PotassiumClimate researchers hope to use survey flights to clarify the impact of ice clouds on global warming. To this end, as announced by the University of Leipzig, they simultaneously studied the trajectory of the aircraft and the natural ice cloud in the Arctic. Among other things, these flights should figure out how to plan their flight routes to reduce climate hazards. With the research aircraft “HALO” of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) There are about 25 flights from Central Europe to the North Pole.
According to the university, ice clouds have two functions: on the one hand, they can reflect the sun’s rays into space-with a cooling effect-on the other hand, they can keep the earth’s thermal radiation in the atmosphere-this has Warming effect. These effects can unfold natural ice clouds and so-called trajectory cirrus clouds. The latter has a greater impact on global warming than its carbon dioxide emissions.
At an altitude of 8 to 14 kilometers
These measurements are intended to facilitate more climate-friendly planning of flight routes. Under different weather conditions, contrails of varying degrees will appear. Therefore, reducing and avoiding trajectory cirrus clouds is “a very promising way to make air traffic climate-friendly”, explains Christiane Voigt, a researcher at DLR. In addition, the aim is to find out the specific role of ice clouds in the warming of the Arctic.
The research aircraft “HALO” has a wide range of measurement technologies that can remotely sense clouds and contrails on the aircraft. The flight route should operate at an altitude of 8 to 14 kilometers. The research team includes 70 scientists from nine institutions. The results of this mission are expected to be announced in 2022.
