MIT researchers discovered that light can cause evaporation of water from a surface without the need for heat. This “photomolecular effect” could be important for understanding climate change and for improving some industrial processes.
Paper
If I understand correctly, it relates to light’s behavior as both a particle and a wave. Photons can “shave” molecules off the surface of water, creating vapor.
The effect apparently peaks around 520 nm (the visible color cyan, which has lower thermal absorption) and at an angle of 45 deg. Would these results suggest it’s actually possible to induce evaporative cooling with the careful application of light?
Paper If I understand correctly, it relates to light’s behavior as both a particle and a wave. Photons can “shave” molecules off the surface of water, creating vapor.
The effect apparently peaks around 520 nm (the visible color cyan, which has lower thermal absorption) and at an angle of 45 deg. Would these results suggest it’s actually possible to induce evaporative cooling with the careful application of light?