Decrease in aircraft soot emission, as shown by COVID-19 lockdown, leads to a significant increase in ice crystal number in cirrus clouds, and results in a small global positive radiative effect.
aircraft
Posted inScience Updates
Taking Flight to Study Clouds and Climate
A new mission involving synchronized aircraft observations is collecting data vital for improving our understanding of how aerosol particles and clouds influence each other.
Posted inFeatures
Glimpsing the Ins and Outs of the Arctic Atmospheric Cauldron
Specially equipped aircraft will follow air masses into and out of the Arctic, observing their transformations and improving our knowledge of the Arctic climate and its global influence.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Deciphering Reactive Nitrogen Emissions from Wildfire Smoke
In-situ data gathered from an aircraft flying over 23 western US wildfires in 2018 reveal the importance of reduced nitrogen, shedding insights on ozone and aerosol formation from wildfires.
Posted inFeatures
Greening the Friendly Skies
Decarbonizing the aviation industry won’t be easy. The coronavirus pandemic complicates the situation but also presents an opportunity.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Solar Flares Increase Radiation Risk on Commercial Aircraft
A new study quantifies how space weather may affect polar transcontinental flight.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Probing Wildfire Smoke Plumes Up Close
Direct observations from flights over coastal California reveal more about aerosol plumes released by burning biomass.
Posted inNews
Seafloor Data from Lost Airliner Search Are Publicly Released
Detailed maps of the bottom of the Indian Ocean reveal deep canyons and landslides but no wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which went missing in 2014.
Posted inScience Updates
Measuring Earth’s Gravity Field from the Air
2016 Airborne Gravimetry for Geodesy Summer School; Silver Spring, Maryland, 23–27 May 2016
Posted inNews
Storms Cause Infrequent Turbulence for Aircraft, New Study Finds
Scientists using lightning sensors to automate air-turbulence detection have found evidence that storms jostle aircraft much less than previously thought.