Strong constraints on aerosol-cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions

F Malavelle; Jim Haywood; Andy Jones; Andrew Gettelman; Lieven Clarisse; Sophie Bauduin; Richard P Allan; Inger Helene H Karset; J. E. Kristjánsson; Lazaros Oreopoulos; Nayeong Cho; Dongmin Lee; Nicolas Bellouin; O. Boucher; D. P. Grosvenor; K. S. Carslaw; Sandip Dhomse; Graham W. Mann; A. Schmidt; Hugh Coe; Margaret Hartley; Mohit Dalvi; Adrian Hill; Ben Johnson; C. E. Johnson; J. Knight; F. M. O'Connor; Daniel G. Partridge; Philip Stier; Gunnar Myhre; S. Platnick; Graeme L Stephens; Hanii Takahashi; Thorvaldur Thordarson

doi:10.1038/nature22974

Strong constraints on aerosol-cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions

F Malavelle, Jim Haywood, Andy Jones, Andrew Gettelman, Lieven Clarisse, Sophie Bauduin, Richard P Allan, Inger Helene H Karset, J. E. Kristjánsson, Lazaros Oreopoulos, Nayeong Cho, Dongmin Lee, Nicolas Bellouin, O. Boucher, D. P. Grosvenor, K. S. Carslaw, Sandip Dhomse, Graham W. Mann, A. Schmidt, Hugh CoeMargaret Hartley, Mohit Dalvi, Adrian Hill, Ben Johnson, C. E. Johnson, J. Knight, F. M. O'Connor, Daniel G. Partridge, Philip Stier, Gunnar Myhre, S. Platnick, Graeme L Stephens, Hanii Takahashi, Thorvaldur Thordarson

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Abstract

The climate impact of aerosols is highly uncertain owing primarily to their poorly quantified influence on cloud properties. During 2014-15, a fissure eruption in Holuhraun (Iceland) emitted huge quantities of sulphur dioxide, resulting in significant reductions in liquid cloud droplet size. Using satellite observations and detailed modelling, we estimate a global mean radiative forcing from the resulting aerosol-induced cloud brightening for the time of the eruption of around -0.2 W.m^-2. Changes in cloud amount or liquid water path are undetectable, indicating that these aerosol-cloud indirect effects are modest. It supports the idea that cloud systems are well buffered against aerosol changes as only impacts on cloud effective radius appear relevant from a climate perspective, thus providing a strong constraint on aerosol-cloud interactions. This result will reduce uncertainties in future climate projections as we are able to reject the results from climate models with an excessive liquid water path response.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	485–491
Journal	Nature
Volume	546
Early online date	22 Jun 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature22974
Publication status	Published - 2017

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MAIN_TEXT_affiliation_and_aknowledgement_changes_acceptedAccepted author manuscript, 91.3 KB

Petrology and volcanology
Burton, M. (PI), Hartley, M. (PI), Mccormick Kilbride, B. (PI), Mitchell, N. (PI), Neave, D. (PI), Pawley, A. (PI), Polacci, M. (PI), Biagioli, E. (Researcher), Bonechi, B. (Researcher), Buso, R. (Researcher), Davies, B. (Researcher), Esse, B. (Researcher), Bronziet, J. (PGR student), Delbrel, J. (PGR student), Höhn, M. (PGR student), Kember, A. (PGR student), Pardo Cofrades, A. (PGR student), Sen, R. (PGR student), Stewart, A. (PGR student) & Subbaraman, R. (PGR student)
Project: Research

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Malavelle, F., Haywood, J., Jones, A., Gettelman, A., Clarisse, L., Bauduin, S., Allan, R. P., Karset, I. H. H., Kristjánsson, J. E., Oreopoulos, L., Cho, N., Lee, D., Bellouin, N., Boucher, O., Grosvenor, D. P., Carslaw, K. S., Dhomse, S., Mann, G. W., Schmidt, A., ... Thordarson, T. (2017). Strong constraints on aerosol-cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions. Nature, 546, 485–491. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature22974

@article{36f85b55c7f74d2daf2c56208ecd05b4,

title = "Strong constraints on aerosol-cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions",

abstract = "The climate impact of aerosols is highly uncertain owing primarily to their poorly quantified influence on cloud properties. During 2014-15, a fissure eruption in Holuhraun (Iceland) emitted huge quantities of sulphur dioxide, resulting in significant reductions in liquid cloud droplet size. Using satellite observations and detailed modelling, we estimate a global mean radiative forcing from the resulting aerosol-induced cloud brightening for the time of the eruption of around -0.2 W.m-2. Changes in cloud amount or liquid water path are undetectable, indicating that these aerosol-cloud indirect effects are modest. It supports the idea that cloud systems are well buffered against aerosol changes as only impacts on cloud effective radius appear relevant from a climate perspective, thus providing a strong constraint on aerosol-cloud interactions. This result will reduce uncertainties in future climate projections as we are able to reject the results from climate models with an excessive liquid water path response.",

author = "F Malavelle and Jim Haywood and Andy Jones and Andrew Gettelman and Lieven Clarisse and Sophie Bauduin and Allan, {Richard P} and Karset, {Inger Helene H} and Kristj{\'a}nsson, {J. E.} and Lazaros Oreopoulos and Nayeong Cho and Dongmin Lee and Nicolas Bellouin and O. Boucher and Grosvenor, {D. P.} and Carslaw, {K. S.} and Sandip Dhomse and Mann, {Graham W.} and A. Schmidt and Hugh Coe and Margaret Hartley and Mohit Dalvi and Adrian Hill and Ben Johnson and Johnson, {C. E.} and J. Knight and O'Connor, {F. M.} and Partridge, {Daniel G.} and Philip Stier and Gunnar Myhre and S. Platnick and Stephens, {Graeme L} and Hanii Takahashi and Thorvaldur Thordarson",

year = "2017",

doi = "10.1038/nature22974",

language = "English",

volume = "546",

pages = "485–491",

journal = "Nature",

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Malavelle, F, Haywood, J, Jones, A, Gettelman, A, Clarisse, L, Bauduin, S, Allan, RP, Karset, IHH, Kristjánsson, JE, Oreopoulos, L, Cho, N, Lee, D, Bellouin, N, Boucher, O, Grosvenor, DP, Carslaw, KS, Dhomse, S, Mann, GW, Schmidt, A, Coe, H , Hartley, M, Dalvi, M, Hill, A, Johnson, B, Johnson, CE, Knight, J, O'Connor, FM, Partridge, DG, Stier, P, Myhre, G, Platnick, S, Stephens, GL, Takahashi, H & Thordarson, T 2017, 'Strong constraints on aerosol-cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions', Nature, vol. 546, pp. 485–491. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature22974

TY - JOUR

T1 - Strong constraints on aerosol-cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions

AU - Malavelle, F

AU - Haywood, Jim

AU - Jones, Andy

AU - Gettelman, Andrew

AU - Clarisse, Lieven

AU - Bauduin, Sophie

AU - Allan, Richard P

AU - Karset, Inger Helene H

AU - Kristjánsson, J. E.

AU - Oreopoulos, Lazaros

AU - Cho, Nayeong

AU - Lee, Dongmin

AU - Bellouin, Nicolas

AU - Boucher, O.

AU - Grosvenor, D. P.

AU - Carslaw, K. S.

AU - Dhomse, Sandip

AU - Mann, Graham W.

AU - Schmidt, A.

AU - Coe, Hugh

AU - Hartley, Margaret

AU - Dalvi, Mohit

AU - Hill, Adrian

AU - Johnson, Ben

AU - Johnson, C. E.

AU - Knight, J.

AU - O'Connor, F. M.

AU - Partridge, Daniel G.

AU - Stier, Philip

AU - Myhre, Gunnar

AU - Platnick, S.

AU - Stephens, Graeme L

AU - Takahashi, Hanii

AU - Thordarson, Thorvaldur

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - The climate impact of aerosols is highly uncertain owing primarily to their poorly quantified influence on cloud properties. During 2014-15, a fissure eruption in Holuhraun (Iceland) emitted huge quantities of sulphur dioxide, resulting in significant reductions in liquid cloud droplet size. Using satellite observations and detailed modelling, we estimate a global mean radiative forcing from the resulting aerosol-induced cloud brightening for the time of the eruption of around -0.2 W.m-2. Changes in cloud amount or liquid water path are undetectable, indicating that these aerosol-cloud indirect effects are modest. It supports the idea that cloud systems are well buffered against aerosol changes as only impacts on cloud effective radius appear relevant from a climate perspective, thus providing a strong constraint on aerosol-cloud interactions. This result will reduce uncertainties in future climate projections as we are able to reject the results from climate models with an excessive liquid water path response.

AB - The climate impact of aerosols is highly uncertain owing primarily to their poorly quantified influence on cloud properties. During 2014-15, a fissure eruption in Holuhraun (Iceland) emitted huge quantities of sulphur dioxide, resulting in significant reductions in liquid cloud droplet size. Using satellite observations and detailed modelling, we estimate a global mean radiative forcing from the resulting aerosol-induced cloud brightening for the time of the eruption of around -0.2 W.m-2. Changes in cloud amount or liquid water path are undetectable, indicating that these aerosol-cloud indirect effects are modest. It supports the idea that cloud systems are well buffered against aerosol changes as only impacts on cloud effective radius appear relevant from a climate perspective, thus providing a strong constraint on aerosol-cloud interactions. This result will reduce uncertainties in future climate projections as we are able to reject the results from climate models with an excessive liquid water path response.

U2 - 10.1038/nature22974

DO - 10.1038/nature22974

M3 - Article

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 546

SP - 485

EP - 491

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

ER -

Strong constraints on aerosol-cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions

Abstract

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Petrology and volcanology

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