Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026
10:28
Investigating the Relationship between Sea Surface Chlorophyll and Major Features of the South China Sea with Satellite Information
Published on: June 13, 2020
Targeted marine cloud brightening weakens subsequent El Niño
Jessica S Wan1,2, John T Fasullo3, Nan Rosenbloom3
1Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Science Advances
|July 8, 2026
Summary
Marine cloud brightening (MCB) can disrupt El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, potentially mitigating extreme weather. However, interventions must be carefully timed and sustained to avoid unintended consequences like earlier La Niña events.
Area of Science:
- Climate Science
- Solar Geoengineering
- Atmospheric Physics
Background:
- Extreme weather events are amplified by anthropogenic warming and natural climate variability.
- Marine cloud brightening (MCB) is a solar geoengineering technique proposed to reduce global warming.
- The potential of MCB to influence seasonal-to-multiyear climate phenomena like ENSO remains untested.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of regional marine cloud brightening (MCB) in deliberately modifying El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events.
- To explore the impact of MCB interventions on specific historical El Niño events.
- To assess the potential unintended consequences of using MCB for climate modulation.
Main Methods:
- Simulated MCB in the southeast Pacific, inspired by the 2019-2020 Australian wildfire event, to reproduce natural cloud brightening and La Niña-like responses.
- Modeling the effects of MCB initiation during the growth phase of the 1997-1998 and 2015-2016 El Niño events.
- Analyzing the disruption of Bjerknes feedbacks and teleconnections associated with El Niño.
Main Results:
- Simulated MCB successfully reproduced natural cloud brightening and a La Niña-like response.
- MCB interventions initiated during El Niño growth disrupted amplifying feedbacks, but effects diminished post-termination.
- Early and sustained MCB interventions were most effective in restoring neutral ENSO conditions and weakening teleconnections.
- Weakening El Niño via MCB could lead to unintended consequences, such as an earlier subsequent La Niña.
Conclusions:
- Regional MCB shows potential for modifying ENSO dynamics, offering a new avenue for climate intervention research.
- The timing and duration of MCB interventions are critical factors determining their effectiveness and potential side effects.
- Further research into climate variability and teleconnections is warranted for advancing solar geoengineering strategies.
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