Climate & Space Prof. Joyce Penner has written a new article on atmospheric aerosols published this week in Nature. The article, “Soot, sulfate, dust and the climate — three ways through the fog,” examines the sometimes enigmatic behaviors of tiny particles from both human and natural sources, and lays out methods by which we might gain a better understanding of their role in masking the warming of the planet from greenhouse gases.

From the article:

“Greenhouse gases might be the main culprits in the rapid warming of our planet, but particles in the air also play a part. Soot, dust, sulfate and other aerosols can both cool the atmosphere and warm it. Yet, nearly 30 years after the first report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we still don’t really know how much aerosols influence the climate. These particles remain one of the greatest lingering sources of uncertainty.”

Read the full article: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01791-6