Characteristics of Aerosols and Clouds and Their Role in Earth’s Energy Budget

• DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0414.1
• Publication Date: 2024-01-15T11:28:03Z
• Authors: Lan Yu; Ming Zhang; Lunche Wang; Huaping Li; Junli Li
• Keywords: Earth's energy budget; Energy budget

Abstract Clouds and aerosols provide the greatest uncertainty in estimating interpreting Earth’s energy budget. This study not only focuses on surface brightening/dimming, but also explores balance. The validation results of CERES-SYN, ISCCP-FH, GEWEX-SRB datasets with Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN), Budget (SURFRAD), CMA observations show that CERES data have highest accuracy longest temporal coverage. role clouds budget was explained using MERRA-2 products. increases at a rate 0.63 W m −2 decade −1 2000–21. global brightens 0.57 , decreasing 0.19 . Brightening found over Australia, central Asia, southern Africa, mainly associated cloud reduction, aerosol emissions reductions contributing to East Asian brightening. brightening South America Southeast Asia is due reduction clouds. increase main factor for its dimming, while we infer climatic effect from black carbon (BC) inducing dimming China. darkening West result combined aerosols, northern Africa it may be related caused by decrease dust aerosols. America, Europe. Significance Statement changing Moreover, relative importance variable, depending regions time scales studies. shows inflow Earth system greater than outflow 2000–21, radiation increasing decreases areas occurring Africa.