What might be a non CO2 radiative forcing?

Significantly, these calculations don’t take into account the radiative forcing – the impact on the overall energy balance of the planet – caused by non-CO2 warming pollutants, such as water vapour, aerosols and nitrogen oxides. They are thought to have a significant warming effect.

How does CO2 affect radiative forcing?

Thus CO2 concentration is a positive forcing on the temperature. For the particular atmospheric conditions chosen for this simulation, the doubled CO2 concentration decreases the amount of IR emission energy by 3.53 W·m–2. Thus, this imaginary CO2 concentration doubling produces a radiative forcing of +3.53 W·m–2.

What is the radiative forcing of CO2?

Radiative forcing is the change in energy flux in the atmosphere caused by natural and/or anthropogenic factors of climate change as measured by watts / metre2. It is the scientific basis for the greenhouse effect on planets, and plays an important role in computational models of Earth’s energy balance and climate.

What is an example of radiative forcing?

In other cases, radiative forcing has an anthropogenic, or exclusively human, origin. For example, anthropogenic increases in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are estimated to account for 2.3 watts per square metre of positive radiative forcing.

What is an example of negative radiative forcing?

The current net solar radiation has been calculated to 168 Watts per square meter on the Earth’s surface. If this figure is reduced, we experience a negative radiative forcing. (Just to relate this to something familiar: one small christmas tree light yields 1 watt of energy.)

What increases radiative forcing?

Changes in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere affect radiative forcing (see the Atmospheric Concentrations of Greenhouse Gases indicator). Greenhouse gases absorb energy that radiates upward from the Earth’s surface, re-emitting heat to the lower atmosphere and warming the Earth’s surface.

What does radiative forcing do?

Radiative forcing is a measure of the change in energy balance as a result of a change in a forcing agent (e.g., greenhouse gaseous, aerosol, cloud, and surface albedo) to affect the global energy balance and contribute to climate change.

What reduces radiative forcing?

The addition of climate and land use change decreases the direct radiative forcing (−0.38 W m−2) by 6.3% and the indirect radiative forcing (−1.68 W m−2) by 3.5% due to the size distribution and number concentration change of secondary organic aerosol and sulfate.

What is a positive forcing?

These changes are measured by the amount of warming or cooling they can produce, which is called “radiative forcing.” Changes that have a warming effect are called “positive” forcing, while changes that have a cooling effect are called “negative” forcing.

What is the radiative forcing of CO 2?

The 1750–2011 CO 2 RF is within 1% of IPCC’s value but is about 10% higher when CO 2 amounts reach 2000 ppm, a value projected to be possible under the extended RCP8.5 scenario.

What is the difference between radiative forcing and climate forcing?

Radiative forcing. Radiative forcing or climate forcing is the difference between insolation (sunlight) absorbed by the Earth and energy radiated back to space.

What is radiative forcing of methane and nitrous oxide?

New calculations of the radiative forcing (RF) are presented for the three main well-mixed greenhouse gases, methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide.

How are planes affected by non-CO2 emissions?

Rather than optimising routes of individual aircrafts, it proposes restricting planes from flying in whole regions of airspace. The system would force aircraft to fly around regions where non-CO2 emissions would have a large impact on radiative forcing.