Structuring the French component of a Research Infrastructure for the Atmospheric Sciences – Infra-Atmo

Within the H2020 Infrastructure roadmap, the European commission will address the establishment of coherent and well-dimensioned world class research facilities and data services that comprises currently identified ESFRIs as well as missing pieces of the puzzle. Challenges are important for the atmospheric community which should take this opportunity to 1) engage the community in a sustainable RI ACTRIS for the observation of aerosol, clouds and trace gases (call INFRAIA and ESFRI) and make sure that the proper level of interoperability between RI in the atmospheric domain and more generally with the environmental domain is met (call INFRADEV)
The French community has been extremely active in developing the current state of infrastructure programs, within ICOS, IAGOS, ACTRIS and INGOS. France plays a key role in the community of users of the atmospheric infrastructures for the development of atmospheric services in the framework of the MACCII GMES/COPERNICUS program. It is therefore important that the national community responds to these call in a concorded manner.

The ACTRIS-2 project was funded Under INFRAIA call, with relevant participation of CNRS and associated teams
The ENVRI+ project was funded Under INFRADEV call with relevant participation of IFREMER, CEA, INRA, CNRS and associated teams
Proposal for integration of ACTRIS into the 2016 ESFRI roadmap was submitted
At national level, proposal for integration of ATMO in the National Roadmap was submitted

We expect outcome from ESFRI by end of 2015. In parallel, CD TGIR will decide on the integration of IR ATMO on the National ROadmap. If positive, this will open the way to a long-term and more stable landscape of Atmospheric Research Infrastructures at National and European levels.

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The new organization of the European research infrastructures towards world class research facilities and data services is under way. One of the key areas of European interest in the ESFRI process is the Environment segment including climate and air quality monitoring, and in particular aerosol and cloud observation. Aerosols, clouds, greenhouse and trace gases are the key atmospheric components related to processes and feedback mechanisms of Earth radiation balance, climate change and air quality as highlighted again in the recent IPCC report. The Radiative Forcing generated by aerosol in the atmosphere, which includes cloud adjustments due to aerosols, is –0.9 [–1.9 to -0.1] W m-2 (medium confidence), and results from a negative forcing from most aerosols and a positive contribution from black carbon absorption of solar radiation. Contrary to greenhouse gases, radiative forcing by short-lived trace gases and aerosol particles, in particular, is still very uncertain and they continue to contribute the largest uncertainty to the total RF estimate.
Starting the Horizon2020 framework program, the strategy for developing a sustainable research infrastructure for atmospheric short-lived climate forcers (SLCF) is under way with a number of calls for proposal opened. A first call published may permit continuation of ACTRIS-I3 (INFRAIA). The commission also opens the possibility for research Infrastructure for the Environmental domain to better coordinate their activities, including the atmospheric domain (INFRADEV-4). Finally, the road to including new Research Infrastructures as part of the ESFRI strategy is opened in INFRADEV-1 that may be suited to promote ACTRIS-RI for long-term continuity, joint development, and coordination of activities of the aerosol and cloud observing system in Europe. The European observing infrastructure framework will therefore considerably evolve in the 2014-2016 period.
The French community has been extremely active in developing the current state of infrastructure programs. The current project seeks to establish an efficient research network in France to ensure that national leadership in the field is maintained through an active role in responding to EU opportunities in 2014/2015 and that synergies between National and European strategies are efficiently developed. This is the objective of this 2-year program: structuring the national component of a European Research Infrastructure for CLoud, aerosol and trace gases observations not currently part of ICOS/IAGOS and ensuring the proper level of national leadership in future EU Infrastructure programs. The submission of this project follows a mandate from INSU-OA division to work towards establishing a national Research Infrastructure for the Atmospheric Sciences in the framework of ALLENVI.