Urban cloud patterns, drivers and feedbacks

Urban land use and human activities in cities modify the regional climate and thus the living conditions in cities. The urban heat island effect, the emission of anthropogenic aerosols, and the increased roughness length of cities shape mesoscale processes in complex ways and can contribute to the enhancement (reduction) of low-level convective (stratiform clouds) in the proximity of urban areas. In view of global climate change and the uncertainties still associated with the role of clouds in the climate system, a complete understanding of all factors impacting clouds is urgently required. The aim of the project is the spatiotemporal quantification of urban cloud patterns and properties, the analysis of their main influences and the estimation of the feedback on the urban radiation budget using satellite observations and numerical modelling over Europe. The systematic consideration of all the relevant drivers of urban cloud modification in statistical (machine learning) combined with numerical modelling (ICON-ART) supports the combination of observations and physical models and is expected to improve the understanding of urban cloud modification.