Seminar

Abstract

The Asian Summer Monsoon (ASM) impacts the lives of billions of people through the variability of precipitation pattern and intensity. Along with this major weather phenomenon is a significant chemical transport pattern that couples surface emissions of the ASM region to global climate and air quality. The coupling of the most polluted boundary layer on Earth to the largest UTLS dynamical system in the NH summer season through deep monsoon convection has the potential to generate significant chemical and climate impacts. The behavior of ASM as a transport pathway, the chemical content in the UTLS outflow of the ASM air mass, the amount and the properties of UTLS aerosols associated with the ASM, and the stratospheric water vapor enhancement due to the ASM are among the key elements for understanding and quantifying the chemistry and climate impact of the ASM.

Motivated by the need for characterizing these climate relevant processes, the Asian summer monsoon Chemical and Climate Impact Project (ACCLIP) is planned as a coordinated research program of airborne, balloon, ground based, and supporting satellite measurements. The ACCLIP field campaign is planned to take place in July-August of 2020 with the aircraft operation based in Japan. The airborne component is planned to have two research aircraft: the NSF GV and the NASA WB-57. This seminar will provide an overview of the scientific background, the objectives of the campaign, and the current status of planning.

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Dr. Laura Pan is a Senior Scientist and Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) Group Lead in the Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modeling Laboratory at NCAR. Her research focuses on physics and chemistry of the UTLS, the Asian Summer Monsoon, and the physical and chemical behavior of the tropopause.