Constraints on climate-affecting emissions in a post-COP21 era

Purpose and goal

The problem with existing estimates of black carbon (BC) and organic carbon input to the atmosphere is that they overwhelmingly rely on ´bottom-up´ technology-based emission inventories (BU-EI), which are severely challenged by highly variable and poorly constrained emission factors. The project work certainly helps to improve source apportionment of BC aerosol components from the Indo Gangetic Plain (IGP) source region of S Asia: Independent estimate to test and improve BC, BU-EI and climate / air quality models (eg support for science-informed policy decisions on mitigation).

Expected results and effects

Most significant results obtained so far include: the wintertime high- aerosol optical depth (AOD), high- AAOD aerosol regime over Northern Indian Ocean appears to be well homogenized, and dominated by the fine fraction for key components such as BC and OC, which in turn appear to be predominantly of primary origin with biomass burning as a major source. These and incoming results of the work will contribute to a global agenda for atmospheric “top-down” estimates of actual emissions to provide vital verification, credibility and a means to improve this tool for climate mitigation.

Planned approach and implementation

The project work can be viewed as a “demonstration project” that may have far-reaching impact on climate-affecting emissions worldwide are monitored and verified in this post-COP21/Paris era. So far obtained and incoming results from the project will contribute to a global agenda for atmospheric “top-down” estimates of actual emissions to provide vital verification, credibility and a means to improve this tool for climate mitigation.