Project description DEENESFRITPL Understanding the mechanisms of enhanced cloud ice levels in mixed-phase clouds Clouds regulate the Earth’s energy balance and play an important role in the climate's response to changing greenhouse gas levels. They also create precipitation that affects the supply of fresh water on Earth. However, clouds – in particular mixed-phase clouds, which consist of both liquid water and ice – are the largest source of predictive error in any atmospheric and climate models. Focussing on mixed-phase clouds, the EU-funded SIMPHAC project intends to gain a quantitative understanding of the mechanisms responsible for enhanced cloud ice levels. It further aims to parametrise these processes for use in numerical models. To this end, it will use high-resolution models, a unique laboratory data set and in situ observations. This work will pave the way for more accurate weather predictions and climate projections. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Clouds may never have had a more important meaning to society as they have today. They regulate the Earth's energy balance and are key drivers of how climate responds to changing greenhouse gas levels. Moreover, they generate precipitation, which has a direct impact on the supply of fresh water on Earth. Clouds however are the most elusive component of the climate system, and the largest source of predictive error in any atmospheric and climate models. Of all cloud types, mixed-phase (consisting of both liquid water and ice) clouds are by far the most uncertain, while they dominate the energy balance and precipitation in many regions of the globe. At the heart of this uncertainty is the inability to capture ice crystal formation and the explosive multiplication that can occur, which in turn fundamentally affect cloud processes. The exact mechanisms involved and their relative importance remain unknown; as a result a description of these processes is currently missing in weather forecast and climate models. Our aim is to resolve this ice formation “paradox”, by quantitatively understanding the mechanisms responsible for enhanced cloud ice levels, and develop parameterizations of these processes for use in numerical models. For this purpose we will use state-of-the-art highresolution models, a unique laboratory dataset and in-situ observations, while our parameterizations will be tested in a weather forecast model. Our initial focus will be in the Arctic, the most climatically sensitive region of the planet, but results have the potential to improve mixed-phase cloud representation at lower latitudes as well. As clouds are a critical component of the climate system, improving cloud-ice representation in models is expected to result in more accurate weather predictions and future climate projections Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesmeteorologyengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcrystalsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets Keywords mixed-phase clouds cloud parameterizations cloud microphysics cloud ice processes weather forecast models high-resolution models 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-2019 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS Net EU contribution € 153 085,44 Address N plastira str 100 70013 Irakleio Greece See on map Region Νησιά Αιγαίου Κρήτη Ηράκλειο Activity type Research Organisations 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 Other funding € 0,00 Participants (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all ETHNIKO ASTEROSKOPEIO ATHINON Participation ended Greece Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Lofos nymfon 11810 Athina See on map Region Αττική Aττική Κεντρικός Τομέας Αθηνών 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 Other funding € 0,00
