Surface albedo regulates aerosol direct climate effect

Aerosols and Surface Albedo (SA) are critical in balancing Earth’s energy budget. With the changes of surface types and corresponding SA in recent years, an intriguing yet unresolved question emerges: how does Aerosol Direct Radiative Effect (ADRE) and its warming effect (AWE) change with varying SA? Here we investigate the critical SA marking ADRE shift from negative to positive under varying aerosol properties, along with the impact of SA on the ADRE. Results show that AWE often occurs in mid-high latitudes or regions with high-absorptivity aerosols, with critical SA ranging from 0.18 to 0.96. Thinner and/or more absorptive aerosols more readily cause AWE statistically. In regions where the SA trend is significant, SA has decreased at −0.012/decade, causing a −0.2 ± 0.17 W/m²/decade ADRE change, with the most pronounced changes in the Northern Hemisphere during June-July. As SA declines, we highlight enhanced ADRE cooling or reduced AWE, indicating aerosols’ stronger cooling, partly countering the energy rise from SA reduction.