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General |
The global aerosol system |
The direct effect |
Effects on clouds
General
The GASR main areas of investigation are the aerosol global distribution, direct
radiative forcing and in preferred locations of the aerosol effects on clouds and precipitation. Satellite and ground based remote sensing measurements of aerosol, water vapor, clouds, precipitation, profiles of aerosol and clouds using lidars and radiation measurements from the surface and satellites are combined with available in situ measurements to form the basis of the investigation. They are used to improve chemical transport models of aerosol and on an assimilation system.
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This image shows the results of the global aerosol optical depth as measured using the MODIS instrument, taken on January 2001.
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The direct radiative forcing is obtained using two pathways: directly from the aerosol and cloud measurements (accounting for surface spectral albedos) and by the improved models. To get the forcing out of the total radiative effects of aerosol, the fraction of anthropogenic pollution and smoke aerosol is derived separately using the measurements themselves and in parallel from the transport model. Comparison between the two is most intriguing. The effect of aerosol on clouds and precipitation is studied in preferred locations where the cloud dynamics can be separated from that of the aerosol. It will form the basic understanding for the estimate of the global indirect effect. The knowledge base of the aerosol effects is then used in a GCM with assimilated aerosol field to study the impacts on climate and weather.
General |
The global aerosol system |
The direct effect |
Effects on clouds
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