A General Circulation Model (GCM) Investigation of the Direct Radiative Forcing of Spherical and Nonspherical Aerosols

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The objective of this study is to improve our understanding of the interactions among aerosols, clouds, radiation, and dynamical processes, and of the relative importance of different types of aerosols on regional and global climate. The work involves both climate modeling and analysis. Aerosol data retrieved from satellites and collected by the scientists in China during the past forty years are to be analyzed and employed in climate modeling simulation. The new endeavor will include parameterization of the single-scattering properties of aerosols for use in climate models based on the data obtained from the calculations of the scattering and absorption properties of nonspherical aerosols employing the finite-difference time domain method for light scattering. Two University of California models with be used for this work - the atmospheric general circulation model and the coupled ocean-atmosphere model, to investigate the responses of the atmospheric system alone, and the coupled atmosphere-ocean system, to the radiative forcings of various aerosol types, particularly mineral dust and black carbon. The results of this work are expected to further the incorporation of aerosol effects into global climate models and will benefit the global climate modeling community. The proposed modeling activity will train one research assistant in climate modeling and aerosol-climate interaction. The impact of better understanding aerosol-climate interactions will have significant benefits for both China and the Earth as a whole.