Anthropogenic climate forcing

 

It is clear that anthropogenic emissions warm the climate and there is an immediate need for greenhouse gas emission reductions. However, it is unlcear how much of the greenhouse gas forcing is offset by anthropogenic aerosols. In the atmospheric Physics Lab we study aerosol impacts on clouds, to make the climate projections even more reliable. Toll et al 2019 Nature  found based on MODIS satellite data, that there is relatively weak decrease in cloud water in response to aerosols.  

 

Polluted clouds in satellite image (NASA GIBS)