Abstract
Increases in aerosol concentrations over the oceans may increase the amount of low-level cloudiness through a reduction in drizzle—a process that regulates the liquid-water content and the energetics of shallow marine clouds. The resulting increase in the global albedo would be in addition to the increase due to enhancement in reflectivity associated with a decrease in droplet size and would contribute to a cooling of the earth's surface.
Keywords
DrizzleCloud coverAlbedo (alchemy)AerosolEnvironmental scienceAtmospheric sciencesLiquid water contentSea salt aerosolCloud computingMeteorologyClimatologyPhysicsGeologyPrecipitation
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1989
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 245
- Issue
- 4923
- Pages
- 1227-1230
- Citations
- 4842
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Bruce A. Albrecht
(1989).
Aerosols, Cloud Microphysics, and Fractional Cloudiness.
Science
, 245
(4923)
, 1227-1230.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.245.4923.1227
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1126/science.245.4923.1227