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Strong constraints on aerosol–cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions

Author

Listed:
  • Florent F. Malavelle

    (College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter)

  • Jim M. Haywood

    (College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter
    Met Office Hadley Centre)

  • Andy Jones

    (Met Office Hadley Centre)

  • Andrew Gettelman

    (National Center for Atmospheric Research)

  • Lieven Clarisse

    (Chimie Quantique et Photophysique CP160/09, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB))

  • Sophie Bauduin

    (Chimie Quantique et Photophysique CP160/09, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB))

  • Richard P. Allan

    (University of Reading
    National Centre for Earth Observation, University of Reading)

  • Inger Helene H. Karset

    (University of Oslo)

  • Jón Egill Kristjánsson

    (University of Oslo)

  • Lazaros Oreopoulos

    (NASA GSFC)

  • Nayeong Cho

    (NASA GSFC
    USRA, Columbia)

  • Dongmin Lee

    (NASA GSFC
    Morgan State University)

  • Nicolas Bellouin

    (University of Reading)

  • Olivier Boucher

    (Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, IPSL, UPMC/CNRS)

  • Daniel P. Grosvenor

    (School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds)

  • Ken S. Carslaw

    (School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds)

  • Sandip Dhomse

    (School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds)

  • Graham W. Mann

    (School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds
    National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds)

  • Anja Schmidt

    (School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds)

  • Hugh Coe

    (School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester)

  • Margaret E. Hartley

    (School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester)

  • Mohit Dalvi

    (Met Office Hadley Centre)

  • Adrian A. Hill

    (Met Office Hadley Centre)

  • Ben T. Johnson

    (Met Office Hadley Centre)

  • Colin E. Johnson

    (Met Office Hadley Centre)

  • Jeff R. Knight

    (Met Office Hadley Centre)

  • Fiona M. O’Connor

    (Met Office Hadley Centre)

  • Daniel G. Partridge

    (University of Stockholm
    Bert Bolin Centre for Climate Research, University of Stockholm
    Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford
    University of Exeter)

  • Philip Stier

    (Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford)

  • Gunnar Myhre

    (Center for International Climate and Environmental Research)

  • Steven Platnick

    (NASA GSFC)

  • Graeme L. Stephens

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)

  • Hanii Takahashi

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
    Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, University of California)

  • Thorvaldur Thordarson

    (Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland)

Abstract

Aerosols have a potentially large effect on climate, particularly through their interactions with clouds, but the magnitude of this effect is highly uncertain. Large volcanic eruptions produce sulfur dioxide, which in turn produces aerosols; these eruptions thus represent a natural experiment through which to quantify aerosol–cloud interactions. Here we show that the massive 2014–2015 fissure eruption in Holuhraun, Iceland, reduced the size of liquid cloud droplets—consistent with expectations—but had no discernible effect on other cloud properties. The reduction in droplet size led to cloud brightening and global-mean radiative forcing of around −0.2 watts per square metre for September to October 2014. Changes in cloud amount or cloud liquid water path, however, were undetectable, indicating that these indirect effects, and cloud systems in general, are well buffered against aerosol changes. This result will reduce uncertainties in future climate projections, because we are now able to reject results from climate models with an excessive liquid-water-path response.

Suggested Citation

  • Florent F. Malavelle & Jim M. Haywood & Andy Jones & Andrew Gettelman & Lieven Clarisse & Sophie Bauduin & Richard P. Allan & Inger Helene H. Karset & Jón Egill Kristjánsson & Lazaros Oreopoulos & Nay, 2017. "Strong constraints on aerosol–cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions," Nature, Nature, vol. 546(7659), pages 485-491, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:546:y:2017:i:7659:d:10.1038_nature22974
    DOI: 10.1038/nature22974
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael S. Diamond & Kelly Wanser & Olivier Boucher, 2023. "“Cooling credits” are not a viable climate solution," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(7), pages 1-9, July.
    2. Antti Arola & Antti Lipponen & Pekka Kolmonen & Timo H. Virtanen & Nicolas Bellouin & Daniel P. Grosvenor & Edward Gryspeerdt & Johannes Quaas & Harri Kokkola, 2022. "Aerosol effects on clouds are concealed by natural cloud heterogeneity and satellite retrieval errors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.

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