Burning Fossil Fuels Has A Measurable Cooling Effect On The Climate

[charrison]

Linkage

Atmospheric researchers have provided observational evidence that burning fossil fuels has a direct impact on the solar radiation reflectivity of clouds, thereby contributing to global climate change.


Joyce Penner, professor in the University of Michigan Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, U-M graduate student Yang Chen, and assistant professor Xiquan Dong from the University of North Dakota Department of Atmospheric Science, reported their findings in the Jan. 15 issue of the journal Nature.

Most evidence that increased levels of fossil fuel particles (aerosols) affects the reflectivity of clouds, thereby producing a cooling effect on the climate, has been indirect. "This made it difficult to determine the impact this phenomena, known as the indirect aerosol effect, has on the global climate," Penner said. "Our data makes the direct connection and opens new areas of study."

Solar radiation, which adds to global warming, is reflected back into space by clouds. Cloud droplets are increased with higher levels of aerosols, allowing for less radiation, or heat, to reach the lower atmosphere. The end result is a measurable cooling effect on the climate.

More interesting climate news...

 

[Bowfinger]

It would be wonderful if our environment had such a powerful self-balancing ability there was nothing man could do to screw it up. I don't believe it, but it would be wonderful.

 

[Dari]

Wow, I guess Bjorn Lomborg was right all along. I remembered it was only a couple of months ago that I got an avalanche of verbal abuse from the pinkos in this forum for pointing to Lomborg's book as guidance for debunking the tree-huggers' lies.

EDIT: I thought that Lomborg would've passed the pinkos' muster, seeing that he was formerly a member of greenpeace. Oh well, I guess the pinkos have no loyalty or honor.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Dari
Wow, I guess Bjorn Lomborg was right all along. I remembered it was only a couple of months ago that I got an avalanche of verbal abuse from the pinkos in this forum for pointing to Lomborg's book as guidance for debunking the tree-huggers' lies.

EDIT: I thought that Lomborg would've passed the pinkos' muster, seeing that he was formerly a member of greenpeace. Oh well, I guess the pinkos have no loyalty.

Yep, let's cut em all down, who needs any stinking trees.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Dari
Wow, I guess Bjorn Lomborg was right all along. I remembered it was only a couple of months ago that I got an avalanche of verbal abuse from the pinkos in this forum for pointing to Lomborg's book as guidance for debunking the tree-huggers' lies.

EDIT: I thought that Lomborg would've passed the pinkos' muster, seeing that he was formerly a member of greenpeace. Oh well, I guess the pinkos have no loyalty or honor.

Yeah, he's the famous atmospheric scientist isnt he?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Might as well have the rest of it too...


Using atmospheric data gathered from a site in Oklahoma, a typical continental site with a high concentration of aerosols, and a typical Arctic site in Barrow Alaska with low aerosol concentration, the researchers were able to show that the difference in cloud reflectivity at the two sites was caused by the difference in aerosol levels. The researchers also provided important evidence that the computer simulation model used in the study was capable of estimating cloud optical properties determined over a broad range of aerosol concentrations.

"This study is important for two reasons," Penner said. "First, it provides evidence that there is some cooling of the climate due to anthropogenic aerosols. Second, the simulation model we used has been shown to be a valuable tool in determining more directly the impact of aerosols on the climate."

Penner cautioned that over longer time scales in the future, the climate cooling due to the indirect aerosol effect will be minimal when compared to the climate warming of carbon dioxide. "We've shown that there's more work to be done to discover all of the various ways we affect the climate."

 

[sandorski]

So, mans activities does affect climate, no? As Winston points out, the "cooling" effect from one pollutant doesn't necessarily counter act the "heating" effect of another pollutant. These Aerosols probably don't remain in the atmosphere as long as CO2 does, which lingers for centuries.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: sandorski
So, mans activities does affect climate, no? As Winston points out, the "cooling" effect from one pollutant doesn't necessarily counter act the "heating" effect of another pollutant. These Aerosols probably don't remain in the atmosphere as long as CO2 does, which lingers for centuries.

It has been long postulated that aerosols have had some effect on temperature, and generally supposed to have a cooling effect. This may supply a reasonable estimate as to the degree (no pun intended) of cooling.

I'll want to read the Nature article, because little snippets do not give much detail.

 

[gsaldivar]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Yep, let's cut em all down, who needs any stinking trees.

Typical knee-jerk reaction by dmcowen.

If you would have read the article, you might have found this....

While he did not advocate abandoning environmentalism, he asserted that the situation was not as bad as groups like Greenpeace tried to make it look.

 

[BDawg]

Cools the atmosphere, just like Venus'.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: gsaldivar

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Yep, let's cut em all down, who needs any stinking trees.

Typical knee-jerk reaction by dmcowen.

If you would have read the article, you might have found this....

While he did not advocate abandoning environmentalism, he asserted that the situation was not as bad as groups like Greenpeace tried to make it look.

Naw, man has no affect on the environment or the planet, don't need any trees at all, get rid of em all, they block all our Real Estate.

 

[Mardeth]

I dont care what the studies say, this winter was/is remarkable warm as was the summer (hottest ever recorded). The average temprature of the winter has rised at least 10C in 50 years, enough for me since no normal natural phenomena can do that.

 

[Czar]

so we do have an impact on the enviroment

 

[maluckey]

Mardeth, that's a broad statement that is mosltly unfounded.

There have been much larger temperatures witnessed on our planet in shorter timeframes than 50 years, even before man arived on the scene.

It is postulated that the last great Ice-Age (before there was technology to speak of), occured in a time frame less than 50 years. That's the scary part. Nature did it without mans interference.

 

[busmaster11]

Originally posted by: Dari
Wow, I guess Bjorn Lomborg was right all along. I remembered it was only a couple of months ago that I got an avalanche of verbal abuse from the pinkos in this forum for pointing to Lomborg's book as guidance for debunking the tree-huggers' lies.

EDIT: I thought that Lomborg would've passed the pinkos' muster, seeing that he was formerly a member of greenpeace. Oh well, I guess the pinkos have no loyalty or honor.

It's interesting how full of crap the conservatives are. One article supporting their claims and they jump all over it like its Biblical scripture. Meanwhile they turn a blind eye to everything else published in Discover and SciAm.

Lonmborg's book BTW, was refuted by Stephen Schneider here:



http://www.gristmagazine.com/books/schneider121201.asp

 

[Lucky]

Originally posted by: Mardeth
I dont care what the studies say, this winter was/is remarkable warm as was the summer (hottest ever recorded). The average temprature of the winter has rised at least 10C in 50 years, enough for me since no normal natural phenomena can do that.

You have absolutely no clue what you are talking about, evidenced by the posting of a ridiculously untrue statistic. If winters had warmed 10 degrees celcius the whole world would be flooded and we'd be dead.

Here's just one link: text


shows that from Jan 88-98 there was a ONE-TENTH of ONE DEGREE celcius increase. And contrary to what you think, 1998 was the warmest year on record
Since then the earth has actually cooled down.

 

[xxxxxJohnGaltxxxxx]

...then we all owe a great deal of thanks to SUV owners for doing more for global warming than the Sierra Group and Greenpeace.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: xxxxxJohnGaltxxxxx
...then we all owe a great deal of thanks to SUV owners for doing more for global warming than the Sierra Group and Greenpeace.

Been fishing again I see

 

[xxxxxJohnGaltxxxxx]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith


Been fishing again I see

You're welcome, sir.

 

[Ferocious]

hehe.

I bet if I searched hard enough I could find studies that showed smoking cigarettes resulted in increased lifespans.