The University of Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK), in collaboration with the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), has recently inked an ambitious international project aimed at studying the impact of aerosols, such as desert dust, on global climate change. The project also aims to develop strategies to combat climate change more effectively by gathering measurements from space.

Professor Rahmi Er highlighted the university's role in training skilled professionals in space and aviation, noting the institution has an active satellite in space and emphasized the university's commitment to advancing its activities in the field.

Er explained that the project will facilitate the implementation of various measures through advanced research in climate change and global warming. "We will develop a device to monitor and analyze aerosols impacting global warming, with plans to build a satellite to observe them from various points worldwide."

Project Director Uğur Murat Leloğlu, head of the Aerospace Engineering Department, highlighted the significance of aerosols, which are small solid or liquid particles suspended in the air, in affecting human life and the environment.

"Aerosols, while often invisible, can impact human health, trigger allergies and affect the life cycle of plants and ocean creatures," Leloğlu said.

He cited desert dust, visible on car windows in hazy weather, as an example of these aerosols.

"In early February, the unexpectedly hot weather and dry soil raise concerns. Aerosols, including desert dust, play a significant role in temperature and precipitation patterns. In the era of climate change and water scarcity, understanding and modeling aerosols are crucial. Studies indicate that dust within aerosol particles greatly influences cloud formation. Hence, monitoring aerosols can enhance our understanding of their role in cloud formation, especially in our current era of decreasing water resources and increasing water needs," Leloğlu said.

He mentioned research areas like using airplanes to inject aerosols into clouds to induce rain, highlighting global efforts to ensure rainfall occurs when and where it is needed.

Leloğlu explained that while these processes are complex and not always replicable in labs, they could eventually become standard practices.

He mentioned the concept of "milking clouds," currently in the research phase, but potentially evolving into operational techniques which represent one practical application of aerosols.

"Sometimes, rain-laden clouds pass without precipitation. This project aims to establish accurate aerosol models to enhance understanding of their role in precipitation, facilitating future operational decisions. The ultimate goal is to contribute to advancing this technology," he said.

Leloğlu outlined plans to develop optical devices and algorithms for monitoring aerosols as part of the Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization's (APSCO) Aerosol Monitoring System Project.

"We will design devices to measure and categorize aerosols," Leloğlu explained. "These devices will be deployed in various countries, forming a growing network over time. While existing networks exist, such as NASA's, our aim is to enhance measurement precision in certain parameters not covered by these networks," he added.

Following the modeling of aerosol optical properties and the implementation of monitoring technologies, the next stage involves conducting similar studies from space using small satellites.

"Dust transport is starting to be incorporated into weather forecasts," Leloğlu noted. "As the effects of aerosols become clearer, weather forecasting accuracy will improve. This deeper understanding will also inform strategies for combating climate change. Moreover, the technologies developed can find applications in optics, meteorology, water quality, space technology and other related fields."

The APSCO Aerosol Monitoring System Project, supported by APSCO with a budget of $500,000 (TL 15.37 million), was launched under the university's management. The project, coordinated by the TUA and APSCO Secretary-General Yu Qi, is set to span three years.