The aircraft emissions can have an impact on atmospheric chemistry and on the radiative balance of the atmosphere. For example, contrails formed by condensation of water vapor onto exhaust aerosols and soot particles trigger the formation of cirrus clouds. Emissions of nitrogen oxides perturb the natural chemical cycles and lead to ozone production or destruction depending on local air mass composition and insolation. These ozone perturbations along with the emissions of CO2, water vapour and ice particles formation, soot particles, sulphuric aerosols from the burning kerosene give an additional contribution to the green house forcing. The most recent evaluations of those effects show the existence of a amplification factor of about 3 for green house potential factor from aircraft emission: a molecule of CO2 emitted from a jet airplane is a factor of 3 more efficient for green house forcing than a similar molecule emitted at ground level.
Given the exponential increase of the air traffic it is anticipated that the aircraft emissions will double by year 2020 compared to present. The air traffic would then be a major player of the climate change. There is no doubt that in future negotiation processes for the limitation of green house gas emissions aviation sources will be a central issue. It is therefore important that the regulations that could be imposed on aviation be based on well-sound scientific studies.
As this thematic was recognised as an important issue for the CERFACS shareholders and for the ministry of transportation (which has the administrative supervision of Météo-France), it was decided in 2003 to settle a new project "aviation and environment" within the CERFACS and CNRM teams.
Given the exponential increase of the air traffic it is anticipated that the aircraft emissions will double by year 2020 compared to present. The air traffic would then be a major player of the climate change. There is no doubt that in future negotiation processes for the limitation of green house gas emissions aviation sources will be a central issue. It is therefore important that the regulations that could be imposed on aviation be based on well-sound scientific studies.
As this thematic was recognised as an important issue for the CERFACS shareholders and for the ministry of transportation (which has the administrative supervision of Météo-France), it was decided in 2003 to settle a new project "aviation and environment" within the CERFACS and CNRM teams.
SWAFEA project accepted in FP'7
SWAFEA project (Sustainable way for alternative fuels and energy for aviation) has been accepted in FP'7.
