Investigating the Occurrence of Aircraft Exhaust Plume Intersections Using Open-Source Air Traffic Data

Abstract

It is well established that the climate impact of aircraft non-CO2 emissions can be reduced by optimising flight routes to avoid climate-sensitive areas. Little research has been conducted, however, on the effect of residual emissions from nearby aircraft on local atmospheric chemistry and how this may alter the route optimisation process. This paper aims to address these unknowns by observing air traffic data and identifying key hot-spot regions where aircraft plumes are likely to overlap. Providing real-world evidence of these occurrences will serve to justify future atmospheric modelling studies into these effects.

Keywords

• aviation
• non-CO₂ emissions
• climate
• formation flight
• ADS-B
• air traffic