Infra-Atmo

The new organization of the European research infrastructures towards world class research facilities and data services is under way. One of the key areas of European interest in the ESFRI process is the Environment segment including climate and air quality monitoring, and in particular aerosol and cloud observation. Aerosols, clouds, greenhouse and trace gases are the key atmospheric components related to processes and feedback mechanisms of Earth radiation balance, climate change and air quality as highlighted again in the recent IPCC report. The Radiative Forcing generated by aerosol in the atmosphere, which includes cloud adjustments due to aerosols, is –0.9 [–1.9 to -0.1] W m-2 (medium confidence), and results from a negative forcing from most aerosols and a positive contribution from black carbon absorption of solar radiation. Contrary to greenhouse gases, radiative forcing by short-lived trace gases and aerosol particles, in particular, is still very uncertain and they continue to contribute the largest uncertainty to the total RF estimate. Starting the Horizon2020 framework program, the strategy for developing a sustainable research infrastructure for atmospheric short-lived climate forcers (SLCF) is under way with a number of calls for proposal opened. A first call published may permit continuation of ACTRIS-I3 (INFRAIA). The commission also opens the possibility for research Infrastructure for the Environmental domain to better coordinate their activities, including the atmospheric domain (INFRADEV-4). Finally, the road to including new Research Infrastructures as part of the ESFRI strategy is opened in INFRADEV-1 that may be suited to promote ACTRIS-RI for long-term continuity, joint development, and coordination of activities of the aerosol and cloud observing system in Europe. The European observing infrastructure framework will therefore considerably evolve in the 2014-2016 period. The French community has been extremely active in developing the current state of infrastructure programs. The current project seeks to establish an efficient research network in France to ensure that national leadership in the field is maintained through an active role in responding to EU opportunities in 2014/2015 and that synergies between National and European strategies are efficiently developed. This is the objective of this 2-year program: structuring the national component of a European Research Infrastructure for CLoud, aerosol and trace gases observations not currently part of ICOS/IAGOS and ensuring the proper level of national leadership in future EU Infrastructure programs. The submission of this project follows a mandate from INSU-OA division to work towards establishing a national Research Infrastructure for the Atmospheric Sciences in the framework of ALLENVI.