Fewer particulates plus high carbon dioxide equals a warmer planet

NPR reporter Richard Harris describes unintended consequences of cleaning up the particle pollution in the air in a November 11, 2011 report.  Particulate air pollutants contribute to respiratory problems such as asthma.  The effort to control these particulates has the unintended effect of increasing the amount of solar radiation to the planet and speeding up climate change.  This is due to the combination of increased carbon dioxide and reduced particulate production.  The reduction of  particulate matter is much easier to accomplish through point source reduction and the use of fuels generating lower amounts of particulates.

If wildfires such as those in Texas this past summer become more common, then the particulate generation could offset the man made production of the particulates.  The CDC has a link on the health effects of wildfire particulates. 

Wild fire photo from CDC

 

 

Carbon sequestration of emissions from plants is another approach to controlling the temperature.  Sally Benson from the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory describes the technology and risks involved in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. 

According to reports from the USGS, a carbon dioxide produced tree kill zone area is visible in the Mammoth Mountain Long valley caldera in California.  The photo below is from a climate change skeptics web site.  Could this be possible if there was a leak from at a man made carbon dioxide sequestration site?

Tree kill zone near Mammoth Mountain California