February 2018

28.02.2018

# New Publications

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Kleinschmitt, Christoph; et al. (2018): Sensitivity of the radiative forcing by stratospheric sulfur geoengineering to the amount and strategy of the SO2injection studied with the LMDZ-S3A model

Kleinschmitt, Christoph; Boucher, Olivier; Platt, Ulrich (2018): Sensitivity of the radiative forcing by stratospheric sulfur geoengineering to the amount and strategy of the SO2injection studied with the LMDZ-S3A model. In Atmos. Chem. Phys 18 (4), pp. 2769–2786. DOI: 10.5194/acp-18-2769-2018.

"In this study we use the atmospheric general circulation model LMDZ with the sectional aerosol module S3A to determine how the forcing efficiency depends on the injected amount of SO2, the injection height, and the spatio-temporal pattern of injection. We find that the forcing efficiency may decrease more drastically for larger SO2 injections than previously estimated. As a result, the net instantaneous radiative forcing does not exceed the limit of –2 W m−2 for continuous equatorial SO2 injections and it decreases (in absolute value) for injection rates larger than 20 Tg S yr−1. In contrast to other studies, the net radiative forcing in our experiments is fairly constant with injection height (in a range 17 to 23 km) for a given amount of SO2 injected."

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28.02.2018

# New Publications

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Visioni, Daniele; et al. (2018): Sulfur deposition changes under sulfate geoengineering conditions. Quasi-biennial oscillation effects on the transport and lifetime of stratospheric aerosols

Visioni, Daniele; Pitari, Giovanni; Tuccella, Paolo; Curci, Gabriele (2018): Sulfur deposition changes under sulfate geoengineering conditions. Quasi-biennial oscillation effects on the transport and lifetime of stratospheric aerosols. In Atmos. Chem. Phys 18 (4), pp. 2787–2808. DOI: 10.5194/acp-18-2787-2018.

"Among several possible environmental side effects, the increase in sulfur deposition deserves additional investigation. In this study we present results from a composition–climate coupled model (University of L'Aquila Composition-Chemistry Model, ULAQ-CCM) and a chemistry-transport model (Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry-Transport Model, GEOS-Chem), assuming a sustained lower-stratospheric equatorial injection of 8 Tg SO2 yr−1. Total S deposition is found to globally increase by 5.2 % when sulfate geoengineering is deployed, with a clear interhemispheric asymmetry (+3.8 and +10.3 % in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and the Southern Hemisphere (SH), due to +2.2 and +1.8 Tg S yr−1, respectively)."

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26.02.2018

# Calls & events

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Newsletter of Week 09 of 2018

The newsletter of calendar week 09 in 2018 is now available here.


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26.02.2018

# Media

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Natural News: Geoengineering science: Aerosols impact cloud formation and weather; atmospheric scientists document the effects

"Local efforts to reduce air pollution may not be enough to eliminate the possibility of severe weather conditions because of widespread aerosol use, according to new research. To be more specific, aerosols that have been released into the atmosphere can affect cloud formations and even influence weather patterns, according to researchers from the University of Arizona and Texas A&M University. What’s more, the effects of the aerosols can be seen over regions up to many thousands of miles away from the places where they were originally released. This could have massive implications in the study of meteorology, particularly in trying to determine which ones have positive and negative effects when they are released into the atmosphere."

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26.02.2018

# New Publications

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Mengis, Nadine; et al. (2018): Systematic Correlation Matrix Evaluation (SCoMaE) – a bottom–up, science-led approach to identifying indicators

Mengis, Nadine; Keller, David P.; Oschlies, Andreas (2018): Systematic Correlation Matrix Evaluation (SCoMaE) – a bottom–up, science-led approach to identifying indicators. In Earth Syst. Dynam. 9 (1), pp. 15–31. DOI: 10.5194/esd-9-15-2018.

"The example application of the SCoMaE method to Earth system model output forced by different CO2 emission scenarios reveals the necessity of reevaluating indicators identified in a historical scenario simulation for an accurate assessment of an intermediate–high, as well as a business-as-usual, climate change scenario simulation. This necessity arises from changes in prevailing correlations in the Earth system under varying climate forcing. For a comparative assessment of the three climate change scenarios, we construct and evaluate a common correlation matrix, in which we identify robust correlations between variables across the three considered scenarios."

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26.02.2018

# Media

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C2G2: How do we categorise carbon removal?

"Does it matter how these technologies are categorised, when what really matters is what they do?  It turns out that in the minefield of international climate policy, it does. In fact, it may be instrumental in determining how governments address carbon removal over the coming decade."

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26.02.2018

# Media

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Reuters: Dirty industry undermines push to curb global warming - ex-UN climate chief

"Despite the challenges to the Mission 2020 goal, Figueres cautioned against relying on controversial “geoengineering” techniques to try to cool the planet’s temperature. So-called “negative emissions” technologies - to suck carbon back out of the atmosphere - could involve capturing gases and storing them underground or fertilizing oceans to make them absorb more carbon dioxide."

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26.02.2018

# Media

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MIT Technology Review: The carbon-capture era may finally be starting

"Analysis of a newly approved tax credit shows it could make an immediate dent in industrial emissions and narrow the financial gap for power plants."

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26.02.2018

# Media

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VN Valley News: A Renewed Focus on Forestry

"Out of Cobb Hill Co-housing's 270 acres, 180 are forested, and as a member of the cooperative's forestry committee, Bill Stack helps manage the woods with the goal of improving its health and diversity. Part of that management includes preserving and encouraging the growth of larger trees that hold more carbon."

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26.02.2018

# Media

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Reuters: The EU must lead on natural climate solutions

"The EASAC report does highlight the importance of one natural climate solution – reducing deforestation. This is often the cheapest way to cut net carbon emissions and involves preventing the conversion of forest carbon stocks for logging, agriculture or urban development. Reducing deforestation is certainly important, but reforestation will also be necessary to achieve the level of carbon dioxide mitigation needed. Contrary to what the EASAC report suggests, here is no trade-off between the two. In fact, well-managed reforestation can actually help countries slow or halt deforestation. "

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