Potential of the cryoplane technology to reduce aircraft climate impact: A state-of-the-art assessment

Ponater, Michael; Pechtl, S.; Sausen, R.; Schumann, U.; Hüttig, Gerhard

doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.06.036

Cited by 98 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…the change in near surface temperature relative to a normalised radiative forcing (1 W/m 2 ) or in terms of efficacies (Hansen et al, 2005), which are the respective climate sensitivity parameters normalised to that of CO 2 . Efficacies for a variety of climate agents are taken from Ponater et al (2005Ponater et al ( , 2006. The climate sensitivities used in this study are identical to those in Grewe et al (2007) (their Table 7).…”

Section: Contrail Coveragementioning

confidence: 99%

AirClim: an efficient tool for climate evaluation of aircraft technology

2008

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Abstract. Climate change is a challenge to society and to cope with requires assessment tools which are suitable to evaluate new technology options with respect to their impact on global climate. Here we present AirClim, a model which comprises a linearisation of atmospheric processes from the emission to radiative forcing, resulting in an estimate in near surface temperature change, which is presumed to be a reasonable indicator for climate change. The model is designed to be applicable to aircraft technology, i.e. the climate agents CO 2 , H 2 O, CH 4 and O 3 (latter two resulting from NO x -emissions) and contrails are taken into account. AirClim combines a number of precalculated atmospheric data with aircraft emission data to obtain the temporal evolution of atmospheric concentration changes, radiative forcing and temperature changes. These precalculated data are derived from 25 steady-state simulations for the year 2050 with the climate-chemistry model E39/C, prescribing normalised emissions of nitrogen oxides and water vapour at various atmospheric regions. The results show that strongest climate impacts (year 2100) from ozone changes occur for emissions in the tropical upper troposphere (60 mW/m 2 ; 80 mK for 1 TgN/year emitted) and from methane changes from emissions in the middle tropical troposphere (−2.7% change in methane lifetime; -30 mK per TgN/year). For shortlived species (e.g. ozone, water vapour, methane) individual perturbation lifetimes are derived depending on the region of emission. A comparison of this linearisation approach with results from a comprehensive climate-chemistry model shows reasonable agreement with respect to concentration changes, radiative forcing, and temperature changes. For example, the total impact of a supersonic fleet on radiative forcing (mainly water vapour) is reproduced within 10%. A wide range of application is demonstrated.

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Section: Contrail Coveragementioning

confidence: 99%

AirClim: an efficient tool for climate evaluation of aircraft technology

2008

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“…However, the most recent assessment [32] concludes that the effect of the smaller optical thickness dominates over the higher frequency of cryoplane contrails, so there is potential for an environmental benefit through the introduction of LH2 technology, if the LH2 can be produced from renewable energy sources.…”

Section: Changing Contrail Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The inertia of the climate system and the severe technical requirements for the introduction of a cryoplane fleet are large, so that the benefits of LH2 technology will probably only appear in a timescale of 50 or more years [32].…”

Section: Changing Contrail Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Various Strategies for Contrail Avoidance

Gierens¹,

Lim²,

Eleftheratos³

2008

TOASCJ

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Abstract:A review is given of various contrail avoidance strategies that have been developed since the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the various options for contrail mitigation, to describe the state of the art, and to indicate future directions for research.

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“…So far, equilibrium warming from contrails is computed using estimates of RF (RF i or RF a ) together with a CO 2 climate sensitivity corrected by a contrail efficacy (Ponater et al, 2006a; D. S. Frömming et al, 2012). Our study suggests that the efficacy should be different for SW and LW forcings.…”

Section: Summary Implications and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitivity of surface temperature to radiative forcing by contrail cirrus in a radiative-mixing model

Schumann

Mayer²

2017

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. Earth's surface temperature sensitivity to radiative forcing (RF) by contrail cirrus and the related RF efficacy relative to CO 2 are investigated in a one-dimensional idealized model of the atmosphere. The model includes energy transport by shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiation and by mixing in an otherwise fixed reference atmosphere (no other feedbacks). Mixing includes convective adjustment and turbulent diffusion, where the latter is related to the vertical component of mixing by large-scale eddies. The conceptual study shows that the surface temperature sensitivity to given contrail RF depends strongly on the timescales of energy transport by mixing and radiation. The timescales are derived for steady layered heating (ghost forcing) and for a transient contrail cirrus case. The radiative timescales are shortest at the surface and shorter in the troposphere than in the midstratosphere. Without mixing, a large part of the energy induced into the upper troposphere by radiation due to contrails or similar disturbances gets lost to space before it can contribute to surface warming. Because of the different radiative forcing at the surface and at top of atmosphere (TOA) and different radiative heating rate profiles in the troposphere, the local surface temperature sensitivity to stratosphere-adjusted RF is larger for SW than for LW contrail forcing. Without mixing, the surface energy budget is more important for surface warming than the TOA budget. Hence, surface warming by contrails is smaller than suggested by the net RF at TOA. For zero mixing, cooling by contrails cannot be excluded. This may in part explain low efficacy values for contrails found in previous global circulation model studies. Possible implications of this study are discussed. Since the results of this study are model dependent, they should be tested with a comprehensive climate model in the future.

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Potential of the cryoplane technology to reduce aircraft climate impact: A state-of-the-art assessment

Cited by 98 publications

References 49 publications

AirClim: an efficient tool for climate evaluation of aircraft technology

AirClim: an efficient tool for climate evaluation of aircraft technology

A Review of Various Strategies for Contrail Avoidance

Sensitivity of surface temperature to radiative forcing by contrail cirrus in a radiative-mixing model

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