Atmospheric Composition and the Asian Monsoon (ACAM)

Description of activity:

ACAM is a SPARC/IGAC jointly sponsored activity. Scientifically, the initiative focuses on four themes, each representing a key aspect of the connection between atmospheric composition and Asian monsoon dynamics:

1. Emissions and air quality in the Asian monsoon region;
2. Aerosols, clouds, and their interactions with the Asian monsoon;
3. Impact of monsoon convection on chemistry;
4. UTLS Response to the Asian Monsoon.

As a weather pattern, the Asian monsoon impacts the lives of more than a billion people. With rapid population and economic growth across the monsoon region, it becomes a pressing concern that the monsoon convection coupled to surface emissions is playing a significant role in the region’s air quality. The uplift of pollutants also enhances aerosol–cloud interactions that may change the behavior of the monsoon. The chemical transport effect of the monsoon system is seen from satellites as an effective transport path for pollutants to enter the stratosphere. The monsoon system is therefore relevant to scales and processes bridging regional air quality, climate change, and global chemistry-climate interaction. Accurate representation of this system in global chemistry-climate models is critical to predicting how this evolving region may contribute to future change. To characterize and quantify the impact of the system, integrated study is essential, including observations (in situ and remote sensing) from the surface through the troposphere and stratosphere as well as modeling from regional to global scales. To be successful in this pursuit, it is necessary to build strong international collaborations to obtain the diverse expertise, resources, and access to the monsoon region for international research teams. The ACAM activity represents a critical step in building these international relationships.

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