Department of Meteorology, University of Reading

Aerosol effects on the hydrological cycle

Aerosol affects the hydrological cycle through a range of mechanisms: perturbing the net radiation input at the surface and the top of the atmosphere, altering the microphysics of clouds, and changing the temperature structure of the atmosphere. The response of the climate system is complex. We intend to identify metrics of the hydrological cycle likely to be influenced by aerosol, and whether there are any discernable influences on these metrics in CMIP5 and observations.

As part of this work, we have shown that the global temperature hiatus in the mid-twentieth century, and the coincident decrease in precipitation, is likely to have been strongly influenced by anthropogenic aerosol forcing. You can read more about this work in Ellie's blog, our science highlight, or in the article in Environmental Research Letters.