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The influence on climate forcing of mineral aerosols from disturbed soils

Nature volume 380, pages 419–422 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

AEROSOLS influence the global radiation budget1, and so changes in the atmospheric aerosol load due to either natural causes or human activity will contribute to climate change2. A large fraction of the mass of tropospheric aerosol is wind-blown mineral dust, and its contribution to radiative forcing can be locally significant3,22. Model calculations indicate that 50 ± 20% of the total atmospheric dust mass originates from disturbed soils4 (those affected by cultivation, deforestation, erosion, and frequent shifts in vegetation due to droughts and rains). Here, using a radiative transfer model embedded in a general circulation model, we find that dust from disturbed soils causes a decrease of the net surface radiation forcing of about lWm-2, accompanied by increased atmospheric heating that may be a significant forcing of atmospheric dynamics. These findings suggest that mineral dust from disturbed soils needs to be included among the climate forcing factors that are influenced by human activities.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Physics, Colombia University, 2880 Broadway, New York, New York, 10025, USA

    Ina Tegen

  2. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 2880 Broadway, New York, New York, 10025, USA

    Ina Tegen, Andrew A. Lacis & Inez Fung

  3. School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Victoria, British Colombia, V8W 2Y2, Canada

    Inez Fung

Authors
  1. Ina Tegen
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  2. Andrew A. Lacis
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  3. Inez Fung
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Tegen, I., Lacis, A. & Fung, I. The influence on climate forcing of mineral aerosols from disturbed soils. Nature 380, 419–422 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/380419a0

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