[LINK] Sulfur cited in Earth's cooling

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Sulfur cited in Earth's cooling

<http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110705/BUSINESS/107050313/Sulf
ur-cited-Earth-s-cooling> 


Scientists have come up with a possible explanation for why the rise in 
Earth's temperature paused for a bit during the 2000s, one of the hottest 
decades on record.

It's all that sulfur pollution in the air from China's massive coal-
burning, according to a new study.

Sulfur particles in the air deflect the sun's rays and can temporarily 
cool things down a bit. That can happen even as coal-burning produces the 
carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming

"People normally just focus on the warming effect of CO2 (carbon 
dioxide), but during the Chinese economic expansion there was a huge 
increase in sulfur emissions," which have a cooling effect, explained 
Robert K. Kaufmann of Boston University. He's the lead author of the 
study published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Chinese coal consumption doubled between 2003 and 2007, and that caused a 
26 percent increase in global coal consumption, he said.

But sulfur's cooling effect is only temporary, while the carbon dioxide 
from coal burning stays in Earth's atmosphere a long time.


Message sent using MelbPC WebMail Server