Aerosol particles are fundamental to the Earth-atmosphere system and humankind. In particular, they play a crucial role in climate, and remain one the largest source of uncertainty for present and future climate assessments. Therefore, understanding their properties and identifying related processes (including formation through gas-to-particle conversion) is of primary importance for obtaining better estimates of climate change. One of the greater difficulties to understand aerosol properties and processes arises from the large diversity of aerosol sources, types and properties and from their strong/rapid spatial and temporal variability as well as their inhomogeneous emissions.

The Mediterranean basin is characterized by elevated aerosol amounts, co-existence of various aerosol types (primary/secondary), of both natural and anthropogenic origin, while it is one of the most climatically sensitive areas. Therefore, it offers ideal conditions for studies related to their gas precursors (sources and photochemical formation) as well as their aerosol physical, chemical and optical properties, which are key issues for advancing our understanding on aerosols. Studies dealing with such gas / aerosol properties, based on ground, satellite or airborne-based measurements and involving various methods of analysis or modeling techniques are welcome to the present session. Also, investigations on radiative effects of aerosols and their links to the regional climate are especially encouraged.