Mixed-phase clouds slow down global warming, but only up to a certain point

Clouds have a slowing effect on global warming. When ice crystals in the clouds high up in the atmosphere melts into droplets, they reflect more sunlight. But what happens when there are no more ice to melt? This worries the researchers behind a new study published recently in Nature Geoscience.

Clouds are one of the uncertainities in the climate models. Photo: Colurbox

Clouds that contain both water droplets and ice crystals, called mixed-phase clouds, have a slowing effect on global warming.

This is because the clouds reflect more and more sunlight as ice turns to water.

But what happens when all the ice crystals have turned into droplets?

Doctoral Research Fellow Jenny Bjordal and Professor Trude Storelvmo at the Department of Geosciences at the University of Oslo have tried to figure it out.

Read about this research:

Mixed-phase clouds slow down global warming, but only up to a certain point, titan.uio.no, 26.10.2020

The scientific article:

Bjordal, J., Storelvmo, T., Alterskjær, K. & T. Carlsen. 2020. Equilibrium climate sensitivity above 5°C plausible due to state-dependent cloud phase feedback. Nature Geoscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-020-00649-1

Published Oct. 28, 2020 1:49 PM - Last modified Oct. 28, 2020 2:00 PM