Short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs) – such as aerosols (and their precursors), HFCs, CH₄ and ozone precursors – have received increased attention during the recent years. They can have significant effects on climate change. It is a group of components with very different atmospheric and climate properties than CO₂, mainly related to lifetimes and sign of radiative forcing but also related to different sources and synergies and trade-offs in possible mitigation strategies. Another important characteristic of some SLCFs is that they are subject to relatively large uncertainties in estimates of their climate effects. The role of SLCFs in mitigation scenarios can be important. Firstly, they can have a strong influence on short-term climate change and air quality, and secondly, their contribution to climate change becomes also visible as impact on the calculated remaining carbon budgets for 1.5 and 2ºC global warming. As a result, the future development of SLCFs, their effects and the implications for mitigation strategies are relevant to all the IPCC Working Groups.

In this context, this session welcomes submissions on:
-What is the current understanding of radiative forcing from present day emissions of SLCF and their precursors, and what are the implications for future effects on (mean and extreme) temperatures and precipitation on global and regional scales
-How may the emissions of SLCFs develop in the future. In this context, we would especially be interested in future emissions and mitigation trajectories of SLCFs in relation to the timing of mitigation efforts and the possible trade-offs between CO₂ and non-CO₂ components
-What are the SLCF mitigation options and abatement costs in IAMs and scenarios, and new insights on advanced emission reductions options
-How can modelling of SLCFs be improved in IAMs given scientific developments from various MIPs
-New insights on the co-benefits of reducing SLCFs in scenarios, for instance, on air quality and effects on health and crops

Invited Speakers:

Bill Collins (Univ of Reading). Tentative title: “On the geophysical knowledge of SLCFs and their role in scenarios.”

Zig Klimont (IIASA): “Future development of Short-Lived Climate Forcers (SLCFs) and mitigation options”

Find meeting webpage

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

Gravity waves excited during a minor sudden stratospheric warming. By A. Dörnbrack et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Better Data for Modeling the Sun’s Influence on Climate. By T. Dudok de Wit et al. in Earth and Space Science News.

SO2 Oxidation Kinetics Leave a Consistent Isotopic Imprint on Volcanic Ice Core Sulfate. By E. Gautier et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

On the Upward Extension of the Polar Vortices into the Mesosphere. By V.L. Harvey et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Social science perspectives on drivers of and responses to global climate change. By A.K. Jorgenson et al. in Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews (WIREs) Climate Change.

Evaluating the MJO prediction skill from different configurations of NCEP GEFS extended forecast. By W. Li et al. in Climate Dynamics

Interdecadal Weakening of the East Asian Winter Monsoon in the mid-1980s: The Roles of External Forcings. By J. Miao et al. in the Journal of the Climate.

Impact of a Stochastic Nonorographic Gravity Wave Parameterization on the Stratospheric Dynamics of a General Circulation Model. By F. Serva et al. in the Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems.

MJO Affects the Monsoon Onset Timing over the Indian Region. By S. Taraphdar et al. in the Geophysical Research Letters.

Ozonesonde Quality Assurance: The JOSIE-SHADOZ (2017) Experience. By A.M. Thompson et al. in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.

Discussion papers open for comment:

Transport of short-lived halocarbons to the stratosphere over the Pacific Ocean. By M.T. Filus et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

4th Symposium of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR):  Small Satellites for Sustainable Science and Development

“COSPAR 2019”

Date: 4 – 8 November 2019
Place: Herzliya, Israel
Contact: COSPAR Secretariat
http://www.cospar2019.org/

Host Organization: The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Scientific Program Chair: Professor Morris Podolak, Tel Aviv University, Dept. of Geosciences

Abstract Deadline: 15 April 2019

Topics:
– Satellite and nanosatellite observations of ground and underground soil
– Ground water, seas, and oceans
– Atmosphere and ionosphere
– Magnetosphere
– Solar system objects (planets, asteroids, interplanetary space)
– Extrasolar planets and the interstellar medium
– The Milky Way and intergalactic space
– Education for space engineering
– Space sciences

Selected papers published in Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research, fully refereed journals with no deadlines open to all submissions in relevant fields.

43rd Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and Associated Events

“COSPAR 2020”

Date: 15 – 23 August 2020
Place: Sydney, Australia
Contact: COSPAR Secretariat
https://www.cospar-assembly.org (scientific program)
http://www.cospar2020.org (registration, accommodation, etc.)

Host Organization: Australian Academy of Science

Scientific Program Chair: Prof. Iver Cairns, University of Sydney, School of Physics

Abstract Deadline: mid-February 2020

Topics:

Approximately 125 meetings covering the fields of COSPAR Scientific Commissions (SC) and Panels:
– SC A:  The Earth’s Surface, Meteorology and Climate
– SC B:  The Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of the Solar System
– SC C:  The Upper Atmospheres of the Earth and Planets Including Reference Atmospheres
– SC D:  Space Plasmas in the Solar System, Including Planetary Magnetospheres
– SC E:  Research in Astrophysics from Space
– SC F:  Life Sciences as Related to Space
– SC G:  Materials Sciences in Space
– SC H:  Fundamental Physics in Space
– Panel on Satellite Dynamics (PSD)
– Panel on Scientific Ballooning (PSB)
– Panel on Potentially Environmentally Detrimental Activities in Space (PEDAS)
– Panel on Radiation Belt Environment Modelling (PRBEM)
– Panel on Space Weather (PSW)
– Panel on Planetary Protection (PPP)
– Panel on Capacity Building (PCB)
– Panel on Education (PE)
– Panel on Exploration (PEX)
– Panel on Interstellar Research (PIR)
– Special events:  interdisciplinary lectures, round table, etc.

Selected papers published in Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research, fully refereed journals with no deadlines open to all submissions in relevant fields.

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

A stratospheric pathway linking a colder Siberia to Barents-Kara Sea sea ice loss. By P. Zhang et al. in Science Advances.

Re-examining tropical expansion. By P.W. Staten et al. in Nature Climate Change.

Detection of a climatological short break in the polar night jet in early winter and its relation to cooling over Siberia. By Y. Ando et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Combined influence of the Arctic Oscillation and the Scandinavia pattern on spring surface air temperature variations over Eurasia. By S. Chen et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Diurnal Cycle of Precipitation and Cloud Clusters inthe MJO and ITCZ over the Indian Ocean. By B.W. Kerns and S.S. Chen in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

The need for an integrated land‐lake‐atmosphere modeling system, exemplified by North America’s Great Lakes region. By A. Sharma et al. in Earth’s Future.

Comparison of Subseasonal‐to‐Seasonal Model Forecasts for Major Stratospheric Sudden Warmings. By M. Taguchi in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

The influences of the Arctic troposphere on the midlatitude climate variability and the recent Eurasian cooling. By K. Ye, T. Jung, and T. Semmler in the Journal of Geophysical research: Atmospheres.

Discussion papers open for comment:

Large-scale transport into the Arctic: the roles of the midlatitude jet and the Hadley Cell. By H. Yang et al. in Atmospheric chemistry and Physics.

The deadline for online-registration to the SPARC General Assembly is less than one week away. Please remember to register online

before 2 September 2018, 24:00 UTC [Mon, 3 September 9:00 a.m. Japanese Standard time]

at: http://www-mete.kugi.kyoto-u.ac.jp/SPARC_GA2018/registration.html

We highly recommend online registration to avoid long queues at the registration desk on the first day, and to reduce the possibly of missing the opening ceremony and performance.

Additional important information:

——–
** Conference dinner**

If you want to participate in the conference dinner on Wednesday night, please register for it through the registration page online. It is not possible to make on-site reservations for the conference dinner.
If you are not able to use the registration page for this purpose or want to bring additional guests, please send an email to the SPARC office () stating the names of the additional participants. We cannot make additional reservations after 15 September 2018.

The dinner will be held on Wednesday, 3 October as a buffet dinner from 18:00 to 20:00, plus dancing till 22:00 or so, at FORTUNE GARDEN KYOTO – 7,000 JPY (incl. tax) per person

——-
** Early Career Researcher Poster awards **

SPARC strongly supports early career scientists, and has managed to secure funding for best-poster cash awards. Determining the best poster needs judging by scientific peers at the conference. Please consider volunteering to be a judge for the Early Career Scientists (ECS) poster award. We aim at having enough judges, that no one has to be on judging duty for more than two (of six) poster sessions. If you want to volunteer, please let us know via email at . Thank you for your consideration!

——–
** Ice-breaker reception on Sunday**

A reception with some food and drinks will be held on Sunday afternoon in the poster room. Authors can already use this time to put up their posters and (informally) present their work.

The poster room is also always accessible during registration times and lunch breaks for informal presentations and discussions.

———
** Visa processing**

Please check your visa requirements as soon as possible at: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html and contact the travel agency via email to: , if you require additional documents.

If you require an invitation letter, please provide the personal information that needs to be included in the visa documents:
Name:
Gender (male/female):
Birth date (DD-MM-YYY):
Age:
Current Position:
Address:
Post Code:
Telephone:

If you have not done so already, please make all inquiries as soon as possible. It will not be possible to process visa applications after August 31st (except sight-seeing visa)

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

The IPCC and the new map of science and politics. By S. Beck and M. Mahoney in Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews (WIREs) Climate Change.

Teleconnection stationarity, variability and trends of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) during the last millennium. By C. Dätwyler et al. in Climate Dynamics.

Momentum Flux of Convective Gravity Waves Derived from an Offline Gravity Wave Parameterization. Part II: Impacts on the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO). By M-J. Kang et al. in the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN CLIMATE AND WEATHER. By S. Sandgathe et al. in the Bulletin of the American meteorological Society.

TPVTrack v1.0: A watershed segmentation and overlap correspondence method for tracking tropopause polar vortices. By N. Szapiro and S. Cavallo in Geoscientific Model Development.

The impact of boreal summer ENSO events on tropical lower stratospheric ozone. By O.V. Tweedy et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Discussion papers open for comment:

Response of Arctic ozone to sudden stratospheric warmings. By A. de la Cámara et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Comparison of Antarctic polar stratospheric cloud observations by ground-based and spaceborne lidars and relevance for Chemistry Climate Models. By M. Snels et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

There are only a few weeks left to comment on the WCRP Strategic Plan (deadline 31 August).

Further comments from all of you are welcome. Please share this opportunity with your colleagues and networks.

The WCRP Joint Scientific Cimmittee extends their thanks to those who have already taken the time to comment.

Why is the WCRP Strategic Plan important? See the statement below, which was released on the WCRP website.

—
The WCRP Strategic Plan: Climate Science for Society

The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) is dedicated to international climate research. Our community has worked and debated over all aspects of climate science, resulting in the conclusion that yes, human activities are changing our climate and yes, although it will never be perfect, we can do a lot to predict how climate will change in the future. Now, as we near our 40th anniversary, society is no longer just talking about climate change, we are noticeably experiencing it. Society needs clear, concise and robust climate information to support wise adaptation and mitigation choices, to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that will arise in our changing world.

The WCRP Strategic Plan 2019-2029 takes an integrated approach to climate research. We recognize that to successfully meet the needs of society there must be fundamental climate research and also research that is co-designed to meet the needs of policy and decision makers. An Earth System’s approach is central, with an enhanced focus on the availability of climate information across time scales of days to a century and spatial scales from local to global. It is imperative that we deliver well-coordinated field programs, innovative observing systems, state of the art analysis and prediction capabilities, advanced computational infrastructure and an open and fully inclusive platform for research design and information sharing. Strong partnerships across research communities, agencies, and other organizations are fundamental in the cost-effective use of research resources and in improving the usability and use of climate information.

If you have not read the WCRP Strategic Plan yet, please take the time to do so (link below). It is a short, 9-page document that sets out the vision, mission, and overarching objectives of the Programme as well as the bedrock science, termed ’emphases’, and tools and capabilities, termed ‘imperatives’, necessary to achieve these goals. Please note that the WCRP Strategic Plan addresses long-term, high-level goals. The possible new structure of WCRP and other detailed organizational issues are still under discussion and will be outlined in the WCRP Implementation Plan.

You can download the WCRP Strategic Plan and enter your comments online on the consultation webpage. Public consultation on the WCRP Strategic Plan will close on 31 August 2018. We thank you in advance for your comments.

Consultation website: www.wcrp-climate.org/wcrp-sp-pc

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

Physics–Dynamics Coupling in weather, climate and Earth system models: Challenges and recent progress. By M. Gross et al. in the Monthly Weather Review.

The Importance of a Properly Represented Stratosphere for Northern Hemisphere Surface Variability in the Atmosphere and the Ocean. By S. Haase et al. in the Journal of Climate.

Ensemble-based Atmospheric Reanalysis using a Global Coupled Atmosphere–Ocean GCM. By N. Komori et al. in the Monthly Weather Review.

Impact of a stochastic nonorographic gravity wave parameterization on the stratospheric dynamics of a General Circulation Model. By F. Serva et al. in the Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems.

Improving MJO simulation by enhancing the interaction between boundary layer convergence and lower tropospheric heating. By Y-M. Yang and B. Wang in Climate Dynamics.

Zonally asymmetric trends of winter total column ozone in the northern middle latitudes. By J. Zhang et al. in Climate Dynamics.

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

No robust evidence of future changes in major stratospheric sudden warmings: a multi-model assessment from CCMI. By B. Ayarzagüena et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Rossby wave breaking and isentropic stratosphere‐troposphere exchange in 1981–2015 in the Northern Hemisphere. By P. Jing and S. Banerjee in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Determination of Best Tropopause Definition for Convective Transport Studies. By E.M. Maddox and G.L. Mullendore in the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.

Ensemble sensitivity analysis of Greenland blocking in medium‐range forecasts. By T. Parker, T. Woollings, and Antje Weisheimer in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society.

Impact of Parametrized Nonorographic Gravity Wave Drag on Stratosphere‐Troposphere Coupling in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. By I. Polichtchouk, T.G. Shepherd, and N.J. Byrne in the Geophysical Research Letters.

Discussion papers open for comment:

Structural changes in the shallow and transition branch of the Brewer–Dobson circulation induced by El Niño. By M. Diallo et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

The call for nominations to SPARC’s Scientific Steering Group (SSG) is now open. The SSG currently comprises 12 researchers from around the world with a wide range of expertise in atmospheric dynamics and chemistry. They guide SPARC’s priorities and activities, working together with the SSG co-chairs and the SPARC project office. SSG members should thus have a good overview of the SPARC Implementation plan and planning documents, the regional and international research agendas, and how SPARC’s priorities align with those of the new WCRP strategy.

The deadline for nominations is 15 September 2018.

Nominations can be submitted through the online form at

https://www.aparc-climate.org/about/leadership/ssg-nominations/
(including the upload of a publications list).

Please note that you can either nominate a candidate or nominate yourself.

The SSG takes a strategic view of SPARC’s role, so we are looking for individuals with a broad view of atmospheric science and climate change as well as expertise in their own field. Scientific expertise, career stage as well as gender and geographical balance are taken into account.

The initial term of service is for four years (January 2020 – December 2023), with a possible extension of two years.

If you are interested in getting involved in SPARC in other ways, including ideas for new foci, please visit the SPARC webpage for more information: www.sparc-climate.org/get-involved or contact the SPARC Office.