Two opposing effects of absorbing aerosols on global-mean precipitation

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Abstract

Absorbing aerosols affect global-mean precipitation primarily in two ways. They give rise to stronger shortwave atmospheric heating, which acts to suppress precipitation. Depending on the top-of-the-atmosphere radiative flux change, they can also warm up the surface with a tendency to increase precipitation. Here, we present a theoretical framework that takes into account both effects, and apply it to analyze the hydrological responses to increased black carbon burden simulated with a general circulation model. It is found that the damping effect of atmospheric heating can outweigh the enhancing effect of surface warming, resulting in a net decrease in precipitation. The implications for moist convection and general circulation are discussed. © 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.

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Ming, Y., Ramaswamy, V., & Persad, G. (2010). Two opposing effects of absorbing aerosols on global-mean precipitation. Geophysical Research Letters, 37(13). https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL042895

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