Earth System Dynamics
Earth System Dynamics
ESD
Articles | Volume 10, issue 4
Articles | Volume 10, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-10-885-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-10-885-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 10, issue 4
Research article
 | 
13 Dec 2019
Research article |  | 13 Dec 2019

Climate system response to stratospheric sulfate aerosols: sensitivity to altitude of aerosol layer

Krishna-Pillai Sukumara-Pillai Krishnamohan, Govindasamy Bala, Long Cao, Lei Duan, and Ken Caldeira

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Short summary
We find that sulfate aerosols are more effective in cooling the climate system when they reside higher in the stratosphere. We explain this sensitivity in terms of radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere. Sulfate aerosols heat the stratospheric layers, causing an increase in stratospheric water vapor content and a reduction in high clouds. These changes are larger when aerosols are prescribed near the tropopause, offsetting part of the aerosol-induced negative radiative forcing/cooling.
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