Open AccessA comparison of the climate impacts of geoengineering by stratospheric SO 2 injection and by brightening of marine stratocumulus cloud
Author(s) -
Jones Andy,
Haywood Jim,
Boucher Olivier
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
atmospheric science letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 45
ISSN - 1530-261X
DOI - 10.1002/asl.291
Subject(s) - environmental science , atmospheric sciences , climatology , greenhouse gas , climate change , climate model , global warming , marine stratocumulus , geoengineering , radiative transfer , meteorology , aerosol , geography , oceanography , geology , physics , quantum mechanics
We examine the climate impact of geoengineering via two different methods, namely, stratospheric SO 2 injection and increasing reflectivity of marine stratocumulus clouds. Although both methods appear capable, in principle, of counteracting the global mean warming due to increases in greenhouse gas concentrations, significant changes in regional climate still result. The extent of this regional climate change appears linked to the location and degree of inhomogeneity of the radiative flux perturbations produced by each geoengineering method. © Crown Copyright 2010. Published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland