Articles | Volume 24, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2319-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2319-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
22 Feb 2024
Research article |
| 22 Feb 2024
| 22 Feb 2024
Contrail formation on ambient aerosol particles for aircraft with hydrogen combustion: a box model trajectory study
Andreas Bier
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Simon Unterstrasser
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Josef Zink
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Dennis Hillenbrand
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Tina Jurkat-Witschas
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Annemarie Lottermoser
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
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Cited
24 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Ammonia versus kerosene contrails: A review R. Medlin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2024.101074
- Results of the H2Avia Project: Potential of Hydrogen for Global Aviation F. Peter et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13060550
- Hydrogen fuel cell integrated turbofan engines offer lower costs when climate impact accounted for aviation purposes M. Khan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.105337
- Regional and seasonal impact of hydrogen propulsion systems on potential contrail cirrus cover S. Kaufmann et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2024.100298
- A blueprint for a zero-emission hydrogen aviation ecosystem for the year 2050 P. Ansell https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2025.101169
- Contrail formation: generalised theory and a mitigation proposition for fuel-cell-propelled aircraft D. Hillenbrand & S. Unterstrasser https://doi.org/10.1017/aer.2026.10185
- Investigating the limiting aircraft-design-dependent and environmental factors of persistent contrail formation L. Megill & V. Grewe https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4131-2025
- Continued global warming from aviation even under high-ambition mitigation scenarios B. Aamaas et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101451
- Reducing emissions and fuel consumption in supersonic aviation with ammonia hybrid engines M. Khan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.150540
- Impact of Alternative Propulsion Systems on Contrail Formation and Lifetime J. Rosenow et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13080727
- High-resolution modeling of early contrail evolution from hydrogen-powered aircraft A. Lottermoser & S. Unterstrasser https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7903-2025
- A review of hydrogen aircraft propulsion systems: recent advances and environmental perspectives A. Leitão et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.151489
- Contrail formation for aircraft with hydrogen combustion – Part 2: Engine-related aspects J. Zink & S. Unterstrasser https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3145-2026
- Towards intermediate complexity modelling of contrail formation: the new dynamical framework RadMod A. Lottermoser & S. Unterstrasser https://doi.org/10.1017/aer.2024.130
- Fleet-Level Assessment of Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Using Scenario-Based Modeling A. Muslić et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13060517
- Review of methods for assessing the climate impacts of aviation technologies and the resulting best practices V. Grewe et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-026-00980-0
- Contrail formation for aircraft with hydrogen combustion – Part 1: A systematic microphysical investigation J. Zink et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3125-2026
- In-flight emission measurements with an autonomous payload behind a turboprop aircraft G. Neumann et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-6795-2025
- Hydrogen Leakage Across an Airport Liquid Hydrogen Supply Chain T. Schunkert et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2026.01.021
- Detailed Sensitivity and Multi-Level Design Studies on a Hydrogen-Hybrid Dual-Fuel Regional Aircraft Retrofit U. Rischmüller et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13080724
- Reduced contrail radiative effect for fleets with low soot and water vapour emissions M. Rubin-Zuzic et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2025.100353
- Contrail Formation Criterion for Assessment of Alternative Propulsion Technologies E. Richardson https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B39430
- Evaluating soft and hard contrail avoidance strategies in commercial flight planning: Implementation and effectiveness analysis A. Martin Frias et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2026.103089
- An updated microphysical model for particle activation in contrails: the role of volatile plume particles J. Ponsonby et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-18617-2025
24 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Ammonia versus kerosene contrails: A review R. Medlin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2024.101074
- Results of the H2Avia Project: Potential of Hydrogen for Global Aviation F. Peter et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13060550
- Hydrogen fuel cell integrated turbofan engines offer lower costs when climate impact accounted for aviation purposes M. Khan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.105337
- Regional and seasonal impact of hydrogen propulsion systems on potential contrail cirrus cover S. Kaufmann et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2024.100298
- A blueprint for a zero-emission hydrogen aviation ecosystem for the year 2050 P. Ansell https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2025.101169
- Contrail formation: generalised theory and a mitigation proposition for fuel-cell-propelled aircraft D. Hillenbrand & S. Unterstrasser https://doi.org/10.1017/aer.2026.10185
- Investigating the limiting aircraft-design-dependent and environmental factors of persistent contrail formation L. Megill & V. Grewe https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4131-2025
- Continued global warming from aviation even under high-ambition mitigation scenarios B. Aamaas et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101451
- Reducing emissions and fuel consumption in supersonic aviation with ammonia hybrid engines M. Khan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.150540
- Impact of Alternative Propulsion Systems on Contrail Formation and Lifetime J. Rosenow et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13080727
- High-resolution modeling of early contrail evolution from hydrogen-powered aircraft A. Lottermoser & S. Unterstrasser https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7903-2025
- A review of hydrogen aircraft propulsion systems: recent advances and environmental perspectives A. Leitão et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.151489
- Contrail formation for aircraft with hydrogen combustion – Part 2: Engine-related aspects J. Zink & S. Unterstrasser https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3145-2026
- Towards intermediate complexity modelling of contrail formation: the new dynamical framework RadMod A. Lottermoser & S. Unterstrasser https://doi.org/10.1017/aer.2024.130
- Fleet-Level Assessment of Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Using Scenario-Based Modeling A. Muslić et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13060517
- Review of methods for assessing the climate impacts of aviation technologies and the resulting best practices V. Grewe et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-026-00980-0
- Contrail formation for aircraft with hydrogen combustion – Part 1: A systematic microphysical investigation J. Zink et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3125-2026
- In-flight emission measurements with an autonomous payload behind a turboprop aircraft G. Neumann et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-6795-2025
- Hydrogen Leakage Across an Airport Liquid Hydrogen Supply Chain T. Schunkert et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2026.01.021
- Detailed Sensitivity and Multi-Level Design Studies on a Hydrogen-Hybrid Dual-Fuel Regional Aircraft Retrofit U. Rischmüller et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13080724
- Reduced contrail radiative effect for fleets with low soot and water vapour emissions M. Rubin-Zuzic et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2025.100353
- Contrail Formation Criterion for Assessment of Alternative Propulsion Technologies E. Richardson https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B39430
- Evaluating soft and hard contrail avoidance strategies in commercial flight planning: Implementation and effectiveness analysis A. Martin Frias et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2026.103089
- An updated microphysical model for particle activation in contrails: the role of volatile plume particles J. Ponsonby et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-18617-2025
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 26 Aug 2026
Short summary
Using hydrogen as aviation fuel affects contrails' climate impact. We study contrail formation behind aircraft with H2 combustion. Due to the absence of soot emissions, contrail ice crystals are assumed to form only on ambient particles mixed into the plume. The ice crystal number, which strongly varies with temperature and aerosol number density, is decreased by more than 80 %–90 % compared to kerosene contrails. However H2 contrails can form at lower altitudes due to higher H2O emissions.
Using hydrogen as aviation fuel affects contrails' climate impact. We study contrail formation...
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