Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In recent efforts to reduce the radiative forcing of aviation, fuel design has gained increased attention. Sustainable Aviation Fuels are seeing wider adoption, and their positive impact on carbon dioxide and non-volatile soot particle emissions is well-established. However, the effects of the reduction in fuel sulfur content on volatile particle emissions and contrails are unknown. This study presents observations from in-flight measurements of emissions and contrails of an Airbus A350-900 burning fuels with different sulfur contents. We find a reduction in volatile particles and contrail ice crystals for low-sulfur fuels. For higher fuel sulfur contents, our findings demonstrate an additional contrail ice particle source through activation of sulfate aerosols. Our data-driven results need to be consolidated by in-flight observations with different fuels and engines. Eventually, climate impact estimates as well as regulations should account for the modulating effect of the fuel sulfur content on contrail ice particle numbers.
Authors: Rebecca Dischl, Raphael Märkl, Daniel Sauer, Christiane Voigt, Theresa Harlaß, Monika Scheibe, Valerian Hahn, Stefan Kaufmann, Andreas Marsing, Andreas Dörnbrack, Anke Roiger, Fangqun Yu, Maxime Gauthier, Charles Renard, Peter Swann, Mark Johnson, Denise Ahrens, Reetu Sallinen, Georg Eckel, Patrick Le Clercq
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,490
Awards: Particle emissions, Air Quality and Climate Impact related to Fuel Composition and Engine Cycle, Flugzeuggetragene Messungen der Eisnukleation in Kondensstreifen aus modernen, niedrigemittierenden Luftfahrttriebwerken und nachhaltigen Treibstoffen das ECOCON Experiment, Advancing Aeronautics and Aerosol research to Accelerate Climate neutral aviation, Toward Improved Understanding of Fundamental Processes Controlling the Size-Resolved Properties of Particles in the Stratosphere
OpenAlex ID: W4416225845