Pallé et al Albedo versus Temperature

Andre · Pallé et al Albedo versus Temperature

Some time ago I posted about the correlation of earth albedo and global temperatures

The albedo variation is digitized from Pallé et al 2006, (fig2) variation in %. The global temperature variation in tenths of degrees in in top graph is from the file HADcru3gl

Sources:

http://www.iac.es/galeria/epalle/reprints/Palle_etal_EOS_2006.pdf
http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/data/temperature/hadcrut3gl.txt

An r2 of 62% should not be neglected

billiards

Yes, of course, if you increase planetary albedo you lower the amount of solar radiation which reaches the planet.

Average heat reaching the Earth per unit time=pi*Re^2*(1-a)Cs.

Re=radius of earth=6371 km
Cs=solar constant=1370 Wm^-2
a=albedo

Andre

But the r2 also suggests that the albedo variation is the main cause for the variation in global temperatures. which would exclude other facters (ie CO2) to be the main cause.

billiards

I would cautiously agree with the bit about albedo being dominant here; however, what causes the drop in albedo?

Andre

Good question Jack

There are supposition about solar wind changes and condensation nuclei also changes in the ENSO pattern and other oscillations may change cloud cover patterns.