2009

IPA scientists observe less nitrogen oxides in tropical thunderstorms than expected

Thunderstorms are not only spectacular weather events. They also have a great influence on atmospheric chemistry and climate. In a lightning channel, substantial amounts of nitrogen oxides (NO) are formed from nitrogen and oxygen. However, it was still an open question how much nitrogen oxide is generated. Researchers of the DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IPA) now achieved a surprising result: tropical thunderstorms produce less nitrogen oxides than expected.

AerCARE – a new Helmholtz-University Young Investigators Group

A meteorologist of the DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics was successful in a young scientists contest for funding by the Helmholtz community. She belongs to 20 scientists of HGF institutions who are now able to establish and lead their own research group.

Lidar measurements for Germany’s first offshore wind park

Scientists of the Lidar department of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics are currently performing lidar measurements at the Multibrid M5000 wind power generator in Bremerhaven. It is the prototype for the first German offshore wind farm “alpha ventus” which is built 45 km off the North Sea island Borkum. With a rated power of 5 MW and a hub height of about 100 m this wind turbine is among the most powerful and largest available ones.

Important IPA contributions to the 30th International Conference on Alpine Meteorology

This year the International Conference on Alpine Meteorology (ICAM) took place in Germany for the 5th time. The DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IPA) was responsible for the organisation of the event in close cooperation with the research department and the presidential bureau of Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD). As regards science IPA-researchers were widely represented by chairing two of the sessions, four lectures and three posters, inter alia about the systematic determination of hot spots for thunderstorm generation by polarimetric radar measurements or about a combination of thunderstorm monitoring with numerical weather prediction on a probabilistic basis.

Iridescent ice clouds from aircraft wings

Not all condensation trails are the same. Scientists from the DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics have, for the first time, been able to describe how condensation trails are created not only from the exhaust gas of jet engines but, under certain conditions, also by the wings of aeroplanes. It is unclear to what extent this new class of condensation trail influences climate change, as up until now it has not been considered in climate models.

Laser measurements at the highest mountain of Germany – the Zugspitze

Scientists of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics performed measurements with a laser instrument - a Lidar - at the highest mountain of Germany the Zugspitze. Objective was the measurement of the physical properties of the scattering on molecule with an extremely stable laser in the atmosphere.

Greenland and the European Weather

In the framework of the International Polar Year, scientists of the DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics performed airborne observations between Greenland and Svalbard. The results will be finally used to improve current forecasts schemes for high-impact weather events in Europe and, especially, in the Arctic regions.

HALO arrives at its home airport in Oberpfaffenhofen

HALO – High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft – the latest member in the research fleet of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) landed at Oberpfaffenhofen research airport on 24 January 2009. The aircraft, a Gulfstream G550, has been converted into one of the world’s most state-of-the-art research aircraft for climate and atmospheric research.