Publication Abstracts

Sato et al. 2003

Sato, M., J. Hansen, D. Koch, A. Lacis, R. Ruedy, O. Dubovik, B. Holben, M. Chin, and T. Novakov, 2003: Global atmospheric black carbon inferred from AERONET. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 100, 6319-6324, doi:10.1073/pnas.0731897100.

AERONET, a network of well calibrated sunphotometers, provides data on aerosol optical depth and absorption optical depth at >250 sites around the world. The spectral range of AERONET allows discrimination between constituents that absorb most strongly in the UV region, such as soil dust and organic carbon, and the more ubiquitously absorbing black carbon (BC). AERONET locations, primarily continental, are not representative of the global mean, but they can be used to calibrate global aerosol climatologies produced by tracer transport models. We find that the amount of BC in current climatologies must be increased by a factor of 2-4 to yield best agreement with AERONET, in the approximation in which BC is externally mixed with other aerosols. The inferred climate forcing by BC, regardless of whether it is internally or externally mixed, is ≈ 1 W/m2, most of which is probably anthropogenic. This positive forcing (warming) by BC must substantially counterbalance cooling by anthropogenic reflective aerosols. Thus, especially if reflective aerosols such as sulfates are reduced, it is important to reduce BC to minimize global warming.

Export citation: [ BibTeX ] [ RIS ]

BibTeX Citation

@article{sa01100t,
  author={Sato, M. and Hansen, J. and Koch, D. and Lacis, A. and Ruedy, R. and Dubovik, O. and Holben, B. and Chin, M. and Novakov, T.},
  title={Global atmospheric black carbon inferred from AERONET},
  year={2003},
  journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},
  volume={100},
  pages={6319--6324},
  doi={10.1073/pnas.0731897100},
}

[ Close ]

RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - sa01100t
AU  - Sato, M.
AU  - Hansen, J.
AU  - Koch, D.
AU  - Lacis, A.
AU  - Ruedy, R.
AU  - Dubovik, O.
AU  - Holben, B.
AU  - Chin, M.
AU  - Novakov, T.
PY  - 2003
TI  - Global atmospheric black carbon inferred from AERONET
JA  - Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
JO  - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
VL  - 100
SP  - 6319
EP  - 6324
DO  - 10.1073/pnas.0731897100
ER  -

[ Close ]

• Return to 2003 Publications

• Return to Publications Homepage