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Journal article

Strong control of effective radiative forcing by the spatial pattern of absorbing aerosol

Abstract:
Over the coming decades, it is expected that the spatial pattern of anthropogenic aerosol will change dramatically and the global aerosol composition will become relatively more absorbing. Yet, the climatic impact of this evolving spatial pattern of absorbing aerosol has received relatively little attention, in particular its impact on global-mean effective radiative forcing. Here, using model experiments, we show that the effective radiative forcing from absorbing aerosol varies strongly depending on their location, driven by rapid adjustments of clouds and circulation. Our experiments generate positive effective radiative forcing in response to aerosol absorption throughout the midlatitudes and most of the tropical regions, and a strong ‘hot spot’ of negative effective radiative forcing in response to aerosol absorption over the tropical Western Pacific. Further, these diverse responses can be robustly attributed to changes in atmospheric dynamics and highlight the importance of this ‘aerosol pattern effect’ for transient forcing from regional biomass-burning aerosol.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1038/s41558-022-01415-4

Authors


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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Physics
Sub department:
Atmos Ocean & Planet Physics
Oxford college:
Oriel College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-1191-0128
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Physics
Sub department:
Atmos Ocean & Planet Physics
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-5312-4950


More from this funder
Funding agency for:
Williams, AIL
Grant:
NE/S007474/1
More from this funder
Funding agency for:
Dagan, G
Grant:
1419/21
More from this funder
Grant:
724602
821205
101003470
860100


Publisher:
Springer Nature
Journal:
Nature Climate Change More from this journal
Volume:
12
Issue:
8
Pages:
735-742
Publication date:
2022-07-21
Acceptance date:
2022-06-08
DOI:
EISSN:
1758-6798
ISSN:
1758-678X


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1269060
Local pid:
pubs:1269060
Deposit date:
2022-08-30

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