Thinning clouds over the ocean exacerbate global warming by leading to more rapid temperature increases, according to the results of a new study, published today.
The research combined data, collected by observers on ships and satellites, going back over a century.
The effect clouds have on climate has been something of a mystery to atmospheric scientists, with some researchers hoping they would provide a silver lining by acting as a brake on climate change.
One possibility was that higher temperatures would mean more clouds, which in turn would bounce more of the sun's radiation back into space, but this theory has not been reflected in the study's findings.
Instead, researchers found that, as oceans become warmer, low-level clouds dissipate from the skies.
This means more sunlight reaches the ocean surface - a runaway process that leads to more warming and less cloud cover.
"This is somewhat of a vicious cycle, potentially exacerbating global warming," Amy Clement, a professor of meteorology and physical oceanography at the University of Miami, said.
The cloud feedback pattern had been difficult to spot previously because the effect of global warming is heavily obscured by normal weather fluctuations.
SOURCE : guardian.co.uk
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