Clouds alter climate change: Scientists
Q. Clouds act as thermal regulators for earth by doing exactly what?- Published on 12 Jul 16a. Enhance absorption of solar radiation by the earth
b. Reduce emission of thermal radiation to space
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above
ANSWER: Both a and b
Clouds act as thermal regulators for Earth altering the character and global distribution due to climate change and could make warming worse.
- Trawl of satellite images have revealed cloudiness in the temperate mid latitude zones between the poles and subtropics in both hemispheres accompanied by poleward expansion of subtropical dry zones.
- Tops of clouds everywhere rose higher, according to data stretched over more than two decades from early 1980s
- Cloud changes enhance the absorption of solar radiation by the earth and reduce emission of thermal radiation to space.
- This increases global warming by increasing GHG concentration.
- Clouds regulate earth’s temperature by reflecting some solar radiation back into space before it can hit the ground
