Washington, Aug 2 (IANS) Satellite-based estimates significantly underestimate the impact of aerosols on Earth's climate, lying at the heart of the greatest uncertainty in climate change. "The satellite estimates are much too small," said Joyce Penner, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Michigan, who led the study. Aerosols are the core of 'cloud droplets' — water particles in the air that form precipitation, according to a report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Increasing aerosol particles, along with soot and sulfur dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, cause an increase in cloud droplets, making clouds brighter, which reflect more light and have a greater cooling effect on the planet, the university statement said. Scientists offer different scenarios regarding the extent of their cooling effect, suggesting global average temperatures during the next century could range from less than two to more than three degrees Celsius.
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