A numerical investigation of the impacts of anthropogenic sulfate aerosol on regional climate in East Asia

Abstract

Aerosol and its effects, especially its indirect effects, on climate have drawn more and more attention in recent years. In this study, the first indirect radiative forcing (RF) of sulfate aerosol and its impacts on the regional climate in East Asia during the period from December 2008 to November 2009 were investigated. Affected by the general circulation and the conversion efficiency from SO2 to SO42− in aqueous phase, a remarkable seasonal variation of sulfate was found. The results show that the highest sulfate concentration as large as 24 g m−2 appears in the summer. The indirect RF due to sulfate aerosol at the top of atmosphere (TOA) and the surface is negative, which leads to a cooling effect on the surface by 0.12°C and a reduction of precipitation by 0.01 mm d−1. The tendencies of temperature and rainfall have significant diversity in space and time. The cloud feedback, associated with the hydrologic cycle and energy budget, is responsible for this discordant distribution. The variation of low cloud dominates the change of surface temperature. The subsidence due to the cooling effect in the mid atmosphere restrained and reduced the low clouds, leading to an apparent warm effect on the surface in Northeast Mongolia.