Abstract:

Black carbon (BC) aerosol can strongly absorb the solar radiation in a very broad spectral range from the visible to infrared waveband, therefore it is thought to be a potential factor that causes the global warming. BC aerosol not only alters the radiation equilibrium of the earth-atmosphere system through its direct effect, but also indirectly affects the global or regional climate through changing cloud microphysical properties by acting as cloud condensation nuclei or ice nuclei. In this paper, we reviewed the recent progresses in the studies on the radiative forcing due to BC and its climatic effects, reported the uncertainties existing in current researches, and gave some suggestions for the relevant studies in the future.

Key words: black carbon aerosol, radiative forcing, climate effect