| Session Details | |
| Section | AS - Atmospheric Sciences |
| Session Title | Asian Aerosols and Climate: The Known and Unknown |
| Main Convener | Prof. S K Satheesh (Indian Institute of Science, India) |
| Co-convener(s) | Dr. S Suresh Babu (Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, India) Dr. Dimitris G Kaskaoutis (National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, Greece) |
| Session Description | Aerosols impacts on regional and global climate system through different mechanisms are not yet understood well. It is now widely recognized that the only way to reduce uncertainties in climate forcing of aerosols is through concerted regional focus. In this perspective the Asian region with its natural diversity, large population density and complex climate interactions assumes importance. Among the various aerosol types, black carbon is most important due to its high absorption characteristics on the one hand, and high abundance over this region on the other. In addition to exerting its own radiative impact, black carbon aerosols substantially contaminate other aerosol species thereby alter the radiaitve properties of entire aerosol system and in fact their ability to act as cloud condensation nuclei. Given this background, it is imperative that accurate measurements of aerosols from ground, aircraft, balloons and space assume at most importance. There have been several national and international efforts to characterize aerosol climate effect over Asian region and results from these will be discussed in this session. This session solicits papers from following major themes. (i) Results from major recent field campaigns over Asia (ii) Observations and model results on aerosol-cloud interaction (iii) Aerosols and Asian monsoon (iv) Impact of black carbon aerosols on glaciers (v) Satellite remote sensing of Asian aerosols |