A new study from Columbia University explains the physics behind the stratospheric cooling paradox. While carbon dioxide traps heat in the lower atmosphere to warm the planet, it acts as a radiator in the upper atmosphere, emitting infrared energy into space and cooling the stratosphere. This mechanistic understanding reveals that as CO2 concentrations rise, the stratosphere becomes more efficient at radiating heat. However, because the layer becomes colder, it ultimately radiates less total energy away from Earth, which further traps heat at the surface and accelerates global warming.
