Dienstag, 05. November 2013, 17:00 - 19:00 iCal

Greenhouse Gases and Aerosols:A Climate Tug-of-War

Prof. Meinrat O. Andreae

Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, Mainz

Universität Wien, Fakultät für Physik, Lise-Meitner-Hörsaal
Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Wien

Lecture


Abstract: Atmospheric aerosols have counteracted the warming effects of greenhouse gases over the past century. This has provided some “climate protection”, but also prevented the true magnitude of the problem from becoming evident.

Over the coming century, the role of aerosols in opposing global warming will wane, since their lifetime is short, and because there are powerful policy reasons to reduce their emissions. They will, on the other hand, continue to play a role in regional climate change, especially with regard to the water cycle.

The end of significant “climate protection” by atmospheric aerosols, combined with the potentially very high sensitivity of the climate system, make sharp and prompt reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, especially CO2, very urgent.


Veranstalter

Fakultät für Physik


Kontakt

Sandra Knogler
Fakultät für Physik
Dekanat
4277 510 02
sandra.knogler@univie.ac.at