Earth warms not only: it is also darker
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Climate change can be slowed better as not only the quantity of greenhouse gases is reduced, but also the emissions of soot is addressed, say scientists at the U.S. space agency NASA.
Reduce pollution with dark soot particles may dampen global warming. Because the observed increase in these carbon residues, which in large quantities released during incomplete combustion processes, makes an important contribution to current warming.
Albedo
The tiny floating particles to the atmosphere and the Earth's surface slightly darker. The albedo, the reflection power of the earth, take it off, with a larger proportion of the incoming solar energy is converted into heat. Especially when soot particles deposited on snow and ice around the poles, the effect size.
Filters
NASA now calls for CO2 reductions in addition to the emissions of soot reduction. This has a number of important advantages, the Americans. Thus, the CO2 that we emit about a hundred years, but soot particles after short time the atmosphere traps. The amount of soot can reduce global warming so directly dampen. In addition, many countries have some experience with the effective reduction of soot emissions, including improved industrial filters.
Healthier
Such a policy has a positive effect on public health. Soot particles, including those coming from exhaust gases contain up to 40 different carcinogenic substances. They can also respiratory problems and cause heart problems. Annual death more than two million people by soot pollution. In the Netherlands, the high concentration of dust associated with 10,000 deaths per year.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Climate change can be slowed better as not only the quantity of greenhouse gases is reduced, but also the emissions of soot is addressed, say scientists at the U.S. space agency NASA.
Reduce pollution with dark soot particles may dampen global warming. Because the observed increase in these carbon residues, which in large quantities released during incomplete combustion processes, makes an important contribution to current warming.
Albedo
The tiny floating particles to the atmosphere and the Earth's surface slightly darker. The albedo, the reflection power of the earth, take it off, with a larger proportion of the incoming solar energy is converted into heat. Especially when soot particles deposited on snow and ice around the poles, the effect size.
Filters
NASA now calls for CO2 reductions in addition to the emissions of soot reduction. This has a number of important advantages, the Americans. Thus, the CO2 that we emit about a hundred years, but soot particles after short time the atmosphere traps. The amount of soot can reduce global warming so directly dampen. In addition, many countries have some experience with the effective reduction of soot emissions, including improved industrial filters.
Healthier
Such a policy has a positive effect on public health. Soot particles, including those coming from exhaust gases contain up to 40 different carcinogenic substances. They can also respiratory problems and cause heart problems. Annual death more than two million people by soot pollution. In the Netherlands, the high concentration of dust associated with 10,000 deaths per year.
