NOAA Study: Increase in Particles High in Earth’s Atmosphere Has Offset Some Recent Climate Warming

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–July 21, 2011.  A recent increase in the abundance of particles high in the atmosphere has offset about a third of the current climate warming influence of carbon dioxide (CO2) change during the past decade, according to a new study led by NOAA and published today in the online edition of Science.

In the stratosphere, miles above Earth’s surface, small, airborne particles reflect sunlight back into space, which leads to a cooling influence at…