News: iap

27.09.2024 , News

Jennifer Hartisch wins U.R.S.I. poster award

At this year’s Kleinheubacher Tagung, held by the U.R.S.I. Landesausschuss in Deutschland in celebration of its 70th anniversary, Jennifer Hartisch achieved a third-place in the Young Scientist Best Paper Awards (YS-BPA). Out of 20 submissions, evaluated by at least two reviewers from various commissions, 10 Young Scientist Awards were granted, with the top three receiving the coveted YS-BPA. The Kleinheubacher Tagung covers the entire spectrum of the Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale (U.R.S.I.), with this year's program featuring 81 presentations across eight regular and three special sessions. In addition, two plenary lectures were delivered by Dr. Julius Zimmermann of the University of Pavia, Italy, and Prof. Ari Sihvola, the President of U.R.S.I. and Professor at Aalto University, Finland. Congratulations to Jennifer Hartisch for this outstanding achievement! Photo: from left to right: Prof. Simon Adrian (Scientific Conference Director), Dr. Alexander Kraus (Head of the Award Committee), Jennifer Hartisch, Prof. Ari Sihvola (President of U.R.S.I. and Professor at Aalto University, Finland), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Klinkenbusch (Chairman of the U.R.S.I. National Committee in Germany e.V.). Photographer: Prof. Klinkenbusch, member of this year's organizing team on behalf of the national chairman of URSI Germany

23.09.2024 , News

Successful MST16/iMST3 conference in Rostock

The Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics recently organized the 16th International Workshop on Technical and Scientific Aspects of MST Radar and Lidar (MST16/iMST3) at the historic Aula of the University of Rostock. This prestigious event brought together 150 experts from 20 countries across six continents, reflecting the global scope of the conference. Held from September 9 to 13, 2024, MST16/iMST3 marked the second time IAP hosted the event, following the MST13 conference in 2012 in Kühlungsborn. This year’s workshop stood out by integrating lidar science into the traditionally radar-focused agenda, providing fresh opportunities for collaboration between radar, lidar, and satellite observations. The conference aimed to push the boundaries of atmospheric science by focusing on radar and lidar research, covering topics such as atmospheric dynamics, gravity waves, and turbulence in the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere. Preceding the conference, the iMST Lidar and Radar School 2024 was held at IAP in Kühlungsborn. The school offered participants an introduction to the scientific foundations of atmospheric layers, from the troposphere to the thermosphere, alongside practical exercises in lidar and radar technology. Through this program, attendees gained essential skills in modern measurement techniques, vital for advancing atmospheric research and understanding the dynamics of atmospheric processes. Following the school, the conference featured a week of in-depth discussions and presentations, where a wide range of topics was explored. Highlights included a keynote by Prof Mamoru Yamamoto from Kyoto University, who reflected on 40 years of the MU radar and its enduring impact on atmospheric research. The third day featured a poster session and guided tours at the IAP’s facilities in Kühlungsborn, offering hands-on insights into the institute’s research. Since its inception in 1984, the MST workshops have been at the forefront of cutting-edge atmospheric and ionospheric research. MST16/iMST3 continued this tradition by incorporating lidar observations, broadening the scientific scope and fostering global cooperation. The conference concluded with discussions on 'Recent Advances and Future Plans,' paving the way for continued collaborations and future innovations in atmospheric research. The IAP and the International Steering Committee are eager to carry forward the momentum and are looking forward to future editions of the MST conference.

04.09.2024 , News

ALOMAR: Three decades of cutting-edge research in the Arctic - retrospective and outlook

On 16 June 1994, the ALOMAR Observatory (Arctic Lidar Observatory for Middle Atmosphere Research) was opened on the island of Andøya in northern Norway. To mark its 30th anniversary, a symposium was held last week at the Andøya Rocket Range to reflect on and discuss the past, present and future of the research site. The spirit of ALOMAR In his welcoming remarks, Kjell-Are Johansen, Mayor of Andøya, emphasised the special significance of the observatory: ‘ALOMAR is more than just an observatory. It is a symbol of what can be achieved when science and engineering work hand in hand.’ Gerd Baumgarten, head of the Optical and Sounding Rocket Soundings Department at the IAP, emphasised this idea and described ALOMAR as a place where challenges are mastered together - he called this the ‘spirit of ALOMAR’. After the mayor's welcome, Eivind Thrane, one of the co-founders of ALOMAR, had the honour of giving the first lecture of the symposium - just one day after his 90th birthday. He recalled the beginnings of the observatory and conveyed greetings from Ulf von Zahn, another co-founder and first director of the IAP, who was unfortunately unable to attend in person. The following presentations by the scientists provided a comprehensive overview of the observatory's research activities and successes. Martin Flügge, Director of Ground-based Instrumentation at Andøya Space, spoke about the tropospheric measurements at ALOMAR and emphasised the ideal conditions of the site. Kolbjörn Blix, Vice President for Sub-Orbital at Andøya Space, highlighted ALOMAR's role in the development and realisation of rocket experiments. A scientific hotspot for atmospheric research However, the symposium not only focussed on past successes, but also on the future of ALOMAR. Gerd Baumgarten, for example, promised ALOMAR a bright future - not least because of the increase in noctilucent clouds, which are the subject of his research. Ralph Latteck, scientist in the department Radar Remote Sensing of the IAP, gave an overview of the development of radar research at ALOMAR. He also presented current projects such as MAARSY3D and the further expansion of the SIMONe network. The prominent role of ALOMAR as a scientific hotspot due to its unique location and the special atmospheric conditions in the Arctic was emphasised by Claudia Stolle, Director of the IAP. In her vision for the future of the observatory, she emphasised the importance of the continuation of long-term time series for climate modelling, the analysis of trends and the expansion of mobile instrumentation. In addition, in light of the newly opened Andøya Spaceport, ALOMAR can make an important contribution to supporting space traffic and analysing its effects. The 30th anniversary of the ALOMAR observatory emphasises its importance as an international research facility. With its multidisciplinary approach and sophisticated instruments, ALOMAR is well equipped to continue to play a key role in atmospheric research in the future.

16.07.2024 , News

Leibniz Association funds innovative research project on atmospheric physics

The IAP is pleased to announce that the "IMPAGT" project applied for by Prof. Dr Claudia Stephan in the Leibniz Programme for Women Professors has been approved. IMPAGT (Investigating MLT Processes with Atmospheric modelling from Ground to lower Thermosphere) develops new modelling and analysis strategies to understand the processes in the mesosphere and thermosphere (MLT) in the context of the entire Earth system and beyond. The MLT plays an important role in atmospheric research because of its relevance to both the rapidly evolving space infrastructure and climate change. IMPAGT aims to extend the numerical weather and climate model ICON (Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic Model) to create a comprehensive model of the entire atmosphere from the Earth's surface to space. Thanks to the high resolution, only few assumptions about processes that are not directly simulated are necessary. Prof. Dr Claudia Stephan: "The approval of IMPAGT as part of the Leibniz Professorship Programme strengthens the position of the Leibniz Association in climate research. The project defines the future of the Department Modelling of Atmospheric Processes, but is also a great benefit for the entire IAP, as we work closely with the other departments." The IAP is looking forward to the innovations and new research results. Photo: NASA earth observatory

11.07.2024 , News

IAP expands radar system in northern Norway

In June 2024, the IAP successfully completed a new remote radar receiving field on the island of Langoya near the village of Sto. This receiving field is part of the MAARSY3D project and complements the existing Middle Atmosphere Alomar Radar System (MAARSY), which is operated on the neighbouring island of Andoya. MAARSY is an instrument for researching the mesosphere, particularly in the altitude range of 50 to 120 kilometres. Until now, the system worked almost exclusively in a monostatic configuration and measured parameters along the radar beam. With the new receiving array, which consists of 96 antennas and is positioned around 55 kilometres away from MAARSY, it is now possible to carry out high-resolution bistatic measurements of targets in the mesosphere. This allows a more precise investigation of spatial irregularities and tracers in the atmosphere. The new receiving array complements MAARSY's active monostatic radar experiments to study radar echoes in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, such as polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE) and meteors. It is the first remote receiver of the MAARSY3D project and will initially be used to test the concept in co-operation with the comparable instrument KAIRA at the Kilpisjärvi site of the University of Oulu in Finland. The Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics is delighted with the successful progress and future opportunities offered by the MAARSY3D project. Photo: IAP/Ralph Latteck

13.06.2024 , News

Larisa Goncharenko successfully defends her doctoral thesis!

Congratulations to our doctoral candidate Larisa Goncharenko on successfully defending her PhD thesis! Her dissertation explores the topic of how the ionosphere/thermosphere system is influenced by internal waves originating from the lower atmosphere. Her research focuses on sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events, which alter the state of the middle atmosphere and affect the propagation of atmospheric waves. She investigates the long-distance influence of these events from the polar stratosphere to the low-latitude ionosphere, as well as interhemispheric influences. Through case studies of strong Antarctic and Arctic SSWs, she demonstrates significant and persistent ionospheric anomalies and discusses the underlying physical mechanisms.

07.05.2024 , News

Juliana Jaen has successfully finished her doctoral studies!

We are pleased to congratulate our PhD student Juliana Jaen on the successful defence of her dissertation! Her research was dedicated to the study of dynamical processes in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The focus was on long-term wind dynamics during the summer season, analysing time series of 17-33 years from specular meteor and partial reflection radars at mid and high latitudes. Her results show an earlier onset of mesospheric summer and increasing wind maxima, accompanied by a weakening of mesopause winds at mid-latitudes. Congratulations Dr Jaen!

06.05.2024 , News

Extension of SIMONe Germany meteor radar network

From April 22nd to 24th, a receiver was set up on the Danish island of Bornholm to complement the SIMONe Germany meteor radar network. The receiver structure consists of a software defined radio (USRP N200), signal amplifiers and filters, as well as GPS synchronization and a crossed 2-element Yagi antenna. Since then, the receiver has detected over 30 000 meteors per day and has enriched the northeastern area over the Baltic Sea, which could previously only be observed to a very limited extent. The SIMONe Germany network consists of the two SIMONe transmitters in Juliusruh and Kühlungsborn, the pulse radar at Collm (University of Liepzig), as well as seven receivers in Germany and now two in Denmark. Only the high number of meteor detections allows the calculation of wind fields for a height of 90 km with good temporal resolution.

30.04.2024 , News

Final status seminar concludes ROMIC project

The final ROMIC (Role Of the MIddle atmosphere in Climate) status seminar was held in Kühlungsborn last week. For one last time, researchers of the project gathered at the IAP to discuss the results. The project that produced numerous collaborative efforts and scientific findings in its ten-year runtime thus came to a worthy conclusion. ROMIC was a large-scale national research project led by the IAP under supervision of Prof. Lübken. It was funded by the BMBF within the research framework program “Research for Sustainable Development” (FONA). In terms of content, the scientists dealt with the importance of the middle atmosphere for the climate and the interactions of this region with the troposphere. Central questions included, for example, the influence of the variability of the sun as well as the human influence on the middle atmosphere and the climate.

26.04.2024 , News

Kesava Ramachandran has successfully defended his Ph.D. Thesis

On Wednesday this week, our Ph.D. student Kesava Ramachandran has successfully defended his thesis at the University of Rostock. In his work he investigated mesospheric instabilities, which play an important role in understanding the energy budget of the atmosphere, using both, observations and direct numerical simulations. His thesis focused on the study of kilometer-scale instabilities with horizontal scales of less than 100 km in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region. By means of airglow imagers, on a particular type of gravity wave event called a mesospheric bore was observed over Germany. The observation was complemented by two-dimensional Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of the Navier-Stokes equations under the Boussinesq approximation. In addition, the inclusion of the wind gradient alongside the thermal channel led to the generation of secondary instabilities previously reported in observations of both bores and solitary waves. The exisiting simulation could be extended to three dimensions, resulting in the conclusion that kilometer-scale dynamics are also affected by the generation of secondary instabilities in the direction transverse to the propagation direction. In the picture: Prof. Dr. Jorge L. Chau, Prof. Dr. Claudia Stolle, Kesava Ramachandran, Prof. Dr. Sascha Kosleck, Prof. Dr. Sven Grundmann and Prof. Dr. Uwe Ritschel