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Observing formation and early evolution of contrails formed by IAGOS aircraft using high-resolution LEO satellite imagery

We introduce an algorithm that can find individual aircraft in high-resolution (10–30 m) satellite imagery to see whether they form contrails. We looked specifically for IAGOS (In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System) aircraft which measure humidity: a key variable in predicting contrail formation and evolution. The final dataset consists of 543 IAGOS flights for which we know whether contrails form or not. We find excellent (98.3 %) agreement between these observations and predictions by a thermodynamic model of contrail formation.

Spectral analysis of lunar regions observed by MAJIS during the JUICE Moon-Earth flyby

This study presents a mineralogical analysis of lunar hyperspectral data acquired by JUICE/MAJIS during the Earth-Moon flyby. Focusing on Mare Tranquillitatis and Mare Fecunditatis, MAJIS spectra reveal prominent 1- and 2-µm absorption features characteristic of low- and high-Ca pyroxenes, confirming mafic mineral dominance and variations in regolith maturity. Consistency with legacy datasets (e.g., M³) validates MAJIS performance ahead of its primary mission in the Jovian system.

First year of Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager observations

The Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager (MTG-LI) is the first European space mission for monitoring lightning activity over Europe, Africa, and their surrounding areas. During its first year of observations from July 2024 to June 2025, MTG-LI detected a total of 595 × 10⁶ lightning flashes. The highest lightning frequency was found in central Africa. MTG-LI is an excellent instrument for monitoring total lightning activity on operational and climatological scales.

Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager detection performances

Lightning is a vital meteorological indicator, an Essential Climate Variable, and a key factor in atmospheric chemistry. EUMETSAT’s Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager (MTG-LI), operational since July 2024, is Europe’s first space-based geostationary lightning location system devoted to lightning diagnosis and characterization. This manuscript assesses its performance over 18 months, serving as a foundational reference for users.

Origin of low ozone above western North America: an investigation of sources and trends

Background ozone over Western North America is increasing despite local emission reductions, driven by intensifying transport from Southeast Asia, expanded global shipping, and rising aircraft emissions in the upper troposphere-lower stratosphere (UTLS). By analyzing the ozone 'lower tail' (<33rd percentile), this study identifies growing remote influences and shifting trans-Pacific transport patterns that are fundamentally altering the region's background atmospheric state.

The North American CORDEX-CMIP6 WRF evaluation run: comparing historical simulations from 25 km to convection-permitting scales

This study presents a new 12 km CORDEX (Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment )-CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project) WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) simulation for North America, compared against an earlier 25 km CMIP5 version and a 4 km convection-permitting simulation. The updated run reduces temperature and precipitation biases, improves precipitation timing, and better captures tropical cyclone intensity. Extreme precipitation at 12 km closely matches convection-permitting results, offering a practical resolution for regional climate assessment.

The Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project (CFMIP) contribution to CMIP7

Clouds constitute a key uncertainty for climate change projections. The Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project (CFMIP) aims to address this challenge by evaluating and understanding clouds and their impacts on atmospheric circulation, precipitation, and climate sensitivity. The present paper describes the CFMIP experiment protocol for the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 7 (CMIP7), and discusses the accompanying science questions and opportunities for progress.

The Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP) contribution to CMIP7 – description of new experimental protocols and preliminary results

The Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project is a coordinated international model intercomparison effort aiming to provide robust experimental protocols for simulations of various Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) methods. In this manuscript, we describe a list of novel experiments decided by the community, to be run by climate models to better understand sources of uncertainty in SRM. We also show and discuss some preliminary results from a few climate models.

Cloud liquid water path at the North Slope of Alaska has minimal sensitivity to local meteorology in Arctic winter

Liquid-containing Arctic clouds have a strong influence on surface temperature and sea ice extent in winter, but how weather conditions impact cloud cover remains a mystery. This study uses observations from northern Alaska to investigate this relationship. We find that, contrary to expectations, the amount of cloud liquid is remarkably insensitive to temperature, moisture, wind direction, and the large-scale atmospheric flow.

The impact of stochastic sea ice perturbations on seasonal forecasts

Numerical weather forecasts of sea ice are unreliable, exhibiting an overly narrow range of plausible sea ice evolutions. Stochastic perturbations introduce randomness to the forecast in order to alleviate this by representing uncertainties in the representation of sea ice physics. We show that including such perturbations in a forecast model improves the reliability of sea ice forecasts, and furthermore results in improved seasonal forecasts of the northern European winter circulation.

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