edu.ucar.opensky::articles:25888 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-24T19:59:10.385416 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7kd22r0 Fire aerosols slow down the global water cycle 2022-11-15T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7kd22r0 https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0817.1 Li, F. author Lawrence, David M. author Jiang, Y. author Liu, X. author Lin, Z. author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher Fire is an important Earth system process and the largest source of global primary carbonaceous aerosols. Earlier studies have focused on the influence of fire aerosols on radiation, surface climate, air quality, and biogeochemical cycle. The impact of fire aerosols on the global water cycle has not been quantified and related mechanisms remain largely unclear. This study provides the first quantitative assessment and understanding of the influence of fire aerosols on the global water cycle. This is done by quantifying the difference between simulations with and without fire aerosols using the coupled Community Earth System Model (CESM). Results show that present-day fire aerosols weaken the global water cycle significantly. They decrease the continental precipitation, evapotranspiration, and runoff by 4.1 +/- 1.8, 2.5 +/- 0.5, and 1.5 +/- 1.4 x10(3) km(3) yr(-1) as well as ocean evaporation, precipitation, and water vapor transport from ocean to land by 8.1 +/- 1.9, 6.6 +/- 2.3, and 1.5 +/- 1.4 x10(3) km(3) yr(-1). The impacts of fire aerosols are most clearly seen in the tropics and the Arctic-boreal zone. Fire aerosols affect the global water cycle mainly by cooling the surface, which reduces ocean evaporation, land soil evaporation, and plant transpiration. The decreased water vapor load in the atmosphere leads to a decrease in precipitation, which contributes to reduced surface runoff and subsurface drainage. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright 2022 American Meteorological Society (AMS). None eng geoscientificInformation