The overarching goal of ACTIVATE is to robustly characterize aerosol-cloud-meteorology interactions using extensive, systematic, and simultaneous in situ and remote sensing airborne measurements with two aircraft and a hierarchy of models. ACTIVATE focuses on marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds that span the continuum of stratiform and cumulus clouds and include post-frontal conditions. Together, these clouds cover more than 45% of the ocean surface and exert a large net cooling effect.
Improved understanding and model representations of relationships between number concentrations of aerosol (Na), cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), and cloud droplets (Nd) and the relationships between cloud micro/macro-physical properties
A unique dataset for international model intercomparison and process-based studies
An evaluation of current remote sensing retrievals and prototypes for future satellite missions
The development of improved satellite-based Nd retrievals and CCN proxies
