[Vision2020] Anthropogenic aerosols: Radiative forcing of roughly -1.2 W/m2, compared to average CO2 forcing of +1.66 W/m2.

[Ted Moffett]

This is what may happen:

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/02/aerosols-the-last-frontier/#more-406

The relative lifetimes of CO2 and aerosol in the atmosphere result in the
expectation that reducing fossil fuel use will accelerate warming. A
CO2molecule has a lifetime of about 100 years in the atmosphere, while
an
aerosol particle has an average life expectancy of only about 10 days.
Therefore, if we instantaneously ceased using combustion engines, the
(cooling) fossil fuel-related aerosols would be cleaned out of the
atmosphere within weeks, while the (warming) CO2 would remain much longer,
leaving a net positive forcing from the reduction in emissions for a century
or more<http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2006/11/how-much-co2-emission-is-too-much/>
.
On 2/25/08, Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com> wrote:

> So what happens when coal fired plants, etc., stop releasing aerosals into
> the atmosphere that have a cooling effect, that are reducing warming from
> CO2 emissions, in part from the same coal fired plants?
>
>
> http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/category/climate-science/aerosols/
>
> Ted Moffett
>
>
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