Understanding the role of contrails and contrail cirrus in climate change: a global perspective

Abstract

Globally, emissions from aviation affect Earth's climate via complex processes. Contrail cirrus and carbon dioxide emissions are the largest factors contributing to aviation's radiative forcing on climate. Contrail cirrus, like natural cirrus clouds, impacts Earth's climate. Even with the extensive ongoing research, the relative importance of the climate effects of contrails compared to other aviation effects on climate still has major uncertainties requiring further research. Contrail cirrus encompasses linear contrails and the associated cirrus clouds; these are characterized by ice particle properties, e.g., size, concentration, mixing, extinction, ice water content, optical depth, geometrical depth, and cloud coverage. The climate impact of contrails may intensify due to projected increases in air traffic. The radiative forcing from global contrail cirrus has the potential to triple and could reach as much as 160 mW m−2 by 2050. This projection is based on anticipated growth in air traffic and a potential shift to higher altitudes. The future climate impact of contrail cirrus is influenced by factors like the magnitude and geographical spread in air traffic, advancements in fuel efficiency, the effects of the use of alternative fuels, and the effects of the changing climate on the background atmosphere. This study reviews the microphysical processes affecting contrail formation and the aging of contrails and contrail cirrus. Furthermore, the study explores global observational datasets for contrails, current analyses, and future projections and will aid in evaluating the effectiveness and tradeoffs associated with various mitigation strategies. The research highlights gaps in knowledge and uncertainties while outlining research priorities for the future.