Difference between revisions of "Influence on nucleation on aerosol-climate forcing"

From UKCA
(Created page with "UKCA simulations have highlighted the importance of new particle formation in determining the climate forcing from changes in aerosol since the pre-industrial era. Two pairs of …")
 
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from changes in aerosol since the pre-industrial era.
 
from changes in aerosol since the pre-industrial era.
   
Two pairs of nudged UKCA runs forced by pre-industrial and present-day emissions were carried out with a control run including
+
Two pairs of nudged UKCA runs with pre-industrial and present-day IPCC AR5 emissions were carried out with a control pair of runs
the usual source of secondary particles from new particle
+
including the usual source of secondary particles from new particle
formation in the upper troposphere, and a sensitivity run
+
formation in the upper troposphere, and a sensitivity pair of runs
where this process was switched off, leaving only primary
+
having nucleation switched off, leaving only primary
 
aerosol particles.
 
aerosol particles.
   
  +
The control runs produce a total all-sky aerosol forcing
The total aerosol forcing relative to pre-industrial
 
  +
(direct and indirect effects) of -2.0 W/m2 relative to
UKCA simulations
 
  +
pre-industrial, whereas the sensitivity runs finds the
  +
forcing to be -1.5 W/m2. Futher analysis reveals that
  +
the clear-sky direct forcing is around -1.0 W/m2 for
  +
both pairs of runs, which suggests the indirect forcing
  +
is approximately halved once nucleation is accounted for.
   
  +
The findings, suggest that the indirect climate
(N96L38 StdTrop+Aerchem+GLOMAP-mode) of
 
  +
forcing from aerosols (one of the largest uncertainties in
  +
climate assessments) may be considerably reduced once changes in
  +
secondary particles from nucleation are considered.

Revision as of 18:45, 18 February 2011

UKCA simulations have highlighted the importance of new particle formation in determining the climate forcing from changes in aerosol since the pre-industrial era.

Two pairs of nudged UKCA runs with pre-industrial and present-day IPCC AR5 emissions were carried out with a control pair of runs including the usual source of secondary particles from new particle formation in the upper troposphere, and a sensitivity pair of runs having nucleation switched off, leaving only primary aerosol particles.

The control runs produce a total all-sky aerosol forcing (direct and indirect effects) of -2.0 W/m2 relative to pre-industrial, whereas the sensitivity runs finds the forcing to be -1.5 W/m2. Futher analysis reveals that the clear-sky direct forcing is around -1.0 W/m2 for both pairs of runs, which suggests the indirect forcing is approximately halved once nucleation is accounted for.

The findings, suggest that the indirect climate forcing from aerosols (one of the largest uncertainties in climate assessments) may be considerably reduced once changes in secondary particles from nucleation are considered.