Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 24 January 1992:
Vol. 255. no. 5043, pp. 423 - 430
DOI: 10.1126/science.255.5043.423
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Climate Forcing by Anthropogenic Aerosols

R. J. CHARLSON 1, S. E. SCHWARTZ 2, J. M. HALES 3, R. D. CESS 4, J. A. COAKLEY JR. 5, J. E. HANSEN 6, and D. J. HOFMANN 7

1 Department of Atmospheric Sciences and the Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
2 Environmental Chemistry Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
3 Atmospheric Sciences Department, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352
4 Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2300
5 Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-2209
6 Goddard Institute for Space Studies, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
7 Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80303-3328

Although long considered to be of marginal importance to global climate change, tropospheric aerosol contributes substantially to radiative forcing, and anthropogenic sulfate aerosol in particular has imposed a major perturbation to this forcing. Both the direct scattering of shortwavelength solar radiation and the modification of the shortwave reflective properties of clouds by sulfate aerosol particles increase planetary albedo, thereby exerting a cooling influence on the planet. Current climate forcing due to anthropogenic sulfate is estimated to be –1 to –2 watts per square meter, globally averaged. This perturbation is comparable in magnitude to current anthropogenic greenhouse gas forcing but opposite in sign. Thus, the aerosol forcing has likely offset global greenhouse warming to a substantial degree. However, differences in geographical and seasonal distributions of these forcings preclude any simple compensation. Aerosol effects must be taken into account in evaluating anthropogenic influences on past, current, and projected future climate and in formulating policy regarding controls on emission of greenhouse gases and sulfur dioxide. Resolution of such policy issues requires integrated research on the magnitude and geographical distribution of aerosol climate forcing and on the controlling chemical and physical processes.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Discovery and measurement of an isotopically distinct source of sulfate in Earth's atmosphere.
G. Dominguez, T. Jackson, L. Brothers, B. Barnett, B. Nguyen, and M. H. Thiemens (2008)
PNAS 105, 12769-12773
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Simultaneous observations of aerosol-cloud-albedo interactions with three stacked unmanned aerial vehicles.
G. C. Roberts, M. V. Ramana, C. Corrigan, D. Kim, and V. Ramanathan (2008)
PNAS 105, 7370-7375
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Observations of the plume generated by the December 2005 oil depot explosions and prolonged fire at Buncefield (Hertfordshire, UK) and associated atmospheric changes.
T.A Mather, R.G Harrison, V.I Tsanev, D.M Pyle, M.L Karumudi, A.J Bennett, G.M Sawyer, and E.J Highwood (2007)
Proc R Soc A 463, 1153-1177
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Phytoplankton and Cloudiness in the Southern Ocean.
N. Meskhidze and A. Nenes (2006)
Science 314, 1419-1423
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Impact of aerosol indirect effect on surface temperature over East Asia.
Y. Huang, R. E. Dickinson, and W. L. Chameides (2006)
PNAS 103, 4371-4376
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The geography and climatology of aerosols.
H. C. Power (2003)
Progress in Physical Geography 27, 502-547
   Abstract »    PDF »
Particle Formation by Ion Nucleation in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere.
S.-H. Lee, J. M. Reeves, J. C. Wilson, D. E. Hunton, A. A. Viggiano, T. M. Miller, J. O. Ballenthin, and L. R. Lait (2003)
Science 301, 1886-1889
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Reactions at Interfaces As a Source of Sulfate Formation in Sea-Salt Particles.
A. Laskin, D. J. Gaspar, W. Wang, S. W. Hunt, J. P. Cowin, S. D. Colson, and B. J. Finlayson-Pitts (2003)
Science 301, 340-344
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The 12 900 years BP Laacher See eruption: estimation of volatile yields and simulation of their fate in the plume.
C. Textor, P. M. Sachs, H.-F. Graf, and T. H. Hansteen (2003)
Geological Society, London, Special Publications 213, 307-328
   Abstract »    PDF »
Environmental impacts of tropospheric volcanic gas plumes.
P. Delmelle (2003)
Geological Society, London, Special Publications 213, 381-399
   Abstract »    PDF »
Influence of anthropogenic aerosol on cloud optical depth and albedo shown by satellite measurements and chemical transport modeling.
S. E. Schwartz, Harshvardhan, and C. M. Benkovitz (2002)
PNAS 99, 1784-1789
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Aerosol Effect on Cloud Droplet Size Monitored from Satellite.
F.-M. Breon, D. Tanre, and S. Generoso (2002)
Science 295, 834-838
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Toward elimination of discrepancies between theory and experiment: The rate constant of the atmospheric conversion of SO3 to H2SO4.
T. Loerting and K. R. Liedl (2000)
PNAS 97, 8874-8878
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Case study of the effects of atmospheric aerosols and regional haze on agriculture: An opportunity to enhance crop yields in China through emission controls?.
W. L. Chameides, H. Yu, S. C. Liu, M. Bergin, X. Zhou, L. Mearns, G. Wang, C. S. Kiang, R. D. Saylor, C. Luo, et al. (1999)
PNAS 96, 13626-13633
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Airborne minerals and related aerosol particles: Effects on climate and the environment.
P. R. Buseck and M. Posfai (1999)
PNAS 96, 3372-3379
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Direct Observation of Heterogeneous Chemistry in the Atmosphere.
E. E. Gard, M. J. Kleeman, D. S. Gross, L. S. Hughes, J. O. Allen, B. D. Morrical, D. P. Fergenson, T. Dienes, M. E. Gälli, R. J. Johnson, et al. (1998)
Science 279, 1184-1187
   Abstract »    Full Text »
The Impact of Aerosols on Solar Ultraviolet Radiation and Photochemical Smog.
R. R. Dickerson, S. Kondragunta, G. Stenchikov, K. L. Civerolo, B. G. Doddridge, and B. N. Holben (1997)
Science 278, 827-830
   Abstract »    Full Text »
The Relative Roles of Sulfate Aerosols and Greenhouse Gases in Climate Forcing.
J. T. Kiehl and B. P. Briegleb (1993)
Science 260, 311-314
   Abstract »    PDF »
Aqueous-phase photochemical formation of peroxides in authentic cloud and fog waters.
B. Faust, C Anastasio, J. Allen, and T Arakaki (1993)
Science 260, 73-75
   Abstract »    PDF »
Radiative Climate Forcing by the Mount Pinatubo Eruption.
P. Minnis, P. Minnis, E. F. Harrison, L. L. Stowe, G. G. Gibson, F. M. Denn, D. R. Doelling, and W. L. Smith Jr. (1993)
Science 259, 1411-1415
   Abstract »    PDF »
Global warming.
M. Hulme and M. Hulme (1993)
Progress in Physical Geography 17, 81-91
   PDF »
High latitude environments and environmental change.
L. Kullman (1992)
Progress in Physical Geography 16, 478-488
   PDF »
Effects of Aerosol from Biomass Burning on the Global Radiation Budget.
J. E. Penner, R. E. Dickinson, and C. A. O'Neill (1992)
Science 256, 1432-1434
   Abstract »    PDF »
Natural Versus Anthropogenic Factors Affecting Low-Level Cloud Albedo over the North Atlantic.
P. G. Falkowski, Y. Kim, Z. Kolber, C. Wilson, C. Wirick, and R. Cess (1992)
Science 256, 1311-1313
   Abstract »    PDF »
Pollutant Haze Cools the Greenhouse.
R. A. KERR (1992)
Science 255, 682-683
   PDF »
Global warming in the twenty-first century: An alternative scenario.
J. Hansen, M. Sato, R. Ruedy, A. Lacis, and V. Oinas (2000)
PNAS 97, 9875-9880
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)