CLOUD-DOC
The EU Marie Curie Project CLOUD-DOC is a network of 12 PhD students at 12 partner institutions across Europe, investigating the role of aerosol nucleation on atmospheric aerosol, clouds, and climate. At its core are state-of-the-art instrumentation and experiments in the CLOUD (Cosmic Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN, where the formation and growth of atmospheric aerosol particles are studied under controlled conditions in a 26 m³ ultra-clean chamber to understand and quantify fundamental processes of nucleation and growth. Within this international consortium, the doctoral candidates develop innovative measurement techniques, design, perform, and analyze experiments, and communicate their results in workshops and scientific events. CLOUD-DOC not only advances knowledge of atmospheric microprocesses but also strengthens scientific training through intensive supervision, interdisciplinary training, and direct exchange between early-career researchers and established experts.
Among different projects explored by the network, TROPOS is involved in studying aerosol formation and growth in the atmosphere of the Southern Ocean (SO). Our PhD candidate is investigating the sources of particle formation in this region by analyzing long-term in situ aerosol measurements and reproducing similar SO atmospheric conditions in experiments in the CERN CLOUD chamber. A specific focus of our experiments is the influence of marine biogenic volatile organic compounds on new particle formation.
