Speaker: Dr. Eric Leibensperger (MIT)
Abstract: Anthropogenic aerosols provide a net negative radiative forcing through interactions with solar radiation and cloud microphysics. However, the magnitude and spatial extent of the climate response to aerosol forcing remains unclear. In the US, aerosol concentrations peaked in 1980 and have since rapidly decreased due to air quality regulations. This suggests the climate effects of anthropogenic aerosols have been undone in recent decades and creates an interesting testbed to analyze the climate response of aerosols. Here I use observations and models of atmospheric chemistry and climate to investigate the climate effects of US anthropogenic aerosols. I find that the regional radiative forcing of US anthropogenic aerosols elicits a strong regional climate response. In addition, I show that trends in aerosol sources have greatly impacted surface air temperature trends in the US.
Speaker's website: http://web.mit.edu/eleibens/www/