Abstract |
A workshop was held to consider the reduction of sunlight caused by aerosols in the atmosphere in terms of the quantity of solar energy lost or redistributed and the possible significance of such a phenomena. The workshop examined possible air pollution, meteorological, and agricultural effects. Discussions within the workshop yielded a consensus on several items: (1) in the eastern United States the annual average loss of solar energy reaching the earth's surface due to aerosols is around 7%; (2) sulfate and soot-containing aerosols are the chief contributors to this effect; (3) most of these aerosols result from man-made sources and (4) measurements of the composition, concentrations, and optical properties of the haze quantitatively confirm the estimate of 7%. The workshop also confirmed that the geographical extent of loss of irradiance is roughly from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic coast and from Tennessee to southeastern Canada. This region is about 1000 km across and has an area of about 1,000,000 sq km. Recommendation for future research are given. |