TED: How aerosols brighten clouds — and cool the planet | Sarah J. Doherty

What is the unintended consequence of reducing particulate pollution?

• Acceleration of climate warming

• Reduction in global temperatures

• Increased greenhouse gas emissions

• Decrease in air quality

How do aerosols primarily cool the climate?

• By reducing greenhouse gas levels

• By absorbing sunlight

• By increasing cloud reflectivity

• By trapping heat in the atmosphere

What is a significant challenge in understanding the cooling effect of aerosols?

• Uncertainty in the extent of cooling

• Difficulty in reducing aerosol emissions

• Lack of global climate models

• Inability to measure greenhouse gases

What natural substance is proposed for use in marine cloud brightening?

• Carbon dioxide

• Sulfur dioxide

• Sea salt

• Nitrogen oxides

Why are current global climate models limited in studying marine cloud brightening?

• They do not account for greenhouse gases

• They lack detailed interactions between aerosols and clouds

• They are too expensive to run

• They focus only on land-based aerosols

What is the purpose of the new instrument being developed?

• To reduce global temperatures

• To generate sea salt aerosols for studies

• To measure greenhouse gas emissions

• To increase cloud formation

What is a major technological challenge in generating sea salt aerosols?

• Increasing the lifespan of aerosols

• Producing the correct size and quantity of aerosols

• Finding the right location for studies

• Reducing the cost of production

Where is the new research facility located?

• On a university campus

• In a remote desert

• On the USS Hornet Sea Air and Space Museum

• In a coastal forest

What is the main goal of the CARE Research Facility?

• To reduce greenhouse gas emissions

• To increase cloud formation

• To engage the public and study aerosols

• To develop new climate models

What is the potential role of marine cloud brightening in climate change?

• To treat the symptom of excess heat

• To reverse the effects of greenhouse gases

• To eliminate all aerosols

• To increase global temperatures