Annotated Bibliography

M. Andreae, P.J. Crutzen. 1997." Atmospheric Aerosols: Biogeochemical Sources and Role in Atmospheric Chemistry." Science 276:1052-1058.

Atmospheric aerosols play an important role in climate and atmospheric chemistry by scattering sunlight, providing condensation nuclei for cloud droplets, and participating in chemical reactions. Sulfate and organic particles are two important aerosol species derived from natural sources that depend on environmental and ecological factors and therefore are prone to influences by global climate change. This paper goes through the sources and roles of different aerosols in our earth cycles and enlightens the reader on the importance of aerosols in our atmosphere and the affect that the change in amounts of these atmospheric aerosols might have on Earths climate.

V. Ramanathan et al. 2001. "Aerosols, Climate, and the Hydrological cycle. " Science 294:2119-2124. doi: 10.1126/science.1064034.

Human activities are releasing tiny particles also referred to as aerosols into the atmosphere. The result of these anthropogenic aerosols is the increased scattering and absorption of solar radiation in our Earths atmosphere. Aerosol production can result brighter clouds that are less efficient at releasing precipitation affecting global weather and climate patterns. These clouds in turn can lead to large reductions in the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface creating a mimicked greenhouse affect leading to an increase in solar heating of the atmosphere, changes in the atmospheric temperature structure, suppression of rainfall, and less efficient removal of atmospheric pollutants. Aerosol production can also create effects may lead to a weaker hydrological cycle affecting the amount and purity of fresh water available. All of these components are touched on in the paper and show the importance of aerosols on our Earths atmosphere and climate.

R.J. Charlson, S.E. Schwartz, D.J. Hofmann. January 24, 1992." Climate Forcing by Anthropogenic Aerosols." Science :423-455.

This paper supports the idea that the direct scattering of short wave solar radiation and the modification of the shortwave reflective properties of clouds caused by aerosol particles has the result of increasing planets albedo leading to an overall cooling of the planet. The paper estimates that the current climate forcing due to these aerosols is averaged to 1- 2 watts per square meter globally. The conclusion made by the authors is that these aerosols are offsetting global warming to a substantial degree. Aerosols and aerosol climate forcing needs to be taken into account in evaluating anthropogenic influences on past, current and projected future climate change in order to make accurate policies to mitigate climate change.

S. Menon, J. Hansen, Y. Luo. 27, September 2002." Climate Effects of Black Carbon Aerosols in China and India." Science 297:2250-2253.

This paper reviews the recent trends toward increased summer floods in south China, increased drought in north China, and moderate cooling in China and India while most of the world has been warming. The study done by the authors used a global climate model to investigate possible aerosol contributions to these trends. The paper found precipitation and temperature changes in the projected model that lead them to believe that the aerosols observed were made up by a large fraction of black carbon (industrial pollution referred to as soot). These black carbon aerosols cause significant effects in the atmosphere and climate from altering regional atmospheric cycles and affecting the large scale circulation of the hydrologic cycle.


Last modified: 13 May 2012