Volcanic eruptions may have slowed down global warming by
injecting particulates into the atmosphere, according to a study. The study was
based upon research of a team of international researchers including Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology (KIT) scientists. Key facts from study During the last
10 years volcanic aerosols have acted as a natural umbrella to slow down global
warming from release of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs).
Although global concentration of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere has continuously increased over the past decade, the mean global
surface temperature has not followed the same path.
The global concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere has
continuously increased over the past decade but due to volcanic aerosols the
mean global surface temperature has not increased indicating negative climate
forcing effect. In the years 2008-2011, volcanic aerosol particles have
reflected the incoming solar radiation twice in the lowest part of the stratosphere
than previously thought. The study had used the data from the tropopause region
located up to 35 km altitude in the atmosphere. Tropopause: It is region of
transition layer between the wet weather layer with clouds (troposphere) at
lower level and the dry and cloud-free layer (stratosphere) above it. In the
Tropapause temperature is constant whereas in troposphere it decreases with
increase in altitude and in stratosphere it increases with altitude.
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