Atmospheric Physics: Experiment meets Modelling

Atmospheric Physics is a sub-discipline of applied physics, which has become more and more important in recent decades. It deals – amongst many other topics – with several of the most urgent problems of humankind, including climate change, air pollution or the stratospheric ozone issue. It is a highly interdisciplinary field with close connections to atmospheric chemistry, biogeochemistry, meteorology and mathematics.

The research of most atmospheric physicists addresses only a part of the atmospheric system, e.g., modelling atmospheric processes (climate modelling, modelling of atmospheric chemistry, physical processes or dynamics), observations (in-situ or remote sensing observations in different spectral regions) or fundamental lab studies. In order to fully understand the complexity of the field, expertise in several different sub-disciplines is required. Understanding, e.g., atmospheric variability requires consideration of processes of natural or anthropogenic nature, or of physical, chemical or biological nature. In many cases, knowledge in fields outside of physics is necessary for a thorough understanding.
The main goal of the Bad Honnef Physics School on Atmospheric Physics is to overcome the limitation of disciplinary thinking and to provide the attendees with the possibility to obtain scientifically sound and highly relevant information on the most important sub-disciplines of atmospheric physics, presented by internationally recognized experts. The Bad Honnef Physics School will combine expertise of scientists representing theoretical and experimental approaches. On the theoretical side experts on chemical-transport modelling, atmospheric dynamics modelling as well as modelling atmospheric and climate effects of large volcanic eruptions provide insight into their fields. In terms of experimental techniques, experts on in-situ and remote sensing observations of atmospheric composition, aerosols and atmospheric background parameters will represent their research areas. These topics will be complemented by expert lectures on ionospheric processes and space weather, as well as on fundamental thermodynamic considerations of the atmosphere in the Earth system.

The target group of the Bad Honnef Physics school on Atmospheric Physics consists of Master & Ph.D. students in atmospheric or environmental physics and related disciplines (e.g. meteorology, atmospheric chemistry, environmental sciences).

Further information