ABSTRACT

Inside Pandora’s box are aerosols, which are airborne particulate matter from the burning of such organic things as coal, oil, forest fires, biofuels, or other plant material, as well as dust that can alter the balance of energy affecting Earth by reflecting or absorbing energy from the sun. Whether particulate matter is light in color and thus reflective, which exerts a net cooling effect, or is dark in color and thus absorptive, which exerts a net warming effect, will depend on the type of aerosol. Light-colored dust drifting over a dark, oceanic surface reflects solar energy back into space, whereas the dark, underlying water absorbs the energy that touches its surface.