Nuclear war: Illustrative effects of atmospheric smoke and dust upon solar radiation

Abstract

It has recently been suggested that following a nuclear exchange there might be a significant reduction in surface temperature over land areas, due to the impact upon the radiation budget of the surface-atmosphere system of smoke produced by fires and of dust injected into the stratosphere by ground bursts. The present study addresses several aspects of this possible radiative perturbation, such as the unusual nature of the climate response to the perturbation, a description of differences which are inherent within existing model studies, an evaluation of radiative transfer assumptions which have been employed in existing model studies, and illustrative latitudinal and diurnal variability of the smoke-dust impact upon solar radiation.