Condensation trails (contrails) are one of the most visible anthropogenic effects on the climate system. They are formed by high-flying airlines and can evolve into contrail-cirrus under specific conditions. The presentation is focusing on these anthropogenic clouds and we propose a completion of the contrail formation theory. For this purpose a thermodynamic engine model has been developed to validate this theory in the case of 109 real engines. Also an analysis is performed showing the validity of the approximations used for modern day engines, but revealing that the theory might need to be adapted for future engines with very high efficiencies and lower cruising speeds. In order to analyze the impact of contrail-cirrus in Europe a parametrization to be used in regional climate models has been developed. Regional models feature a more detailed cloud microphysics and a higher resolution than global models and are seemed thus more appropriate for this study. This parametrization has been applied to the /Climate version of the/ /Lokal Modell/ (CLM). An increase in high-level cloudiness of 2.8 % over the whole of Europe for the period 2000-2009 was simulated, with a maximum of over 6 % in Western Europe where air-traffic is highest. This indicates that the total additional cirrus cloud coverage from spreading contrails is a least twice as high as the coverage of linear contrails only.

Diese Veranstaltung ist Teil der Reihe Karlsruher Meteorologisches Kolloquium

Referent/in
Dr. Andrew Ferrone

KIT Campus Nord
IMK-TRO

Veranstalter
Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung - Atmosphärische Umweltforschung (IMK-IFU)
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19
82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen
E-Mail: hape schmid ∂does-not-exist.imk kit edu