Environmental Engineering -- Contrails Are Case Study

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Additionally, Bollier further states the contrail emissions to cause warmer weather.

The duration of contrails in the atmosphere can last for days, according to (Harris, Kuper, Lebel, 2010). Trails may last for days and spread over hundreds of miles. According to Patrick Minnis, senior research scientist at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia, "It helped us get a very good handle on the relationship between natural cirrus clouds and contrails, and separate the two effects. We estimate that contrails have an overall warming effect which is at least the same as aircraft CO2 exhaust, if not more." (Harris, Kuper, Lebel, 2010)

The white streaks (Murray, 2006), which characterize the contrail left by a flying aircraft is suggested by Murray to be removed as a contaminant by lowering the altitude of the aircraft during flight. Additionally, "because contrails are released at high altitudes, have a more potent effect on the environment than emissions that are released on the ground." (Murray, 2006) the environmental impact from contrails is attributed to being a similar threat to that of the CO2 emissions speculation that is considered to be a trigger to Global Warming.

Contrails are one of many contributors to the supposed Global Warming problem (Special Report, 2006). Industrial manufacturing activity on the ground contributes pollutants directly into the atmosphere, known to also deplete the ozone layer when chloroflourocarbons and other ozone depleting gases are present. According to Special Report (2005), "Aviation is a relatively small source of the emissions blamed for global warming, but its share is growing the fastest.

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The evidence is strong that emissions from jet engines, including the streaks of cloud (called contrails) they leave behind in the sky, could be especially damaging. As a result, aviation is increasingly attracting the attention of environmentalists and politicians." (Special Report, 2006)

The evidence suggests that contrails do alter the environment and create an environmental impact at various levels. The environment in terms of habitat is known to affect the breathing quality of the air for biological entities and all species. The water supply is also indicated to be adversely affected. Such changes to the environment will cause considerable shifts to the ecology and the biology that will arise from the ecological environment.

Contrails are ostensibly chemical particulates and other forms of matter released into the atmosphere in a cloud of condensed gas emission. The ability for this emission to spread across vast distances and settle into streams, lakes, river beds, and onto crops and lawns/playgrounds is of concern to all whom do not know what contrails are. These chemicals are on all environmentally exposed matter that are subject to atmospheric release. The specific results from the environmental impact of the contrail remains remain largely unknown. However, the expectation of Global Warming and contamination of water supply is to suggest an adverse environmental impact......

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"Environmental Engineering -- Contrails Are" (2011, March 12) Retrieved June 5, 2026, from
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"Environmental Engineering -- Contrails Are" 12 March 2011. Web.5 June. 2026. <
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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/environmental-engineering-contrails-11206
   

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