Objective High loading of carbonaceous aerosols from residential combustion of coal and wood fuels, traffic, industry, and biomass burning pollute the air of East Asia. The resulting Atmospheric Brown Clouds (ABC) are in wintertime warming the atmosphere yet dimming the surface in this vast region with severe impact on the climate, food and water security as well as air quality. Although these short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) aerosols attract large interests across the science-policy interface, efficient mitigation actions are hampered by the limited understanding of the relative contributions of different sources of combustion-derived carbonaceous aerosols and of their subsequent atmospheric processing. Here the relative contribution from fossil fuel and biomass combustion will be quantified by molecular combustion markers and powerful isotopic fingerprinting, including microscale-14C dating of BC and OC aerosols. Aerosol samples will be probed from recently established Sino-Swedish observational program in the four populated and industrialization hotspots in China (North China Plain – Beijing; Yangtze River Delta – Shanghai; Pearl River Delta – Guangzhou; Szechuan Basin– Chengdu) and from the SE Yellow Sea recipient site on a Jeju Island (Korea Climate Observatory – Gosan), providing an ideal context for these investigations. The molecular/isotopic fingerprints of such synoptic aerosol samples provide integrated source signature and possibility to assess atmospheric processing during over-ocean long-range transport. This field quantification of BC and OC sources and processing in E Asia will contribute to (a) top-down observation-based test and improvement of bottom-up technology-based emission inventories (uncertain for small-scale and open combustion); (b) improved aerosol parameterization in climate and air quality models, and (c) scientific underpinning for policy makers to make efficient mitigation actions toward decreasing anthropogenic aerosol emissions. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfossil energycoalengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringair pollution engineeringnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollutionnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changesagricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2014-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2014 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator STOCKHOLMS UNIVERSITET Net EU contribution € 185 857,20 Address UNIVERSITETSVAGEN 10 10691 Stockholm Sweden See on map Region Östra Sverige Stockholm Stockholms län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 185 857,20