Individual Condensation Trails in Aircraft Trajectory Optimization

Judith Rosenow and Hartmut Fricke
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Judith Rosenow: Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Logistics and Aviation, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Hartmut Fricke: Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Logistics and Aviation, 01069 Dresden, Germany

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: Contrails are one of the driving contributors to global warming, induced by aviation. The quantification of the impact of contrails on global warming is nontrivial and requires further in-depth investigation. In detail, condensation trails might even change the algebraic sign between a cooling and a warming effect in an order of magnitude, which is comparable to the impact of aviation-emitted carbon dioxides and nitrogen oxides. This implies the necessity to granularly consider the environmental impact of condensation trails in single-trajectory optimization tools. The intent of this study is the elaboration of all significant factors influencing on the net effect of single condensation trails. Possible simplifications will be proposed for a consideration in single-trajectory optimization tools. Finally, the effects of the most important impact factors, such as latitude, time of the year, and time of the day, wind shear, and atmospheric turbulence as well as their consideration in a multi-criteria trajectory optimization tool are exemplified. The results can be used for an arbitrary trajectory optimization tool with environmental optimization intents.

Keywords: contrails; radiative forcing; aircraft trajectory optimization; energy efficiency; weather impact (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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