EcoEarth.Info News Archive
Non-profit environment news archive provided on these terms to help find solutions and for posterity
|
Rate
|
Email Article to Friend
|
Printer Friendly
|
Disclaimer & Conditions for Use
|
Share on Facebook
How clouds cloud climate change
Meteorologists in the Netherlands, who have set up a virtual cloud laboratory to study cloud behaviour, say understanding clouds is key for predicting how climates will change.
The researchers focused their lab studies on the lower 'fair-weather' clouds such as cumulus, which reflect sunlight away from the earth and therefore have a cooling effect.
They are also investigating theories that there will be fewer fair-weather clouds in warmer temperatures, as warm air can hold more water vapour than cold air, and with fewer clouds around to reflect sunlight, global warming could accelerate.
The researchers say one of the problems with the climate change debate is that the earth's processes are often overlooked as attention is focused mainly on the polluting effect of greenhouse gases released from human activity.
The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says in its most recent report that cloud formation was one of the biggest unknowns in climate predictions, leading to disparities of 2- 4.5 percent expected temperature increases.
Copyright 2009, Reuters
Rate Article: 1 (Worst) to 10 (Best) |
Search the Internet with EcoEarth.Info's Search Engine for more information on: 'climate clouds'
EcoEarth.Info users agree to the site disclaimer as a condition for use.