Working group Climate Monitoring

The research activities of the working group "Climate monitoring" focus on the dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer. For the analysis of the boundary layer, i.e. the layer that is in direct contact with the Earth's surface, we use modern in-situ observation techniques. With these, we study exchange processes between air and water (ocean, lakes, and rivers) and between air and land, e.g., the exchange of momentum, heat, moisture, and gases. In close collaboration with the working group "climate dynamics and statistics", we pursue an integrated view of the Earth system, bringing together observations, dynamical and stochastic process understanding, and numerical modeling to understand processes in the energy, water, and carbon cycles.

Research focus

Boundary layer meteorology
Climate dynamics
Carbon cycle

Air-water exchange processes
In-situ observations

Teaching focus

Climate dynamics
Atmospheric boundary layer

Physical climatology
Presentation techniques

Seminar

Climate seminar

Projects

Family-Friendly Conferences

This project is dedicated to more inclusive conference participation for scientists with family obligations.

Go to Family-Friendly Conferences

KlimaOER

Development, expansion and strengthening of the OER community in meteorology to include as many specialist areas as possible relating to the climate system in order to create an barrier-free and level-adapted OER landscape.

Go to KlimaOER

Children in the Climate Crisis

This project sees itself as an international contribution to the fight against climate change. The focus is on professionalizing ecological and scientific education for educators at daycare centers, schools, and youth centers. Through sensitizing children and adolescents to the need for climate protection, the necessary, sustainable societal consensus is to be promoted.

Go to Children in the Climate Crisis

Diurnal Warming at the Ocean Surface

During the day, when adequate solar heating is available, the temperature of the ocean can increase significantly close to the surface. This is known as diurnal warming. However, solar heating is not enough on its own. Diurnal warming also requires sufficiently low wind speeds to prevent the mixing of deeper, colder waters. Diurnal warming can be important for the exchange of heat and carbon between the ocean and the atmosphere, which is a major contributor to climate regulation.

Go to Diurnal Warming

Relationship between the Air-Sea Gas Transfer Velocity and Turbulence

The gas transfer velocity k is frequently used to describe the exchange of gases between the atmosphere and the ocean. Typically, empirical parameterizations as a function of wind speed are applied to derive k. However, there are also other drivers of air-sea gas exchange. We investigate the interplay of these processes based on eddy covariance (EC) and microstructure profiler data.

Go to Turbulence and Air-Sea Gas Transfer