[A-AS07] The Beginning of Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Sciences with EarthCARE

[AAS07-P02] Impact of Long-Range Transported Aerosols on Polar Cloud Microphysics and Radiative Forcing

*Satyajit Singh Saini¹, Dhyan Singh Arya¹ (1.Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee )

Keywords:Aerosols, Polar Clouds, CCN, Radiative Forcing

Aerosols transported from mid-latitude sources significantly influence polar cloud properties, altering cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations, ice nucleation processes, and radiative forcing. Black carbon (BC) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) reach polar regions through long-range transport, modifying cloud albedo and potentially accelerating ice sheet melt. However, quantifying these aerosol-cloud interactions remains challenging due to limited observational data and uncertainties in transport pathways.This study employs multi-source datasets, including Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) retrievals from MODIS via NASA’s Giovanni platform, in-situ BC measurements from Antarctic research stations, and HYSPLIT trajectory modeling to trace aerosol transport pathways. Results indicate that increased AOD during the austral summer correlates with enhanced BC deposition and CCN concentrations, leading to smaller cloud droplet sizes and prolonged cloud lifetimes. These changes affect cloud optical depth and radiative balance, potentially intensifying surface warming through the ice-albedo feedback.Our findings highlight the importance of integrating satellite-derived aerosol observations with transport models to improve the representation of polar aerosol-cloud interactions in climate models. This research underscores the need for targeted mitigation strategies to limit anthropogenic aerosol contributions to polar climate change.