HR: 0800h
AN: A51B-01    [Abstracts]
TI: Impacts of Atmospheric Aerosols on Regional Climate Changes
AU: * Liu, S C
EM: shawliu@rcec.sinica.edu.tw
AF: Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 1-48, Nankang Taipei, Taiwan, 11529 ROC , Taipei, 115, Taiwan
AU: Shiu, C
EM: cjshiu@rcec.sinica.edu.tw
AF: Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Roosevelt Road, Sec. 2 Taipei, Taiwan, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
AU: Chen, J
EM: jpchen@as.ntu.edu.tw
AF: Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Roosevelt Road, Sec. 2 Taipei, Taiwan, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
AB: In this study observed changes in climate parameters of Taiwan, and in certain cases those of China, are examined with emphasis on changes likely caused by anthropogenic aerosols, particularly those due to the indirect effect of aerosols. As a newly developed country with high population density and extremely large number of factories, Taiwan has one of the highest concentrations of anthropogenic aerosols in the world. Moreover, being an island Taiwan is relatively removed from the direct influence of emissions in other regions of Asia. Since Taiwan has kept a relatively complete, good quality record of climate parameters for the last 100 years, it provides an excellent, unique opportunity to examine the interactions between anthropogenic aerosols and climate changes. We have found two significant changes in climate parameters that are likely caused by anthropogenic aerosols. The first is that the average yearly sunshine duration has decreased by about 15% since 1970's. The other change that has occurred around the same time period is a significant decreasing trend in light precipitation (< 5 mm/hr). We will show that a highly likely cause of the reduction in sunshine duration is an increase in synoptic scale clouds and/or cloud albedo as a result of increased anthropogenic aerosols over Asia. The decreasing trend in light precipitation may also be due to the indirect effect of anthropogenic aerosols. However, other factors and/or processes, e.g. land-use changes and direct effect of aerosols may also play a non-negligible role.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly