Anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th century
Recent simulations of deep convection with a spectral microphysics cloud model show that an increase in aerosol concentration can have a significant effect on the nature of convection with more ice precipitation and less warm rain in polluted air. The cloud lifetime and the area covered by cloud anv...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2011-05-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/11/4577/2011/acp-11-4577-2011.pdf |
| _version_ | 1830414082456420352 |
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| author | M. Bister M. Kulmala |
| author_facet | M. Bister M. Kulmala |
| author_sort | M. Bister |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent simulations of deep convection with a spectral microphysics cloud model show that an increase in aerosol concentration can have a significant effect on the nature of convection with more ice precipitation and less warm rain in polluted air. The cloud lifetime and the area covered by cloud anvils of deep convection are also larger for polluted air. Therefore, it is possible that the increase of anthropogenic aerosols in most of the 20th century has increased humidity and perhaps also cloudiness in the mid- to upper troposphere. Satellite data of upper tropospheric relative humidity in 1979–1997 and observed changes in cloudiness support this hypothesis. As changes in upper tropospheric humidity strongly affect longwave radiation, it is possible that anthropogenic aerosols have had a significant warming effect in addition to their other known effects on radiation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:36:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0cc9b8717fd747c8a77bfd65e14c7d04 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:36:28Z |
| publishDate | 2011-05-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-0cc9b8717fd747c8a77bfd65e14c7d042022-12-21T19:27:13ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242011-05-011194577458610.5194/acp-11-4577-2011Anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th centuryM. BisterM. KulmalaRecent simulations of deep convection with a spectral microphysics cloud model show that an increase in aerosol concentration can have a significant effect on the nature of convection with more ice precipitation and less warm rain in polluted air. The cloud lifetime and the area covered by cloud anvils of deep convection are also larger for polluted air. Therefore, it is possible that the increase of anthropogenic aerosols in most of the 20th century has increased humidity and perhaps also cloudiness in the mid- to upper troposphere. Satellite data of upper tropospheric relative humidity in 1979–1997 and observed changes in cloudiness support this hypothesis. As changes in upper tropospheric humidity strongly affect longwave radiation, it is possible that anthropogenic aerosols have had a significant warming effect in addition to their other known effects on radiation.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/11/4577/2011/acp-11-4577-2011.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. Bister M. Kulmala Anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th century Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th century |
| title_full | Anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th century |
| title_fullStr | Anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th century |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th century |
| title_short | Anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th century |
| title_sort | anthropogenic aerosols may have increased upper tropospheric humidity in the 20th century |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/11/4577/2011/acp-11-4577-2011.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mbister anthropogenicaerosolsmayhaveincreaseduppertropospherichumidityinthe20thcentury AT mkulmala anthropogenicaerosolsmayhaveincreaseduppertropospherichumidityinthe20thcentury |