Anthropogenic air pollutant emissions, including those from transportation, industrial, residential, and commercial sectors, contribute to the long-existing air pollution problems (PM2.5/10, VOC, O3, NOx, SOx) around globe, especially in megacities and in the developing world, in addition to the warming produced by greenhouse gas emissions. Data from ground-based and satellite aerosol and trace gas (composition) remote sensing instruments with regional and global representation, have provided major advances in the understand of air quality issues and their impacts on human, environmental and agricultural health. This Themed Joint Session invites experts from remote sensing community to discuss the greatest observational needs and future challenges to extend and improve our observations of atmospheric chemistry, aerosols, and their impacts on human, environmental and agricultural health, and climate.

Variations in meteorology and climate couple with a range of source types and source activity levels to yield a wide range of regional scale air quality challenges around the globe. This session solicits reports from both observational and modeling perspectives on air pollution in different regions within North America and around the globe. Presentations focusing on improving air quality and air quality challenges are both welcome. Relevant air quality issues include, but are not limited to, ozone, fine particles, smoke from wild and prescribed fires, visibility and regional haze, and reactive nitrogen deposition.

Recent laboratory and field studies provide new insights into the formation, growth, phase, viscosity, and volatility of secondary organic aerosols (SOA). These data indicate that under many atmospherically-relevant conditions SOA particles are significantly more viscous and orders of magnitude less volatile than assumed in traditional modeling approaches; SOA formation yields can be significantly higher than previously reported values; and anthropogenic pollution enhance loadings of SOA from biogenic precursors.

This session comprises invited contributions discussing the greatest observational needs to advance understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions and their connections with climate. In particular, presenters are asked to address the ways in which observations can be used to evaluate and advance understanding of cloud-active particles and their impacts on clouds and precipitation, and how processes within numerical models can be better represented via insights from new observational strategies.

This session welcomes studies funded by, but not limited to NASA’s Atmospheric Composition Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP). In particular, studies related to global and regional modeling and/or data analysis in the area of atmospheric chemistry, air quality and the oxidation efficiency in the troposphere, stratospheric chemistry and ozone depletion, and interactions between atmospheric chemistry and the climate are welcome. Studies of long-term trends in atmospheric composition are also of interest, where the connection between cause and effect is elucidated using models. The session is also interested in studies that integrate observations from NASA instruments with models to address attribution and predictions. Use of satellite and suborbital data sets and ground-based measurements are encouraged for modeling constraints and verification where applicable.

This is a named session for the US Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility. ARM provides the climate research community with strategically located observatories and coordinated aerial measurements designed to provide in-situ and remotely-sensed measurements to improve understanding of clouds and aerosols and their connection to the Earth’s energy budget. This understanding ultimately targets improved characterization of relevant processes in climate and earth system models. The session will include invited speakers to provide overviews of ARM capabilities in advancing our understanding of aerosol, cloud, precipitation and radiation, as well as speakers positioned to provide unique insights into critical advances spurred on by ARM observations. We solicit papers spanning instrumentation advancements and limitations, observational strategies and errors/uncertainties, and observational analyses to improve process understanding and model/parameterization evaluation. Papers demonstrating observational gaps in improving model parameterization and forecast capabilities and novel integration of observations and models are particularly welcome.

Recent observations from aircraft, balloons, and satellites, along with advances in modeling techniques and improved meteorological analyses, are providing new insights into the physical processes controlling clouds and water vapor concentration in the tropical tropopause and lowermost stratosphere. In particular, this session will focus on model and observational investigations addressing the impacts of rapid transport by deep convection, slow diabatic vertical motions, wave-driven temperature oscillations, and cloud microphysics using analyses from recent aircraft and balloon in situ measurements and long-term satellite measurements.

This session welcomes studies funded by, but not limited to NASA’s Atmospheric Composition Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP). In particular, studies related to global and regional modeling and/or data analysis in the area of atmospheric chemistry, air quality and the oxidation efficiency in the troposphere, stratospheric chemistry and ozone depletion, and interactions between atmospheric chemistry and the climate are welcome. Studies of long-term trends in atmospheric composition are also of interest, where the connection between cause and effect is elucidated using models. The session is also interested in studies that integrate observations from NASA instruments with models to address attribution and predictions. Use of satellite and suborbital data sets and ground-based measurements are encouraged for modeling constraints and verification where applicable.

Recent observations from aircraft, balloons, and satellites, along with advances in modeling techniques and improved meteorological analyses, are providing new insights into the physical processes controlling clouds and water vapor concentration in the tropical tropopause and lowermost stratosphere. In particular, this session will focus on model and observational investigations addressing the impacts of rapid transport by deep convection, slow diabatic vertical motions, wave-driven temperature oscillations, and cloud microphysics using analyses from recent aircraft and balloon in situ measurements and long-term satellite measurements.

Improved capabilities for horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing over the past decade led to significant increases in unconventional oil and gas production in several regions of the United States. This development has raised concerns regarding emissions of greenhouse gases, air toxics, and precursors to ozone and fine particle formation. This session solicits presentations examining all aspects of air emissions and/or air quality or climate impacts of methane, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen oxides from all stages of oil and gas development.

This session welcomes studies funded by, but not limited to NASA’s Atmospheric Composition Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP). In particular, studies related to global and regional modeling and/or data analysis in the area of atmospheric chemistry, air quality and the oxidation efficiency in the troposphere, stratospheric chemistry and ozone depletion, and interactions between atmospheric chemistry and the climate are welcome. Studies of long-term trends in atmospheric composition are also of interest, where the connection between cause and effect is elucidated using models. The session is also interested in studies that integrate observations from NASA instruments with models to address attribution and predictions. Use of satellite and suborbital data sets and ground-based measurements are encouraged for modeling constraints and verification where applicable.

This session welcomes studies funded by, but not limited to NASA’s Atmospheric Composition Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP). In particular, studies related to global and regional modeling and/or data analysis in the area of atmospheric chemistry, air quality and the oxidation efficiency in the troposphere, stratospheric chemistry and ozone depletion, and interactions between atmospheric chemistry and the climate are welcome. Studies of long-term trends in atmospheric composition are also of interest, where the connection between cause and effect is elucidated using models. The session is also interested in studies that integrate observations from NASA instruments with models to address attribution and predictions. Use of satellite and suborbital data sets and ground-based measurements are encouraged for modeling constraints and verification where applicable.

Improved capabilities for horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing over the past decade led to significant increases in unconventional oil and gas production in several regions of the United States. This development has raised concerns regarding emissions of greenhouse gases, air toxics, and precursors to ozone and fine particle formation. This session solicits presentations examining all aspects of air emissions and/or air quality or climate impacts of methane, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen oxides from all stages of oil and gas development.

This session welcomes studies funded by, but not limited to NASA’s Atmospheric Composition Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP). In particular, studies related to global and regional modeling and/or data analysis in the area of atmospheric chemistry, air quality and the oxidation efficiency in the troposphere, stratospheric chemistry and ozone depletion, and interactions between atmospheric chemistry and the climate are welcome. Studies of long-term trends in atmospheric composition are also of interest, where the connection between cause and effect is elucidated using models. The session is also interested in studies that integrate observations from NASA instruments with models to address attribution and predictions. Use of satellite and suborbital data sets and ground-based measurements are encouraged for modeling constraints and verification where applicable.

Dust from both deserts and more vegetated areas contributes a major fraction of the atmospheric aerosol and has a variety of sources, compositions and impacts. The goal of this session is to bring together scientists from different disciplines working on the characterisation, emission, atmospheric transport, chemical transformation and impact of dust from desert, vegetated or agricultural areas. We invite and welcome contributions from the general areas (1) speciation and characterisation of the mineralogy, organic content and other constituents of dust sampled from source regions or directly from the atmosphere, (2) emission fluxes, transport and chemical transformation of dust in the atmosphere, and (3) cloud and climate impacts of atmospheric dust, including optical properties, CCN activation, and heterogeneous ice nucleation behaviors.

Over the last few years, significant advances have been made in both in situ and remote sensing technologies for measuring greenhouse gases (GHGs). The successful launch of global observing systems such as the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2), the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) missions as well as deployment of localized surface networks and aircraft campaigns such as the Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) and the Megacities Carbon Project, is starting to yield more information on natural and anthropogenic sources than ever before. While these multiple observational platforms provide a significant potential for the monitoring of GHG emissions, more and more uncertainties are coming to light regarding our understanding of the global and regional budgets of GHGs, errors due to deficiency in atmospheric transport modeling (especially related to convection and vertical mixing), and identification and quantification of climate feedback sensitivities. This session solicits abstracts that address these uncertainties using models and observations and provide new insights on understanding GHG dynamics at various spatial (local to global) and temporal (sub-diurnal to decadal) scales. We encourage contributions on current and prospective observation technologies for GHGs, modeling studies to quantify budgets and/or uncertainties in GHG flux estimates, and evaluation and benchmarking of GHG estimates from Earth System Models using contemporary observations. We also encourage studies of perturbations to the carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems in response to climate variability and change, especially as they combine models and observations or pertain to carbon-climate feedback. In addition, we seek contributions on improved quantification and understanding of underlying GHG emissions at the urban scale, policy issues related to GHG monitoring and regulation, and how the current state of the science is informing policy decisions.

Over the last few years, significant advances have been made in both in situ and remote sensing technologies for measuring greenhouse gases (GHGs). The successful launch of global observing systems such as the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2), the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) missions as well as deployment of localized surface networks and aircraft campaigns such as the Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) and the Megacities Carbon Project, is starting to yield more information on natural and anthropogenic sources than ever before. While these multiple observational platforms provide a significant potential for the monitoring of GHG emissions, more and more uncertainties are coming to light regarding our understanding of the global and regional budgets of GHGs, errors due to deficiency in atmospheric transport modeling (especially related to convection and vertical mixing), and identification and quantification of climate feedback sensitivities. This session solicits abstracts that address these uncertainties using models and observations and provide new insights on understanding GHG dynamics at various spatial (local to global) and temporal (sub-diurnal to decadal) scales. We encourage contributions on current and prospective observation technologies for GHGs, modeling studies to quantify budgets and/or uncertainties in GHG flux estimates, and evaluation and benchmarking of GHG estimates from Earth System Models using contemporary observations. We also encourage studies of perturbations to the carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems in response to climate variability and change, especially as they combine models and observations or pertain to carbon-climate feedback. In addition, we seek contributions on improved quantification and understanding of underlying GHG emissions at the urban scale, policy issues related to GHG monitoring and regulation, and how the current state of the science is informing policy decisions.

Atmospheric convection and its impacts on chemical tracer distribution and transport present a significant challenge to modeling of both climate and atmospheric composition. The global and regional impacts of convection on clouds, water vapor and trace gases are large and poorly quantified especially in the upper troposphere, leading to significant uncertainties in radiative forcing and in the impact on global air quality. The goal of this proposed session is to solicit recent global observations from satellite and their applications for improving model simulations of convective transport and associated atmospheric composition. Presentations are particularly encouraged with an assessment of the suitability of current observations and recommendations for stronger ones to constrain pollution vertical and long-range transport.

Over the last few years, significant advances have been made in both in situ and remote sensing technologies for measuring greenhouse gases (GHGs). The successful launch of global observing systems such as the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2), the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) missions as well as deployment of localized surface networks and aircraft campaigns such as the Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) and the Megacities Carbon Project, is starting to yield more information on natural and anthropogenic sources than ever before. While these multiple observational platforms provide a significant potential for the monitoring of GHG emissions, more and more uncertainties are coming to light regarding our understanding of the global and regional budgets of GHGs, errors due to deficiency in atmospheric transport modeling (especially related to convection and vertical mixing), and identification and quantification of climate feedback sensitivities. This session solicits abstracts that address these uncertainties using models and observations and provide new insights on understanding GHG dynamics at various spatial (local to global) and temporal (sub-diurnal to decadal) scales. We encourage contributions on current and prospective observation technologies for GHGs, modeling studies to quantify budgets and/or uncertainties in GHG flux estimates, and evaluation and benchmarking of GHG estimates from Earth System Models using contemporary observations. We also encourage studies of perturbations to the carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems in response to climate variability and change, especially as they combine models and observations or pertain to carbon-climate feedback. In addition, we seek contributions on improved quantification and understanding of underlying GHG emissions at the urban scale, policy issues related to GHG monitoring and regulation, and how the current state of the science is informing policy decisions.

Atmospheric convection and its impacts on chemical tracer distribution and transport present a significant challenge to modeling of both climate and atmospheric composition. The global and regional impacts of convection on clouds, water vapor and trace gases are large and poorly quantified especially in the upper troposphere, leading to significant uncertainties in radiative forcing and in the impact on global air quality. The goal of this proposed session is to solicit recent global observations from satellite and their applications for improving model simulations of convective transport and associated atmospheric composition. Presentations are particularly encouraged with an assessment of the suitability of current observations and recommendations for stronger ones to constrain pollution vertical and long-range transport.

The lack of mechanistic knowledge on several aerosol properties and their complex interactions with clouds and radiation hinders the advance in predictive understanding of climatic and environmental impacts of atmospheric aerosol. Single particle morphology and aerosol mixing states are among those aerosol aspects that are the least known and characterized, due to their complexity and inherent measurement challenges. However, these single-particle aspects influence the aerosol optical properties, as well as various microphysical processes like hygroscopicity and heterogeneous ice nucleation. During the aerosol life cycle, particles experience several atmospheric aging processes, such as restructuring, coagulation and condensation with organic and inorganic materials, and heterogeneous chemical reactions. These processes result in changes in morphology and internal mixing state of individual particles. The significance of these effects and, hence, the impact on atmospheric radiation budget, is largely unconstrained and not well understood. New experimental, as well as modeling efforts are needed to better understand the role of aerosol morphology and aerosol mixing state. This session focuses on this timely topic, and we welcome both laboratory and field measurements, as well as modeling efforts that investigate the morphology and mixing of atmospheric particles, their chemical and physical interactions with the environment and their effects, for example, on optical properties and microphysical processes.

The lack of mechanistic knowledge on several aerosol properties and their complex interactions with clouds and radiation hinders the advance in predictive understanding of climatic and environmental impacts of atmospheric aerosol. Single particle morphology and aerosol mixing states are among those aerosol aspects that are the least known and characterized, due to their complexity and inherent measurement challenges. However, these single-particle aspects influence the aerosol optical properties, as well as various microphysical processes like hygroscopicity and heterogeneous ice nucleation. During the aerosol life cycle, particles experience several atmospheric aging processes, such as restructuring, coagulation and condensation with organic and inorganic materials, and heterogeneous chemical reactions. These processes result in changes in morphology and internal mixing state of individual particles. The significance of these effects and, hence, the impact on atmospheric radiation budget, is largely unconstrained and not well understood. New experimental, as well as modeling efforts are needed to better understand the role of aerosol morphology and aerosol mixing state. This session focuses on this timely topic, and we welcome both laboratory and field measurements, as well as modeling efforts that investigate the morphology and mixing of atmospheric particles, their chemical and physical interactions with the environment and their effects, for example, on optical properties and microphysical processes.

Variations in meteorology and climate couple with a range of source types and source activity levels to yield a wide range of regional scale air quality challenges around the globe. This session solicits reports from both observational and modeling perspectives on air pollution in different regions within North America and around the globe. Presentations focusing on improving air quality and air quality challenges are both welcome. Relevant air quality issues include, but are not limited to, ozone, fine particles, smoke from wild and prescribed fires, visibility and regional haze, and reactive nitrogen deposition.

Variations in meteorology and climate couple with a range of source types and source activity levels to yield a wide range of regional scale air quality challenges around the globe. This session solicits reports from both observational and modeling perspectives on air pollution in different regions within North America and around the globe. Presentations focusing on improving air quality and air quality challenges are both welcome. Relevant air quality issues include, but are not limited to, ozone, fine particles, smoke from wild and prescribed fires, visibility and regional haze, and reactive nitrogen deposition.