Combustion from burning of fossils produce black carbon aerosol particles. Although black carbon is less familiar to most compared to carbon dioxide or methane, it is ranked as a second most contributor to climate change, following after CO2. It absorbs and stores lots of heat coming from sunlight, adding more heat in the atmosphere and worsening the global warming. Not only that, but black carbon covers light surfaces like snow and because of its color that absorbs light, it blocks those surfaces from reflecting the heat into space.

Current measurements for the refractive index of black carbon are not accurate. However, in April this year, the Assistant Professor from the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of Tokyo, Nobuhiro Moteki, and his team conducted research to improve the measurements. Moteki stated that, "With our improved measurements, we now estimate that current climate models may be underestimating the absorption of solar radiation due to black carbon by a significant 16%." The team looks forward to application of their findings through climate researchers and policymakers. 

Reference: Universtiy of Tokyo. "Dark clouds on the horizon: The most accurate measurements yet of black carbon in the atmosphere." ScienceDaily. Science Daily, 10 May 2023. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230510120622.htm>.