Climate Change - Precipitation

This page presents notes on scientific published articles related to Precipitation.

Article: "Aerosol Effect on Cloud Droplet Size Monitored from Satellite." The effect of aerosols on cloud microphysics is significant and occurs on a global scale. Aerosol radiative forcing has a net cooling effect on climate. Aerosols in clouds increases number of droplets, reducing mean droplet size. Aerosols in clouds also suppresses rain. Satellite measurement cannot distinguish between natural and man-made aerosols. Large part of aerosol effect on clouds probably from man. Source: Science, Volume 295, Number 5556. Date: 2002 February 1

Article: "Insignificant Change in Antarctic Snowfall Since the Interglacial Geophysical Year." No statistically significant change in Antarctic snowfall since 1950s. Antarctic snowfall is not currently compensating for melting at ice sheet periphery. Climate models that predict increasing precipitation over Antarctic in conjunction with warming may need revisiting. Source: Science, Volume 313, Number 5788. Date: 2006 August 11

Article: "Detection of human influence on twentieth-century precipitation trends." Anthropogenic forcing has had a detectable influence on observed changes in average precipitation. Mankind contributed significantly to observed increases in precipitation in North Hemisphere mid-latitudes. Mankind contributed significantly to observed drying in precipitation in North Hemisphere subtropics and tropics. Mankind contributed significantly to observed moistening in South Hemisphere subtropic and deep tropics. Source: Nature, Volume 448, Number 7152. Date: 2007 July 26

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Last updated: 2007 Nov 24.
Global Warming and Climate Change
Copyright (C) 2007 Ken Polsson (email: kpolsson@islandnet.com)
URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/climate)