Atmospheric aerosols
Microscopic particles suspended in the Earth's atmosphere are referred to as 'Atmospheric aerosols'. The importance of these microscopic particles are that they act to cool the climate because they reflect sunlight back into space.
Atmospheric aerosols are derived from both human activities and natural sources. Emissions of gases, e.g. sulphur and nitrogen oxides, as well as smoke and soot from burning biomass material and fossil fuels increase the levels of aeosols in the atmosphere.