Cloud–Aerosol–Turbulence Interactions: Science Priorities and Concepts for a Large-Scale Laboratory Facility
Raymond A. Shaw, Will Cantrell, Sisi Chen, P. Y. Chuang, Neil M. Donahue, Graham Feingold, Pavlos Kollias, Alexei Korolev, Sonia M. Kreidenweis, Steven K. Krueger, Juan Pedro Mellado, D. Niedermeier, Lulin Xue
Abstract
Clouds and aerosols, ubiquitously embedded in turbulent flows, are central to the prediction of weather and climate. The purpose of the workshop described here was to explore scientific questions and set priorities for a large-scale aerosol–cloud–turbulence laboratory facility. (Here, “facility” denotes one or more aerosol/cloud chambers and the associated instrumentation and technical/scientific staff.) Specifically, at the workshop we attempted to gauge community interest and to obtain a sense of priorities for the scientific challenges likely to be amenable to laboratory investigation. The two overarching questions guiding the workshop presentations and discussion were as follows: What pressing scientific questions can we answer with a large-scale aerosol–cloud–turbulence facility that would be difficult or impossible to address otherwise?; What would a large-scale aerosol–cloud–turbulence facility look like and what measurement capabilities should be associated with it?