Influence of oceanic whitecaps on the global radiation budget

Oceanic whitecaps may exert a cooling influence on the planet by increasing surface albedo. The direct, globally averaged radiative forcing due to whi tecaps lies in the range 0-0.14 Wm(-2) with a probable value of 0.03 Wm(-2) . Though small, this global value is not negligible compared with the forci ng due to some greenhouse gases and anthropogenic aerosols since preindustr ial times. The relative importance of whitecaps may be greater on regional and seasonal scales, with radiative forcing values reaching 0.7 Wm(-2) in t he Indian Ocean during summer. Whitecap effects on surface albedo should be taken into account explicitly in the numerical modeling and analysis of cl imate change.