomenon will be seen most often would be northern North America (eg, Alaska) and Eurasia (eg, northern Norway), the Korean Peninsula, Japan, the Tibetan Plateau, and eastern Borneo.
All this may seem like good news for the latter and a lesser evil for the former. However, the authors of the study emphasize that this is neither more nor less than a new consequence of the climate change. The decrease of the rainbow implies more droughts and its increase could be linked to torrential rains.
It can also affect psychologically
In addition to its relationship with rainfall, this could have Psychological consequences. And it is that, according to the authors, the rainbow usually causes well-being and a connection with nature. However, with these new scenarios, the conception that humans have of this phenomenon could change. For example, if it is linked to torrential rains and floods, it could no longer be seen as something positive. And, on the other hand, those who will see them less and less will miss that connection with nature of yesteryear.
These are all assumptions, which would require a psychological data analysis. However, what is clear is that, if we do not take action, in the coming years everything will change. And maybe even what once could only be related to positivity and good vibes, will end up becoming something terrifying.