Articles | Volume 7, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-697-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-697-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
29 Aug 2016
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 29 Aug 2016
Why CO2 cools the middle atmosphere – a consolidating model perspective
Helge F. Goessling
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
Sebastian Bathiany
Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Cited
26 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Sensitivity of the Jet Stream Response to Climate Change to Radiative Assumptions Z. Tan et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018MS001492
- Bipolar volcanic ice-core synchronization of the entire last glacial period A. Svensson et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109755
- Long‐Term Density Trend in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere From Occultations of the Crab Nebula With X‐Ray Astronomy Satellites S. Katsuda et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JA030797
- Exceptional stratospheric contribution to human fingerprints on atmospheric temperature B. Santer et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300758120
- Development of mobile lidar complex for remote sensing of greenhouse gases in the troposphere on the horizontal (inclined) paths A. Nevzorov et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202459201016
- Field tests of the mobile lidar for tropospheric ozone sensing on horizontal (inclined) and vertical paths A. Nevzorov et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202459206006
- Volatile emissions from Deccan volcanic eruptions and their effects on climate across the K-Pg boundary R. Sen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2025.108493
- Human influence on climate detectable in the late 19th century B. Santer et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2500829122
- The impact of different CO2 and ODS levels on the mean state and variability of the springtime Arctic stratosphere J. Kult-Herdin et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acb0e6
- Incorporating diversity in cloud-computing: a novel paradigm and architecture for enhancing the performance of future cloud radio access networks A. Periola https://doi.org/10.1007/s11276-018-01915-2
- Simple Spectral Models for Atmospheric Radiative Cooling N. Jeevanjee & S. Fueglistaler https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-18-0347.1
- Is ozone a reliable proxy for molecular oxygen? T. Kozakis et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202556015
- Razumeti podnebne spremembe Ž. Zaplotnik https://doi.org/10.3986/alternator.2020.04
- Stratospheric cooling and amplification of radiative forcing with rising carbon dioxide S. Cohen et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-01965-8
- Long-term trends of the F2-region at mid-latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere A. Sharan & S. Kumar https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2021.105683
- Opinion: Recent developments and future directions in studying the mesosphere and lower thermosphere J. Plane et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13255-2023
- Spatio-Temporal Assessment of Vegetation Response to Climatic Variability Using NDVI and VCI in the Forested Landscape C. Karuppiah et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.007
- Reviewing the impacts of climate change on air transport operations G. Gratton et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/aer.2021.109
- Influence of Absorption Cross-Sections on Retrieving the Ozone Vertical Distribution at the Siberian Lidar Station S. Dolgii et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13020293
- Normal Mode Perspective on the 2016 QBO Disruption: Evidence for a Basic State Regime Transition B. Raphaldini et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL087274
- Global biosphere productivity response to Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation collapse during Heinrich Stadial 4 J. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aea0455
- Climate system response to stratospheric sulfate aerosols: sensitivity to altitude of aerosol layer K. Krishnamohan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-10-885-2019
- Impacts of Atmospheric Carbon Species and Stellar Type on Climates of Terrestrial Planets J. Landry et al. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adf7a1
- Three-dimensional photophoretic aircraft made from ultralight porous materials can carry kilogram-scale payloads in the mesosphere T. Celenza et al. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.22.054081
- Increased light, moderate, and severe clear-air turbulence in response to climate change P. Williams https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-017-6268-2
- Exploiting a variational auto-encoder to represent the evolution of sudden stratospheric warmings Y. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ad3a0d
26 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Sensitivity of the Jet Stream Response to Climate Change to Radiative Assumptions Z. Tan et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018MS001492
- Bipolar volcanic ice-core synchronization of the entire last glacial period A. Svensson et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109755
- Long‐Term Density Trend in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere From Occultations of the Crab Nebula With X‐Ray Astronomy Satellites S. Katsuda et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JA030797
- Exceptional stratospheric contribution to human fingerprints on atmospheric temperature B. Santer et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300758120
- Development of mobile lidar complex for remote sensing of greenhouse gases in the troposphere on the horizontal (inclined) paths A. Nevzorov et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202459201016
- Field tests of the mobile lidar for tropospheric ozone sensing on horizontal (inclined) and vertical paths A. Nevzorov et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202459206006
- Volatile emissions from Deccan volcanic eruptions and their effects on climate across the K-Pg boundary R. Sen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2025.108493
- Human influence on climate detectable in the late 19th century B. Santer et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2500829122
- The impact of different CO2 and ODS levels on the mean state and variability of the springtime Arctic stratosphere J. Kult-Herdin et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acb0e6
- Incorporating diversity in cloud-computing: a novel paradigm and architecture for enhancing the performance of future cloud radio access networks A. Periola https://doi.org/10.1007/s11276-018-01915-2
- Simple Spectral Models for Atmospheric Radiative Cooling N. Jeevanjee & S. Fueglistaler https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-18-0347.1
- Is ozone a reliable proxy for molecular oxygen? T. Kozakis et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202556015
- Razumeti podnebne spremembe Ž. Zaplotnik https://doi.org/10.3986/alternator.2020.04
- Stratospheric cooling and amplification of radiative forcing with rising carbon dioxide S. Cohen et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-01965-8
- Long-term trends of the F2-region at mid-latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere A. Sharan & S. Kumar https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2021.105683
- Opinion: Recent developments and future directions in studying the mesosphere and lower thermosphere J. Plane et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13255-2023
- Spatio-Temporal Assessment of Vegetation Response to Climatic Variability Using NDVI and VCI in the Forested Landscape C. Karuppiah et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.007
- Reviewing the impacts of climate change on air transport operations G. Gratton et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/aer.2021.109
- Influence of Absorption Cross-Sections on Retrieving the Ozone Vertical Distribution at the Siberian Lidar Station S. Dolgii et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13020293
- Normal Mode Perspective on the 2016 QBO Disruption: Evidence for a Basic State Regime Transition B. Raphaldini et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL087274
- Global biosphere productivity response to Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation collapse during Heinrich Stadial 4 J. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aea0455
- Climate system response to stratospheric sulfate aerosols: sensitivity to altitude of aerosol layer K. Krishnamohan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-10-885-2019
- Impacts of Atmospheric Carbon Species and Stellar Type on Climates of Terrestrial Planets J. Landry et al. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adf7a1
- Three-dimensional photophoretic aircraft made from ultralight porous materials can carry kilogram-scale payloads in the mesosphere T. Celenza et al. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.22.054081
- Increased light, moderate, and severe clear-air turbulence in response to climate change P. Williams https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-017-6268-2
- Exploiting a variational auto-encoder to represent the evolution of sudden stratospheric warmings Y. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ad3a0d
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Latest update: 05 Sep 2026
Short summary
Carbon dioxide, while warming the Earth's surface, cools the atmosphere beyond about 15 km (the middle atmosphere). This cooling is considered a fingerprint of anthropogenic global warming, yet the physical reason behind it remains prone to misconceptions. Here we use a simple radiation model to illustrate the physical essence of stratospheric cooling, and a complex climate model to quantify how strongly different mechanisms contribute.
Carbon dioxide, while warming the Earth's surface, cools the atmosphere beyond about 15 km (the...
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