Publication Abstracts

Ackerman et al. 2000

Ackerman, A.S., O.B. Toon, D.E. Stevens, A.J. Heymsfield, V. Ramanathan, and E.J. Welton, 2000: Reduction of tropical cloudiness by soot. Science, 288, 1042-1047, doi:10.1126/science.288.5468.1042.

Measurements and models show that enhanced aerosol concentrations can augment cloud albedo not only by increasing total droplet cross-sectional area, but also by reducing precipitation and thereby increasing cloud water content and cloud coverage. Aerosol pollution is expected to exert a net cooling influence on the global climate through these conventional mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate an opposite mechanism through which aerosols can reduce cloud cover and thus significantly offset aerosol-induced radiative cooling at the top of the atmosphere on a regional scale. In model simulations, the daytime clearing of trade cumulus is hastened and intensified by solar heating in dark haze (as found over much of the northern Indian Ocean during the northeast monsoon).

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ac02000x,
  author={Ackerman, A. S. and Toon, O. B. and Stevens, D. E. and Heymsfield, A. J. and Ramanathan, V. and Welton, E. J.},
  title={Reduction of tropical cloudiness by soot},
  year={2000},
  journal={Science},
  volume={288},
  pages={1042--1047},
  doi={10.1126/science.288.5468.1042},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ac02000x
AU  - Ackerman, A. S.
AU  - Toon, O. B.
AU  - Stevens, D. E.
AU  - Heymsfield, A. J.
AU  - Ramanathan, V.
AU  - Welton, E. J.
PY  - 2000
TI  - Reduction of tropical cloudiness by soot
JA  - Science
JO  - Science
VL  - 288
SP  - 1042
EP  - 1047
DO  - 10.1126/science.288.5468.1042
ER  -

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