Team Clouds and Aerosol-Cloud Interactions
The Team for Remote Sensing of Aerosol-Cloud-Interactions (short RSD-ACI) focuses on the investigation of aerosol-cloud-interaction processes in the real atmospheric environment. Our work relies strongly on the exploitation of synergies between different active and passive remote sensing systems which cover a wide bandwidth from the optics to the microwave region. Based on these measurements, we develop and apply novel retrieval techniques for the characterization of cloud-relevant aerosol properties and cloud microphysical properties and their relationships. Ultimately, our goal is to identify and quantify the role that aerosol has on the evolution of cloud systems in the course of their life cycle from formation until onset of precipitation.
Currently, the RSD-ACI Team focuses on the following main research subjects:
- Development and application of lidar-based techniques for the retrieval of cloud-relevant aerosol properties and the microphysical properties of liquid clouds
- Exploitation of synergies between lidar and cloud radar observations to gain insights into the microphysical structure of mixed-phase and ice clouds.
- Application of Doppler-lidar and -radar techniques to gain unprecedented insights into the microphysical structure of clouds, and to constrain the role of atmospheric turbulence and dynamics on aerosol-cloud interaction processes.
- Implementation of field experiments at locations on Earth were key questions of aerosol-cloud-interaction can be performed in an optimum way
- Evaluating the impact of aerosol-cloud-interaction processes on the performance of general circulation models