Global Warming

Moistening of Atmosphere Linked to Humans

Human activities have been linked to a steady increase of the most abundant greenhouse gas, water vapour, during the past 30 years.

Researchers at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and colleagues compared the increase in upper-atmospheric moisture during that period with climate model predictions.

They determined that rising water vapour in the upper troposphere cannot be explained by natural causes, such as volcanoes or changes in solar radiation.

But they found it can be attributed to increases in other greenhouse gases, like CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels.

The increased moisture 3 to 7 miles above the surface causes the air to absorb even more heat, and is predicted to amplify global warming.

More moisture in the air has been linked to the emissions of other greenhouse gasses over the past few decades.