Future evolution of aerosols and implications for climate change in the Euro-Mediterranean region using the CNRM-ALADIN63 regional climate model

Abstract

Abstract. This study investigates, through regional climate modelling, the surface mass concentration and AOD (aerosol optical depth) evolution of the various (anthropogenic and natural) aerosols over the Euro-Mediterranean region between the end of the 20th century and the mid-21st century. The direct aerosol radiative forcing (DRF) as well as the future Euro-Mediterranean climate sensitivity to aerosols have also been analysed. Different regional climate simulations were carried out with the CNRM-ALADIN63 regional climate model, driven by the global CNRM-ESM2-1 Earth system model (used in CMIP6) and coupled to the TACTIC (Tropospheric Aerosols for ClimaTe In CNRM) interactive aerosol scheme. These simulations follow several future scenarios called shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP 1-1.9, SSP 3-7.0 and SSP 5-8.5), which have been chosen to analyse a wide range of possible future scenarios in terms of aerosol or particle precursor emissions. Between the historical and the future period, results show a total AOD decrease between 30 % and 40 % over Europe for the three scenarios, mainly due to the sulfate AOD decrease (between −85 and −93 %), that is partly offset by the nitrate and ammonium particles AOD increase (between +90 and +120 %). According to these three scenarios, nitrate aerosols become the largest contributor to the total AOD during the future period over Europe, with a contribution between 43.5 % and 47.5 %. It is important to note that one of the precursors of nitrate and ammonium aerosols, nitric acid, has been implemented in the model as a constant climatology over time. Concerning natural aerosols, their contribution to the total AOD increases slightly between the two periods. The different evolution of aerosols therefore impacts their DRF, with a significant sulfate DRF decrease between 2.4 and 2.8 W m−2 and a moderate nitrate and ammonium DRF increase between 1.3 and 1.5 W m−2, depending on the three scenarios over Europe. These changes, which are similar under the different scenarios, explain about 65 % of the annual shortwave radiation change but also about 6 % (in annual average) of the warming expected over Europe by the middle of the century. This study shows, with SSP 5-8.5, that the extra warming attributable to the anthropogenic aerosol evolution over Central Europe and the Iberian Peninsula during the summer period is due to “aerosol–radiation” as well as “aerosol–cloud” interaction processes. The extra warming of about 0.2 ∘C over Central Europe is explained by a surface radiation increase of 5.8 W m−2 over this region, due to both a surface aerosol DRF decrease of 4.4 W m−2 associated with a positive effective radiative forcing due to aerosol–radiation interactions (ERFari) of 2.7 W m−2 at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and a cloud optical depth (COD) decrease of 1.3. In parallel, the simulated extra warming of 0.2∘C observed over the Iberian Peninsula is due to a COD decrease of 1.3, leading to a positive effective radiative forcing due to aerosol–cloud interactions (ERFaci) of 2.6 W m−2 at the TOA but also to an atmospheric dynamics change leading to a cloud cover decrease of about 1.7 % and drier air in the lower layers, which is a signature of the semi-direct forcing. This study thus highlights the necessity of taking into account the evolution of aerosols in future regional climate simulations.

Projection analysis of future drought characteristics in Upper Draa Catchment (Southern Morocco)

“…1) served to calculate Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI-3 and SPI-12). The CNRM-ALADIN63 regional climate model, obtained from the CMIP6 project [14,15], was chosen to predict future precipitation data for the Upper Draa catchment area. This model has been selected for its reliability and prior application in evaluating climate change in Morocco [8,14].…”

“…The CNRM-ALADIN63 regional climate model, obtained from the CMIP6 project [14,15], was chosen to predict future precipitation data for the Upper Draa catchment area. This model has been selected for its reliability and prior application in evaluating climate change in Morocco [8,14]. The data is derived from the EUR-11i simulations of the EURO-CORDEX domain at a spatial resolution of about 12.5 km × 12.5 km [13].…”

Stratospheric ozone, UV radiation, and climate interactions

“…These estimates were derived by considering a combination of strong low-carbon and air pollution control policies. A second study [ 184 ] investigated the evolution of different types of aerosols over the Euro-Mediterranean region between 1971–2000 and 2021–2050 according to three different scenarios representing a wide range of possible future pathways. The study showed a decrease in AOD of between 30 and 40% over Europe, mainly from decreasing emissions of sulfur dioxide.…”

Influence of cloudy/clear-sky partitions, aerosols and geometry on the recent variability of surface solar irradiance's components in northern France

“…The study of incident direct and diffuse radiations is particularly important in the context of climate change as significant changes in the composition of the atmosphere are expected by the end of the century, with varying magnitudes depending on the corresponding SSP (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways) and RCP (Representative Concentration Pathway) scenario (Moss et al, 2010;Hauglustaine et al, 2014;Drugé et al, 2021), leading to potentially very different solar environments. Moreover, it is now established that mitigating the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change requires the development of alternative methods of energy production.…”