Remote Sensing Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation-Climate Interactions

Interactions among the aerosol, clouds and precipitation are thought to shape the behavior of the climate system, producing the largest source of uncertainty in estimates of equilibrium climate sensitivity. The aerosol, clouds and precipitation are a strongly coupled system, but the nature of this coupling and its sensitivity to perturbations in one of the elements is poorly understood. Recent developments in process understanding, modeling, and observational capabilities especially in remote sensing make it now possible to address the long-standing and fundamental questions as to the nature of the interplay between the aerosol, clouds and precipitation.

The main objective of this team is to make significant strides in understanding the interplay among the aerosol, clouds and precipitation, and the way these interactions are forcing the climate system. As the forthcoming IPCC Assessment Report 5 will for the first time include a chapter on the role of aerosols and clouds in the climate system, the timeliness of this work is most appropriate.

Aerosol, Clouds, Precipitation, Climate (ACPC) program, ISSI
Aerosol, Clouds, Precipitation, Climate (ACPC) initiative, iLEAPS
Remote Sensing Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation-Climate Interactions (Sat-ACPC), iLEAPS