Study: Volcanoes curbing warming
July 29th, 2011, 3:01 pm · posted by Pat Brennan, O.C. Register science, environment editor
Volcanic particles high in the atmosphere might have had a cooling effect over the past decade, perhaps easing global warming, a study by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows.
The finding could have important implications for projections of future warming as well, the study's authors say.
The scientists examined satellite measurements of sulfuric acid droplets called aerosols in the upper atmosphere, most of which come from volcanic eruptions.
The particles can reflect sunlight back into space, the researchers said, perhaps reducing the warming effects climate scientists say are driven mainly by release of heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by humans.
The study, led by Susan Solomon, an atmospheric scientist who recently retired from NOAA, showed that such particles have been gradually increasing over the past decade.
That was enough to cool the Earth's atmosphere by 0.1 watts per meter squared between 2000 and 2010.
But while it might have blunted the effects of global warming, it would not be enough to overcome the trend; carbon dioxide emissions warmed the planet during the same period by 0.3 watts per meter squared.
A separate NOAA study showed that the 2000s were the warmest decade on record.
"It's almost certain that, without volcanic aerosols in the stratosphere, Earth would be warmer," said Charlie Zender, an Earth System Science professor and atmospheric physicist at UC Irvine. "It did mask some of the warming due to anthropogenic greenhouse gases."
Zender says the idea of mimicking the effects of volcanoes by injecting aerosols into the stratosphere in order to cool the planet should be studied more extensively.
The study on volcanic particles was published this month in the journal, Science.
Source:
http://sciencedude.ocregister.com/2011/07/29/study-volcanoes-curbing-warming/133667/ --
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