Lab and field group

The research and teaching activities of the lab and field group focus on aerosol-cloud interactions, cloud microphysics and laboratory studies in atmospheric science. The main goal of the research is to increase the basic understanding of how and which aerosols act as cloud condensation (CCN) and ice nuclei (IN), the importance of aerosols chemical composition on CCN and IN-activity, and the corresponding influ¬ence on climate. The basic research is conducted in laboratory and field experiments using instrumenta¬tion that is either built-in-house or purchased.

The lab and field group is subdivided into two groups – the “Ice Nucleation Group” led by Olaf Stetzer, and the “Aerosol Physics / Aerosol Mass Spectrometry Group” led by Berko Sierau.

Besides the instrumentation developed by our own group mainly for the ice-nucleation experiments, the laboratory equipment includes a variety of purchased instrumentation to measure basic physical and chemical particle properties as well as instrumentation for particle generation and sampling. The former includes the measurement of the particle number concentration (Condensation Particle Counters, Optical Particle Counters), the particle size distribution (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizers, Aerodynamic Particle Sizers), the droplet size distribution (Fog Monitor), and the particle chemical composition (Aerosol Mass Spectrometer). The instrumentation for particle production includes “dry” (Fluidized Bed Generator, Dust Generator) and “wet” (Atomizer, Ultrasonic Nebulizer) particle disperser and droplet generators (Vibrating Orifice Generator, Luis’ instrument).

A permanent set-up to study aerosol-trace gas interactions with respect to cloud formation is under construction. This includes an aerosol tank / aerosol mixing chamber with a total volume of approx. 2.7 m³.

From left to right: Joel Corbin,Olaf Stetzer, Berko Sierau, Ulrike Lohmann, Maria Martin, Zamin Kanji, Jan Henneberger, Luis Ladino, Amewu Mensah, André Welti, Jan Henneberger, Cédric Chou.

Not appearing on this picture: Hannes Wydler.

Former members