AWIPEV

AWIPEV

Photo: Holger Deckelmann (AWI)

AWIPEV is the French-German Arctic Research Base operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the French Polar Institute Paul Emile Victor (IPEV). Within the Transregional Collaborative Research Centre TR 172 “ArctiC Amplification: Climate Relevant Atmospheric and SurfaCe Processes, and Feedback Mechanisms (AC)³” ((AC)³), the University of Cologne collaborates with AWI in the long-term observations at the Atmospheric Observatory.

Scientific Goals

Within (AC)³, researchers at the University of Cologne, University Bremen and AWI will characterize the thermodynamic structure, clouds, aerosols, and trace gases in the atmospheric column at Ny-Ålesund on a long-term basis. In Cologne, the research focus is on remote sensing of the termodynamic structure and cloud macro- and microphysical properties using the synergy of the established observations at AWIPEV and new instrumentation, e.g. a cloud radar. The ground-based observations at Ny-Ålesund will be in accompanied by satellite, aircraft and ship measurements, as well as modeling studies on various scales.

Specific scientific questions are

To what extent and with which accuracy can we gain insight into the thermodynamic, trace gas, aerosol and cloud macro- and microphysical properties at Ny-Ålesund?
What is their impact on the radiation and energy budget throughout the vertical extent from the surface to the lower mesosphere?
How do Arctic low-level clouds respond to global climate change?
How representative are the Ny-Ålesund observations across other Arctic sites?