期刊名称：Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection
印刷版ISSN：2327-4336
电子版ISSN：2327-4344
出版年度：2018
卷号：6
期号：4
页码：22-34
DOI：10.4236/gep.2018.64002
语种：English
出版社：Scientific Research Pub
摘要：Atmospheric aerosols have contributed to radiative forcing through direct and indirect mechanisms. Aerosol effects are important in computing radiative forcing estimates for the past, current and future climate. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of regional aerosol radiative forcing, Optical Properties of Aerosol and Clouds (OPAC) model (wavelength range of 0.25 - 4.0 μm) over selected sites in East Africa was done. Aerosol optical properties constituted the inputs of a Radiative Transfer Model (RTM). Op-tical properties investigated included Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) and Asymmetry Parameter (AP). Aerosol Radiative Forcing (ARF) during the study period at the surface (SFC), top of the atmosphere (TOA) and the atmosphere (ATM) was estimated to be -18.4 ± 1.4 W·m-2, +1.1 ± 0.3 W·m-2 and +19.5 ± 2.5 W·m-2, respectively. This corresponds to an increment in net atmospheric forcing at a heating rate of about 0.55 ± 0.05 K/day (0.41 ± 0.03 to 0.78 ± 0.03 K/day) in the lower troposphere. The study points out the significant role played by atmospheric aerosols in climate modification over the area of study. It is recommended that a further assessment be done in view of uncertainties that may impact on the findings and which were not within the scope of this research.
