A study using time-resolved geostationary satellite observations and air mass trajectory modeling suggests that atmospheric aerosol concentrations are associated with increased cloud fraction and cloud lifetimes under stable atmospheric conditions along the classic stratus-to-cumulus transition zone; the long-lived clouds can reduce planetary warming by increasing the fraction of solar radiation reflected back into space, according to the authors.
Article #19-21231: "Aerosols enhance cloud lifetime and brightness along the stratus-to-cumulus transition," by Matthew W. Christensen, William K. Jones, and Philip Stier.
MEDIA CONTACT: Matthew W. Christensen, University of Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM; tel: +44-7956-579571; e-mail: matthew.christensen@physics.ox.ac.uk
###
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences