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Determination of regional direct radiative forcing due to aerosols

Ziel

Anthropogenic aerosol (also called Particulate Matter) concentrations have increased significantly over the industrial period because of human activities. Atmospheric particles can modify the Earth and radiative balance through three processes. Directly, by scattering the solar radiation back to space, and/or by absorbing the solar radiation. Indirectly, by changing the clouds properties when aerosols actas cloud condensation nuclei. Semi-directly, by evaporating the clouds when high concentrations of absorbing aerosols are present in the atmosphere. While the radiative forcing due to greenhouse gases may be determined to a reasonably high degree of accuracy, the uncertainties related to aerosol radiative forces remain large [IPCC, 2001]. This is above all due to the complexity of aerosols, which consists of particles with different sizes, shapes, life-times, chemical compositions, and mixing states, consisting of material with different properties coming from various sources. As a consequence, it is very difficult for global models to accurately determine the spatial and temporal distribution of tropospheric aerosol.

Comprehensive global database of aerosol concentrations, chemical composition and optical properties are also missing due to the wide range of analytical techniques needed to measure these parameters, and to the large spatial and temporal variations of aerosol distributions. Hence, at the present time, the uncertain role of aerosols in climate is one of the major sources of uncertainties in simulations of past and future climates. The purpose of this work will therefore be to determine local to regional aerosol direct forces based on the integration of comprehensive aerosol data obtained during previous international experiments (ACE 2;MINATROC. ESCPOMTE) and collected at the JRC-EMEP station in Isyr a(I). We will use in situ size-segregated aerosol characteristics, LIDAR, sun photometer and satellite measurements.

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION, DIRECTORATE GENERAL JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE
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