Aerosols, Urban Heat Island Effect and Greenhouse Gases Conclusion

Aerosols, the urban heat island effect and greenhouse gases all affect climate change in different ways. They all have their respective roles, but most data and scientists agree that the collective result is yet to be discovered. Despite this, we do have solid evidence and data of each of these effects which can be used to draw a conclusion that the effects caused by all of these factors balance each other out.

                The urban heat island effect is one of the pieces of evidence we do know about. The effect takes place when solar radiation, or sunlight, hits solid or dark surfaces and is absorbed. The heat from the sunlight is then reflected back at a longer wave length and heats up the area around it. The reemitted light turns into long wavelength infrared radiation.  Urban areas are warmer than rural areas because of the low albedo, or reflectivity, of the surfaces in cities like asphalt, concrete and other dark colored surfaces. Greenhouse gases trap the heat from the radiation and the heat stays on Earth and continues to heat it up as it has no way of escape.