Stratospheric aerosols cool the Earth by scattering sunlight. Although sulfuric acid dominates the stratospheric aerosol, this study finds that organic material in the lowermost stratosphere contributes 30-40% of the nonvolcanic stratospheric aerosol optical depth (sAOD). Simulations indicate that nonvolcanic sAOD has increased 77% since 1850. Stratospheric aerosol accounts for 21% of the total direct aerosol radiative forcing (which is negative) and 12% of the total aerosol optical depth (AOD) increase from organics and sulfate. There is a larger stratospheric influence on radiative forcing (i.e., 21%) relative to AOD (i.e., 12%) because an increase of tropospheric black carbon warms the planet while stratospheric aerosols (including black carbon) cool the planet. Radiative forcing from nonvolcanic stratospheric aerosol mass of anthropogenic origin, including organics, has not been widely considered as a significant influence on the climate system.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016gl070153

Journal Article