Atmospheric heating and cooling from fossil-fuel combustion

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994 · CDIAC Communications

OSTI ID:47992

Schwartz, S E ^[1]

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1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)

Burning fossil fuels produces not only carbon dioxide but also sulfur dioxide. Atmospheric oxidation converts sulfur dioxide into sulfate aerosols which scatter solar radiation and lead to increased reflectivity of clouds. Both effects are thought to cool the atmosphere and offset to some extent warming from increased carbon dioxide. If estimates are accurate, the net radiative forcing resulting from fossil-fuel combustion over the industrial era has been one of cooling, not warming. However, the article cautions that the conclusion must remain tentitive because of the uncertainty in estimates of the radiative forcing of sulfate aerosols.

• OSTI ID: 47992
• Journal Information: CDIAC Communications, Journal Name: CDIAC Communications Journal Issue: 20; ISSN 1053-1106; ISSN CDCOEX
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CARBON DIOXIDE
CLIMATIC CHANGE
COMBUSTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOSSIL FUELS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
GREENHOUSE GASES
SULFUR DIOXIDE