Michael’s paper on detecting cloud changes from ship regulations receives 2023 ACP Paul Crutzen Publication Award

Figure 1 from Diamond (2023), showing that strong cloud perturbations from ship pollution before the IMO 2020 marine fuel sulfur regulations largely disappear after their implementation. Shading shows the size of cloud droplets forming in the region.

It is a huge honor to have my paper on detecting cloud changes due to recent pollution reductions driven by International Maritime Organization regulations jointly receive the 2023 ACP Paul Crutzen Publication Award. Many thanks to the selection committee and the editors, as well as my incredible colleagues and mentors throughout the years who have helped me to get to where I am today.

The ACP Paul Crutzen Award “was created to recognize an outstanding publication in ACP that advances our understanding of atmospheric chemistry and physics. The annual award was created in honour of Paul Crutzen, Nobel Prize laureate and former director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, who played a pivotal role in the creation of the journal 22 years ago.”

In 2020, international law imposed strong restrictions on sulfur emissions from the international shipping industry. In this study, sophisticated statistical techniques were used to compare cloud droplet size and reflectivity before and after the law was implemented, finding strong evidence that droplet sizes have increased and that clouds have darkened, resulting in a significant local warming effect. In addition to their geophysical significance, the results provide independent evidence for general compliance with the 2020 regulations. The award committee described the paper as innovative and timely, with high societal relevance.

Award Citation

You can read more from the Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics news item at: https://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/about/news_and_press/2024-03-26_the-2023-acp-paul-crutzen-publication-award.html

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