Air transport and the greenhouse effect
Atmospheric composition is the result of natural and anthropogenic emissions combined with transport and chemical processes. Aircraft emissions can have an impact on atmospheric chemistry and on its radiative balance. For example, contrails formed from emissions of water vapour and soot particules can lead to the formation of cirrus clouds.
Emissions of nitrogen oxides perturb the natural cycles and open the way to ozone production or destruction depending on local altitude and insolation. These ozone perturbations along with the CO2 emissions, water vapour, sulphur and soot particles allow additional clouds to form and may increase the greenhouse effect. The same local perturbations are observed when a spacecraft is launched.
In this field of research, CERFACS focuses on the time-evolution of the atmospheric chemical composition and on the anthropogenic impact, especially on the effect of the chemical and particulate emissions from aviation. The AE team has developed a scientific expertise on the modelling of the effluents and their transformation in the different phases that follow the lanch of a spacecraft, in particular the transition to the “hot” chemistry located at the nozzle outlet and the “cold” chemistry for the high atmosphere.
Evaluate the impact of antropogenic emissions
In that context, the monitoring of atmospheric composition is of particular importance. The objective is to detect and possibly attribute the observed changes to natural or anthropogenic forcing. The AT team is involved in national and European projects centered on the development and the implementation of data assimilation systems, gas for trace gases and particles central to atmospheric chemistry.
The AE team is composed of about ten researchers who work closely on the national level with CERFACS associated laboratories like CNRM, ONERA teams, CNRS and aeronautical industry. The team is also involved in numerous projects, especially European projects that include the main institutions present in the atmospheric environment field.
Main partners : CNRM, CEPMMT, DLR, Latmos, LISA, LSCE, Onera
CERFACS challenge : Modest
National and international current projects :
IMPACT : climate impact of the evolution of air traffic
MACC : Data assimilation of minor constituents for the atmophere monitoring
TC2 : contrails and climate
TEAM COMPOSITION
Project director : Daniel CARIOLLE
Senior researchers :
Emanuele EMILI
Roberto PAOLI
Odile THOURON
Post-docs :
Franck AUGUSTE
Géraldine REA
Bojan SIC
Consultants :
Andrea PIACENTINI
Philippe MOINAT
PhD :
Hélène PEIRO
Visitors :
Olivier PANNEKOUCKE
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