Upper Troposphere and Stratosphere in the Climate System
The upper troposphere and stratosphere (UTS for short) is an important factor in the climate system. Particularly in the tropopause, even minor changes in components relevant for radiation, such as water, ozone, and cirrus clouds, cause significant changes in radiative forcing.
IEK-7 studies processes such as the microphysics of clouds in the UTS on local, regional and finally global scales, and also the distribution of climate-relevant trace substances in this altitude region. This involves a combination of aircraft measurements with high-resolution in situ instruments, remote sensing techniques on the ground, on aircraft and on satellites, laboratory experiments as well as simulations on several scales. Analysis stretches from the tropics and the mid-latitudes to the polar regions.
Selected research activities include:
- Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange
- Water Vapour in the Upper Troposphere and Stratosphere
- Cirrus Clouds
- Hazards of Geoengineering
