Research

Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences

Title :

Measurements and modeling of cloud condensation nuclie (CCN) in Indian continental and marine air

Area of research :

Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences

Focus area :

Cloud concentration nuclei for climate models

Principal Investigator :

Dr. Sachin Gunthe, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras

Timeline Start Year :

2014

Timeline End Year :

2017

Contact info :

Details

Executive Summary :

Atmospheric aerosol particles serving as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) play an important role in the formation of clouds and precipitation, and influence atmospheric chemistry and physics, the hydrological cycle and climate. Incongruous representation of accurate CCN data in climate models, owing to limited measurements fails to assess the response of cloud characteristics and precipitation processes to increasing anthropogenic aerosol concentrations and represents one of the largest uncertainties in the current understanding of the climate change. The paucity of such observations over India is highly contradictory to its global relevance as major source of aerosol particles and their role in radiation budget, precipitation, and hydrological cycle. This project is measuring CCN for acquiring high-quality field measurement data in Indian continental and marine boundary layer during different levels of anthropogenic pollution at a given location scanning three meteorological season for full one year; and the development and application of formalisms for efficient description and prediction of CCN properties and concentrations.

Total Budget (INR):

99,06,000

Organizations involved