These results from the California Institute of Technology clearly show changes in the Earth’s albedo, or the amount of reflected sunlight play a more important role than does carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases when it comes to increasing the earth’s global temperature. 1998 has been touted as one of the warmest years on record. For the last fourteen years, however, we know from satellite measurements there has been little perceptible increase in the earth's average global temperature. Scientists now know why. After 1998, the albedo of the earth began to increase, making it much more reflective to sunlight. The most interesting thing here is that the albedo forcings, in watts/sq meter seem to be fairly large. Larger than that of all manmade greenhouse gases (including anthropogenic carbon dioxide) combined. Discussion follows. "The Earth’s climate depends on the net sunlight deposited on the globe, which is critically sensitive to the Earth’s albedo. A global and absolutely calibrated albedo can be determined by measuring the amount of sunlight reflected from the Earth and, in turn, back to the Earth from the dark portion of the face of the Moon (the `earthshine’ or `ashen light’. What earthshine looks like on the moon, using photo enhancement on the lower left. BBSO uses a blocking filter to dim the moonshine crescent, typically about 10,000 times brighter than the earthshine. In simple terms, the lower the albedo of the Earth, the greater amount of solar radiation it will absorb. The greater the albedo, the more solar radiation is reflected. This of course affects earthly temperatures. The Earthsine project is producing some very interesting results. Notably, that the Earth’s Albedo has risen in the past few years, and by doing reconstructions of the past albedo, it appears that there was a significant reduction in Earth’s albedo leading up to a lull in 1997. 1998 has been touted as one of the warmest years on record, and the time lag may have had to do with the thermal inertia of the oceans. Then the albedo increased, making the earth more reflective. Clouds have the greatest potential for changing albedo on a short time scale. The most interesting thing here is that the albedo forcings, in watts/sq meter seem to be fairly large. Larger (5.8 to 6.0 Watts per square meter) than that of all manmade greenhouse gases combined: • Carbon dioxide: 1.5 Watts per square meter. • Methane: 0.5 Watts per square meter. • Nitrous oxide: 0.2 Watts per square meter. • Halocarbons: 0.2 Watts per square meter. • Total from all greenhouse gases: 2.4 Watts per square meter. This rapidly changing albedo lends some credence to Svensmark’s theory of Earth’s cloud cover being modulated by Galactic Cosmic Rays, but it could also be caused by other factors such as aerosols. Whatever the cause for the rapid change in albedo, it seems to have quite an effect of earth’s radiation budget. The California Instttute of Technology has made a press release that summed up the project fairly well: By using a combination of earthshine observations and satellite data on cloud cover, the earthshine team has determined the following: = Earth’s average albedo is not constant from one year to the next; it also changes over decadal timescales. The computer models currently used to study the climate system do not show such large decadal-scale variability of the albedo. = The annual average albedo declined very gradually from 1985 to 1995, and then declined sharply in 1995 and 1996. These observed declines are broadly consistent with previously known satellite measures of cloud amount. = The low albedo during 1997-2001 increased solar heating of the globe at a rate more than twice that expected from a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This “dimming” of Earth, as it would be seen from space, is perhaps connected with this earlier accelerated increase in mean global surface temperatures. = 2001-2003 saw a reversal of the albedo to pre-1995 values; this “brightening” of the Earth is most likely attributable to the effect of increased cloud cover and thickness. These large variations, which are comparable to those in the earth’s infrared (heat) radiation observed in the tropics by satellites, comprise a large influence on Earth’s radiation budget." Source: http://wattsupwiththat.com/
My point is the leftist mafia forces the "global warming" theory for deliberately annihilation of the western industry.
Studies are all over the place on this issue but the bottom line is that no one knows for sure what the main cause is yet.
You are indeed correct, Ostap. These observations were very good. By the way, the Global climate models used by the "warmies" do not agree from one model to the next how much warming there has actually been in the last 60 years. 1998 has been touted as one of the warmest years on record. For the last fourteen years, however, we know from satellite measurements there has been little perceptible increase in the earth's average global temperature. Scientists now know why. After 1998, the albedo of the earth began to increase, making it much more reflective to sunlight. The most interesting thing here is that the albedo forcings, in watts/sq meter seem to be fairly large. Larger than that of all manmade greenhouse gases (including anthropogenic carbon dioxide) combined.
These discussions were very good 2001-2003 saw a reversal of the albedo to pre-1995 values; this “brightening” of the Earth is most likely attributable to the effect of increased cloud cover and thickness. As more solar energy is reflected from the tops of clouds, the climate cools. These large variations, which are comparable to those in the earth’s infrared (heat) radiation observed in the tropics by satellites, comprise a large influence on Earth’s radiation budget."
