The effect of physical and chemical aerosol properties on warm cloud droplet activation

Abstract. The effects of atmospheric aerosol on climate forcing may be very substantial but are quantified poorly at present; in particular, the effects of aerosols on cloud radiative properties, or the "indirect effects" are credited with the greatest range of uncertainty amongst the known causes of radiative forcing. This manuscript explores the effects that the composition and properties of atmospheric aerosol can have on the activation of droplets in warm clouds, so potentially influencing the magnitude of the indirect effect. The effects of size, composition, mixing state and various derived properties are assessed and a range of these properties provided by atmospheric measurements in a variety of…

• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• EC
  European Commission
• AO
  Academy of Finland
• MO
  Ministry of Environment
• NO
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council