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Measuring Principles and Instrumentation

At the Leipzig Institute of Meteorology we use global climate and weather models but also airborne, ground-based observation data as well as satellite data. The data are gained with airborne and ground-based observation measuring equipment to study the processes that govern the weather and climate in the troposphere, middle and upper atmosphere.

enlarge the image: Radiation sonde at ground in front of the Polarstern during MOSAiC. The sonde was designed for balloon-borne measurements. Photo: Michael Lonardi / Leipzig University
Radiation sonde at ground in front of the Polarstern during MOSAiC. The sonde was designed for balloon-borne measurements. Photo: Michael Lonardi / Leipzig University

Airborne and Ground-Based Observations

We apply spectral and multi-band imaging and non-imaging techniques:

enlarge the image: Airborne Observations: Polar aircraft 5 during a maesurement campaign in the arctis. Photo: Tobias Donth
Airborne Observations: Polar aircraft 5 during a maesurement campaign in the arctis. Photo: Tobias Donth

These airborne and ground-based instruments are used to:

  • measure the solar and terrestrial radiation, and
  • to study the effects of clouds and surface propoerties on the atmospheric radiation budget.

We use active remote sensing techniques (cloud radar, rain radar, wind-lidar), and a passive microwave radiometer.

enlarge the image: Ground-based remote sensing: LIMHAT and LIMRAD94 employed at the research ship Meteor during a measurement campaign in the Caribbean in 2020. Photo: Heike Kalesse / University of Leipzig
Ground-based remote sensing: LIMHAT and LIMRAD94 employed at the research ship Meteor during a measurement campaign in the Caribbean in 2020. Photo: Heike Kalesse-Los / University of Leipzig

Active and passive remote sensing techniques are applied to quantify highly-resolved atmospheric properties of e.g., clouds, precipitation, water vapour, and wind.

enlarge the image: Climatological observations: VHF meteor radar at Collm Observatory measuring horizontal wind and temperature. Photo: Christoph Jacobi / University of Leipzig
Climatological observations: VHF meteor radar at Collm Observatory measuring horizontal wind and temperature. Photo: Christoph Jacobi / University of Leipzig

Satellite-Based Observations

To study global atmospheric linkages we use data of:

  • geostationary, and
  • polar-orbiting satellite observations.

Based on these measurements, remote sensing products are derived which characterize aerosol and cloud properties.

For example, state-of-the-art retrievals of concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei and ice nucleating particles were developed.

Climate Models

We work with different climate and weather models

  • to describe cloud and aerosol processes in the troposhere, and
  • to analyze the dynamics of the middle and upper atmosphere.

For that purpose, we use computational capacity at our institute, but also at the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ).

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