Fluctuations in the amount of solar radiation on Earth have been recorded

An international group of scientists led by Professor Martin Wild from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology has discovered significant changes in the amount of sunlight reaching the surface of our planet. The research results are published in the authoritative scientific journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.

Analysis of long-term observations revealed a surprising pattern: from the 1950s to the 1980s, the Earth experienced global "dimming" - a noticeable decrease in the amount of solar radiation reaching the surface. However, since the 1990s, a reverse process began - "brightening," when the solar flux gradually started to recover thanks to improvements in environmental conditions.

The researchers focused on China, which provided a unique opportunity to study this phenomenon.

"China has an extensive network of meteorological observations and long-term data archives, making it one of the most studied countries in the context of dimming and brightening," noted Professor Wild.

The study showed that China experienced a particularly pronounced decrease in solar energy from the 1960s to the 1990s due to severe air pollution. However, starting from the 2000s, the situation began to change for the better: thanks to effective measures to combat pollution, solar energy again began to reach the surface in larger volumes.

"If China manages to fully restore the level of atmospheric cleanliness observed in the 1960s, this could significantly increase the efficiency of solar energy," Wild emphasized.

He also added that such changes are important not only for climate and ecology but also for assessing resources in the field of solar energy, which is actively developing.

Scientists emphasize that changes in solar radiation affect many areas - from climate and agriculture to human health and energy, so monitoring these processes should become a priority direction for scientific research.