New research is taking place in the US into the impact of aerosols on climate change.

Over 60 scientists representing 12 different research sites have gathered in Sacramento, California, for trials that will last more than three weeks. Their studies include gathering in data supplied by monitoring devices fitted to airborne platforms like weather balloons and released above the Sacramento Valley.

Aerosols are tiny particles or liquids contained in a gas. Industrial fossil fuel burning releases aerosols into the atmosphere, but – while they are known to cool the climate – they haven’t yet been solidly linked to climate change.

Aerosols: Climate

The aerosols climate study is led by representatives of the Washington-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – a division of the US Department of Energy. Other organisations represented there include the University of California and NASA – the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The Department of Energy has a long-term aerosols research project running, which is examining how atmospheric aerosols scatter and absorb solar radiation, and the amount of radiation that’s subsequently let through to reach Earth.

Effect of Aerosols

The Sacramento aerosols study represents a component of the DoE’s research programme and it goes under the name of CARES: Carbonaceous Aerosols and Radiative Effects Study.

CARES’ main focus involves looking at the effect of aerosols containing black carbon, which comes from a variety of sources including vehicle exhausts.

The scientists involved in CARES are measuring the daily level of aerosols produced by Sacramento and the results they gather in will form the basis of future computer generated climate models. As well as weather balloons, aircraft are also being used to collect data and these include a Beech King Air B200 and a Gulfstream 1 twin-engined commercial aircraft which are operating at up to 28,000 feet.

Enviro News will present further coverage of the aerosols study in future News Items.

See also:

60% of Americans Breath Dangerous Polluted Air