New A4CLIMATE deliverable explores contrail formation in the low-soot regime
A4CLIMATE has released its latest public deliverable, D1.3 – In-flight measurements in low-soot regime, providing new insights into how modern aircraft engines and fuel composition influence aerosol emissions and contrail formation.
The report brings together in-flight measurements from the ECLIF3, NEOFUELS/VOLCAN and ecoDemonstrator campaigns, covering both conventional rich-quench-lean and modern lean-burn engine technologies, as well as conventional jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
A key finding is that contrail formation behaves differently depending on the engine emission regime. While lower soot emissions can reduce contrail ice crystal numbers in soot-rich conditions, very low-soot lean-burn engines can still produce substantial numbers of contrail ice crystals due to volatile particles formed from sulfur compounds, organic vapours and lubrication oil.
These results provide an important observational basis for improving contrail models and for better assessing the climate impact of future aircraft technologies and fuels.
Read the full deliverable: D1.3 – In-flight measurements in low-soot regime.