Scientists isolate climatic fingerprints of wildfires and volcanic eruptions

Volcanoes and wildfires can inject millions of tons of gases and aerosol particles into the air, affecting temperatures on a global scale. But picking out the specific impact of individual events against a background of many contributing factors is like listening for one person's voice from across a crowded concourse. MIT scientists now have a way to quiet the noise and identify the specific signal of wildfires and volcanic eruptions, including their effects on Earth's global atmospheric temperatures.