Calculated Global Distribution, Radiative Forcing and Climate Response of Sulfate and Carbonaceous Aerosol Particles from Fossil Fuel Combustion

摘要

Combustion of fossil fuels contributes significantly to the atmospheric aerosol load due to emissions of carbonaceous particles and of sulfur dioxide which forms sulfate particles. The radiative forcing due to the direct effect of anthropogenic sulfate aerosols has been studied extensively over the past few years. Studies by Charlson et al [1991], Penner et al. [1992], Kiehl and Briegleb [1993] and Feichter et al. [1996] show a range of -0.3 to -0.9 W m~(-2). The effect of an aerosol mixture, consisting of carbonaceous particles which may exert a warming and sulfate particles which exert a cooling, has been investigated in several studies [Haywood and Shine, 1995; Haywood et al., 1997; Schult et al., 1997; Cooke et al., 1998] and has been estimated to be in the range of -0.13 to -0.20 W m~(-2); but there is still great uncertainty over the magnitude of the climate forcing.