Scientists glimpse fresh aerosols from wildfire

Published in ERW, 11 Sep 2012

Researchers in Spain and France have glimpsed aerosols just a few hours after the start of a wildfire in southern Spain. The discovery, which allowed for a rare analysis of freshly produced aerosols from biomass burning, could help scientists understand the impact of wildfires on climate.

Aerosols are an important factor for climate as they can scatter sunlight back into space, thereby reducing global temperatures. A famous illustration of the effect came in 1991 with the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, when average global temperatures dropped by about 0.5 °C. […]

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