Perspectives on the Future of Ice Nucleation Research: Research Needs and Unanswered Questions Identified from Two International Workshops
, Michel J. Rossi 4, Heike Wex 5, Peter Aaron Alpert 6,7, Valentino Bianco 1, Yvonne Boose 8, Christoph Dellago 1, Laura Felgitsch 9, Janine Fröhlich-Nowoisky 10, Hartmut Herrmann 5, Swetlana Jungblut 1, Zamin A. Kanji 8, Georg Menzl 1, Bruce Moffett 11, Clemens Moritz 1, Anke Mutzel 5, Ulrich Pöschl 10, Michael Schauperl 12, Jan Scheel 10, Emiliano Stopelli 13, Frank Stratmann 5, Hinrich Grothe 9,*
and David G. Schmale 9,14,*
Abstract
There has been increasing interest in ice nucleation research in the last decade. To identify important gaps in our knowledge of ice nucleation processes and their impacts, two international workshops on ice nucleation were held in Vienna, Austria in 2015 and 2016. Experts from these workshops identified the following research needs: (1) uncovering the molecular identity of active sites for ice nucleation; (2) the importance of modeling for the understanding of heterogeneous ice nucleation; (3) identifying and quantifying contributions of biological ice nuclei from natural and managed environments; (4) examining the role of aging in ice nuclei; (5) conducting targeted sampling campaigns in clouds; and (6) designing lab and field experiments to increase our understanding of the role of ice-nucleating particles in the atmosphere. Interdisciplinary teams of scientists should work together to establish and maintain a common, unified language for ice nucleation research. A number of commercial applications benefit from ice nucleation research, including the production of artificial snow, the freezing and preservation of water-containing food products, and the potential modulation of weather. Additional work is needed to increase our understanding of ice nucleation processes and potential impacts on precipitation, water availability, climate change, crop health, and feedback cycles. View Full-Text
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Coluzza, I.; Creamean, J.; Rossi, M.J.; Wex, H.; Alpert, P.A.; Bianco, V.; Boose, Y.; Dellago, C.; Felgitsch, L.; Fröhlich-Nowoisky, J.; Herrmann, H.; Jungblut, S.; Kanji, Z.A.; Menzl, G.; Moffett, B.; Moritz, C.; Mutzel, A.; Pöschl, U.; Schauperl, M.; Scheel, J.; Stopelli, E.; Stratmann, F.; Grothe, H.; Schmale, D.G. Perspectives on the Future of Ice Nucleation Research: Research Needs and Unanswered Questions Identified from Two International Workshops. Atmosphere 2017, 8, 138.
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