Aerosol-Cloud Interactions

  • Supervisors: Prof. Gordon McFiggans
    Prof. Hugh Coe


  • External Supervisors:

  • Contact:

    Gordon McFiggans g.mcfiggans@manchester.ac.uk

  • CASE Partner: No

Application deadline: 3 February 2017

Introduction:

Aerosol particles can act as sites for cloud droplet formation. This is a natural process and vital to the water cycle of the planet, driving the hydrological cycle. However, man-made emissions of particles or their gas phase precursors can alter the number of particles and their properties, this can alter the properties of clouds that form on the particles, influencing precipitation and changing how the clouds interact with incoming solar radiation.  To properly account for these effects in climate and numerical weather prediction models it is necessary to improve our knowledge of the correct physical processes to develop improved simplifications for their description in climate models. At present a lack of knowledge in this area is unacceptably large and aerosol-cloud effects dominate uncertainties associated with man’s change to the radiative budget.

Project Summary:

The Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at Manchester is at the forefront of aerosol-cloud research, conducting field measurements to examine how the real atmosphere behaves; laboratory experiments, including studies using large chambers, to probe and quantify specific important processes in a well constrained environment; and models that describe these processes to allow process understanding to be tested and parameterisations to be developed.  This PhD offers an exciting opportunity to be involved in this development cycle. It is not anticipated that you will necessarily become expert in all areas but the aim is to work on one or more components that interest you. It is anticipated that the student will be able to develop their own research project in partnership with a team of researchers in this large study. We have conducted studies into aerosol-cloud interactions in field studies on all continents and it is anticipated that you will be involved in one or more field projects during your PhD studies.

References:

1. Whitehead et al., A meta-analysis of particle water uptake reconciliation studies, Atmos. Chem. Phys. 14, 11833-11841, doi:10.5194/acp-14-11833-2014, 2014.

2. Irwin, M. et al.: Size-resolved aerosol water uptake and cloud condensation nuclei measurements as measured above a Southeast Asian rainforest during OP3, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 11157-11174, 10.5194/acp-11-11157-2011, 2011.

3. Liu, D., et al.: Ambient black carbon particle hygroscopic properties controlled by mixing state and composition, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 2015-2029, doi: 10.5194/acp-13-2015-2013, 2013.

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