Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
ACP
Articles | Volume 25, issue 16
Articles | Volume 25, issue 16
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9235-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9235-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 25, issue 16
Research article
 | 
25 Aug 2025
Research article |  | 25 Aug 2025

Synoptic and microphysical lifetime constraints for contrails

Sina Maria Hofer and Klaus Martin Gierens

Viewed

Total article views: 6,616 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
4,641 1,798 177 6,616 180 222
  • HTML: 4,641
  • PDF: 1,798
  • XML: 177
  • Total: 6,616
  • BibTeX: 180
  • EndNote: 222
Views and downloads (calculated since 12 Mar 2025)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 12 Mar 2025)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 6,616 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 6,370 with geography defined and 246 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 

Cited

Saved (final revised paper)

Latest update: 14 Jul 2026
Download
Short summary
The climate effect of contrails depends on the contrail lifetime. Thus, it is important to know what constrains the lifetime. In this paper, we characterise the two most important contrail dissolution processes via their respective timescales. Both timescales are in the order of a couple of hours, depending on the synoptic situation and the size of the contrail ice crystals. The combined timescale, which combines both processes, is the harmonic mean of the two single timescales.
Read more
Share
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint