JERUSALEM: Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found that heavy air pollution reduces rainfall, says the Jerusalem Post.

The research team, led by Daniel Rosenfeld of the Institute of Earth Sciences, developed a model that shows how particles in the air influence cloud formation and rain. The findings were published Friday in the latest issue of the journal Science.

The model showed that a certain number of aerosol particles in the air increases rainfall, but an overabundance of them retards it.

While some aerosol particles form the nuclei of the clouds themselves, too many aerosols act as a sunblock, keeping water from evaporating to form clouds.

The research team discovered that as the number of aerosol particles increases, rainfall first rises, then plateaus and then sharply drops off.

Rosenfeld said that the amount of aerosols is the critical factor controlling how energy is distributed in the atmosphere.

"These results have great significance for countries where rainfall is scarce and can be easily affected by over-production of aerosols," Rosenfeld said.

"Our study should act as a red light to all of those responsible for controlling the amounts of pollution we release into the atmosphere."