Transitioning to a Post-Fossil Aerosol Regime: Key Insights

This lecture focuses on the CleanCloud project, specifically Cluster 3, which aims to enhance understanding of the transition to a post-fossil aerosol regime and its implications for climate and clouds. The overarching objective is to improve simulations of this transition and its impacts on climate over seasonal to decadal timescales. The lecture outlines key activities, including Lagrangian analysis of aerosol sources, development of better models through improved parameterizations, and the use of perturbed parameter ensembles to assess uncertainties. The instructor discusses the importance of analyzing observed and simulated trends in aerosol forcing and the challenges posed by natural aerosol emissions. The lecture also highlights the collaborative efforts among various institutions and the significance of integrating new observations to refine climate projections. By the end, the instructor emphasizes the need for effective communication of findings to inform policy and enhance public understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions in a changing climate.