US Allocates Over $15Mln For Research Projects On Cloud-Climate Change Link - Energy Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2021) Twenty-seven studies on the interaction between atmospheric aerosols and clouds will receive research grants totaling more than $15 million in an examination of processes behind climate change, the Department of Energy (DOE) said on Thursday.

"These projects will help scientists better understand one of the most challenging aspects of Earth system modeling and improve their ability to accurately predict weather and climate patterns - an essential tool in the Biden Administration's efforts to combat the climate emergency," DOE said in a press release.

Researchers will use data gathered by DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user facility, the world's leading facility for ground-based observations of atmospheric processes. Funding totaling $15.

6 million will support the projects for the next three years, the release said.

Research will cover a range of atmospheric science topics, including the physical interactions between clouds and aerosols, lifecycles of thunderstorms, and surface energy distribution in the Arctic region, the release added.

Aerosols are tiny particles that take on water and absorb and scatter light, which alters how readily the atmosphere forms clouds. Clouds, in turn, modify aerosols by changing their chemistry, the release explained.

These processes - some of the most complex interactions to model - affect temperature, precipitation patterns, and how much sunlight reaches and leaves the Earth's surface, making them critical in producing accurate climate predictions, according to the release.