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Original Articles

Estimation of the direct radiative forcing due to sulfate and soot aerosols

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Pages 463-477 | Received 13 Nov 1997, Accepted 17 Jun 1998, Published online: 15 Dec 2016
 

Abstract

The direct radiative forcings due to tropospheric sulfate and fossil fuel soot aerosols are calculated. The change in the atmospheric sulfate since preindustrial time is taken from a recent three-dimensional chemistry transport model calculation. A multistream radiative transfer code and observed atmospheric input data is used. The direct radiative forcing due to sulfate is calculated to — 0.32 W/m2. Our results for global and annual mean radiative forcing have been compared with results from other model studies.We have assumed a linear relationship between the concentration of fossil fuel soot and sulfate aerosols. The resulting radiative forcing due to soot particles is 0.16 W/m2. Two types of mixtures of sulfate and soot are further assumed. The calculated single scattering albedo is compared to observations.