656474 external_news 1647621299 1647621345 While wildfires destroy homes, plant life and animals, they also contribute to global warming, according to a new study. Researchers from Tianjin University have revealed how 'brown carbon' released during wildfires in the Northern Hemisphere are accelerating global warming in the Arctic. Brown carbon is a major product of wildfires, and is created when grasses, wood, and other biological material burn. A separate 2021 study led by Rodney Weber, professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences showed wildfire smoke in the air may affect surface temperatures. Weber says while most brown carbon stays in the lower atmosphere, enough leaks into the upper atmosphere where it has a disproportionately large effect on the planetary radiation balance – much stronger than if it was at the surface.

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