Observing contrails: identification & dynamics prediction
Condensation trails – so-called contrails – are artificial clouds composed of water, soot, and cool air behind jet aircraft in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. These non-CO₂ emissions are responsible for a large share of aviation’s impact on climate change. A French-German research project is now aiming to observe and forecast their impact. Contrails have been an object of research in the past