The Arctic Cloud Puzzle: Using ACLOUD/PASCAL Multiplatform Observations to Unravel the Role of Clouds and Aerosol Particles in Arctic Amplification
A consortium of polar scientists combined observational forces in a field campaign of unprecedented complexity to uncover the secrets of clouds and their role in Arctic amplification. Two research aircraft, an icebreaker research vessel, an ice-floe camp including an instrumented tethered balloon, and a permanent ground-based measurement station were employed in this endeavour. Clouds play an important role in Arctic amplification. This term represents the recently observed enhanced warming of the Arctic relative to the global increase of near-surface air temperature. However, there are still important knowledge gaps regarding the interplay between Arctic clouds and aerosol particles, surfa…
Regional and seasonal radiative forcing by perturbations to aerosol and ozone precursor emissions
Abstract. Dedicated model simulations by four general circulation and chemistry-transport models are used to establish a matrix of specific radiative forcing, defined as the radiative forcing per unit change in mass emitted, as a function of the near-term climate forcer emitted, its source region, and the season of emission. Emissions of eight near-term climate forcers are reduced: sulphur dioxide, the precursor to sulphate aerosols; black carbon aerosols; organic carbon aerosols; ammonia, a precursor to nitrate aerosols; methane; and nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds, the precursors to ozone and to secondary organic aerosols. The focus is on two source region…