DACH2022 excursions

Several excursions are planned as part of DACH2022 (the registration deadline is 4 March 2022). Participants signing up for an excursion will receive a spot until the maximum number of participants is reached. Participation in the excursions requires a separate payment of €20. Registration for excursions is included in the conference registration. The registration fee is €20.

All excursions will take place on Thursday, 24 March 2022 from 12:30/13:00 CET to 17:30/18:00 CET. The registration fee includes transport, entrance fees, and externally guided tours.

TROPOS research station Melpitz

The TROPOS research station Melpitz (51.54 N, 12.93 E; 86 m a.s.l.) is located 50 km northeast of Leipzig, Germany. The station has been in operation since 1992 to study the influence of long-range atmospheric transport on central European background air quality. The measuring field is located on a flat meadow and is surrounded by agricultural land. The Melpitz observatory is part of GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch of the World Meteorological Organization), ACTRIS (Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure), EMEP (European Monitoring and Evaluation Program; Level 3 Station), and GUAN (German Ultrafine Aerosol Network). Characteristic for the station are air masses from one of the two main wind directions, southwest and east. Southwesterly currents bring maritime and continental air masses to the station after they have crossed large parts of western Europe. Eastern currents, on the other hand, bring continental air masses influenced by long-distance transport of anthropogenic emissions from Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. With its ideal location, the Melpitz research station is representative of large parts of the lowlands in eastern Germany and ideally suited for studying aerosol long-range transport and tracking long-term trends in air quality over Europe.

During the excursion, the measuring site will be visited, and an overview of the station's history and current activities will be given. Thematically, this includes the following aspects.

• Physical in situ aerosol measurements
• Chemical in situ aerosol characterisation and gas-phase measurements
• Balloon and AUV measurements (vertical measurements in the atmospheric boundary layer; depending on weather conditions, a demonstration may be possible).
• Remote sensing measurements (lidar/ceilometer activities)

Time schedule

• Arrival at the station: approx. 13:30 CET
• Departure from the station: approx. 15:30 CET
• Return to Leipzig: approx. 17:00 CET

TROPOS in Leipzig

During this excursion, participants will have the opportunity to visit various measuring systems used to investigate atmospheric processes in the laboratory or in the real atmosphere. We propose the following stations for this purpose:./p>

1. Department of Experimental Aerosol and Cloud Microphysics: LACIS-T turbulent moist air wind tunnel: Dennis Niedermeier LACIS-T is a turbulent moist air wind tunnel for the investigation of atmospherically relevant interactions between aerosol particles and cloud droplets/ice crystals under well-defined, turbulent laboratory conditions. The guided tour includes a visit to the wind tunnel, including an explanation of how it works and visualisation of a cloud using a laser light sheet.
2. Atmospheric Chemistry Department: laboratory investigations: Thomas Schäfer The tour of the chemistry department includes a visit to the ACD-C double chamber to study aerosol chemistry, the free-jet flow reactor to elucidate gas-phase processes, other flow reactors to study phase transfer processes and the laser laboratory, where mainly radical reactions and non-radical reactions of the aqueous phase are studied.
3. Remote Sensing Department: atmospheric measurements with lidar and radar: Patric Seifert ~30 min

Number of participants: 15 each, total max. 45

Time schedule: The three stations could be visited one after the other, which would lead to a total duration at TROPOS of 2–2.5 hours. A changeover would be scheduled in each case, during which drinks are also planned.

Collm (SachsenForst and Collm Observatory of the University of Leipzig)

Participants should be good walkers!

SachsenForst part: presentation of practical approaches to climate-adapted forest conversion using the example of the Wermsdorf Forest (Forest Area of the Year 2018)

Collm Observatory part: Tour of the Collm Observatory and the seismic measurements, as well as presentation of the high-atmosphere radar investigations

Time schedule (subject to timetable changes):

• Footpath to Leipzig Central Station
• 13:00 CET: departure by Regionalexpress in the direction of Dresden to Oschatzstation (arrival 13:35 CET)
• Continue with bus 801 in the direction of Wermsdorf (departure 13:45 CET) to the bus stop "Collm Kirche" (arrival 14:08 CET).
• Hike to the Wermsdorf Forest (Group 1) and to the Collm Observatory (Group 2)
• Approx. 14:30 CET Group 1: climate-friendly forest conversion (Staatsbetrieb SachsenForst, Forstbezirk Leipzig)
• Approx. 14:30 CET Group 2: visit Collm Observatory
• Approx. 15:15 CET: swap of the two groups
• Approx. 16:00 CET: return to Collm, 16:37 CET bus departure from "Collm Kirche" in the direction of Oschatz station, 17:14 CET departure by Regionalexpress to Leipzig, arrival at Leipzig Central Station 17:50 CET

Brandis Lysimeter Station and SKW Piesteritz Agricultural Applications Research in Cunnersdorf near Leipzig

Part of the Brandis Lysimeter Station: The Brandis Lysimeter Station, which is part of the State Operating Company for the Environment and Agriculture of the Free State of Saxony, investigates and monitors soil water balance variables over the long term, in particular seepage water formation and evapotranspiration. Furthermore, investigations are carried out on the substance balance, with a special focus on the EU Water Framework Directive (including nitrogen and pesticides). Furthermore, the collection of long time series serves to model validation and development. Approximately 30 weighable lysimeters, each with a surface area of 1m², are available for this purpose. Since the beginning of the 1980s, these have covered 12 different soils under uniform, regionally typical agricultural management (crop rotation, fertilisation, and plant protection strategy).

Part agricultural application research by SKW: The optimisation of fertilisation in crop production can effectively contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, SKW is conducting extensive research with partners from science, industry, and the public sector at all levels of development (laboratory, greenhouse, field, practical application) with the aim of developing advisory tools for practical agriculture that offer agrometeorological and edaphic-based fertilisation optimisation options.

Time schedule

• Departure with charter bus to Brandis
• 13:15 CET: lecture and tour of the Brandis Lysimeter Station of the Saxony State Operating Company for Environment and Agriculture
• 14:45 CET: continue to Cunnersdorf
• 15:00 CET: lecture and explanation of the work of the Agricultural Applications Research Department of SKW Piesteritz in Cunnersdorf near Leipzig
• 16:30 CET: return journey, approx. 17:00 CET arrival at Augustusplatz

Chair of Meteorology at the TU Dresden in Tharandt with anchor station Tharandt Forest

On the excursion to Tharandt, the Professorship of Meteorology at the TU Dresden will present itself with its research and teaching offers. The common framework of research is the "biosphere–atmosphere interaction" in the necessary, i.e. mostly micro- to meso-scale, resolution.

The basis for many research projects is the extensive network of measuring and experimental stations. These include climate stations and stations for monitoring energy, water, and greenhouse gas fluxes of different land uses, including measuring stations within the framework of the ICOS-D ecosystem programme.

The anchor station Tharandter Wald (50°57'49 "N, 13°34'01 "E. 380 m a.s.l.) will be visited during the excursion. Here, since 1996, CO₂ exchange between an old spruce stand and the atmosphere and evaporation, among other things, have been continuously measured to produce the longest such measurement time series in Germany. In addition to the EC measurement technology used here, the station is equipped with measurements of radiation components, air humidity and temperature, precipitation as well as soil and stand measurements, which are part of the tour programme.

Time schedule

• Arrival of charter bus from Leipzig in Tharandt: around 14:00 CET
• 14:00–14:45 CET: overview of research and teaching at the Chair of Meteorology of the TU Dresden with a visit to climate station Tharandt
• 14:45 CET: transfer by charter bus to carpark Waldhäuser am Tharandter Wald (travel time approx. 10 min), transfer travel by car/minibus to anchor station Tharandter Wald (travel time approx. 5 min)
• Visits to the Wildacker climate station and the ecological measuring field and explanations of the measurements, e.g. in the ICOS-D observation network
• 16:30 CET: return journey from Waldhäuser carpark by charter bus to Leipzig

A “bad weather option” of the programme will be planned.

Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena

The Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry is dedicated to the study of global material cycles and the biological, chemical, and physical transformations involved.

The institute was founded in 1997 as the third institute of the Max Planck Society in Jena (Thuringia). In 2003, the institute moved into a newly constructed building on the Beutenberg campus. The science campus houses a number of different academic research institutes and start-up centres and, like the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, offers excellent opportunities for local collaborations.

There are currently around 250 employees, including over 80 scientists and 35 doctoral students. About 50% of our scientists and PhD students are of foreign origin and come from over 25 different countries.

Biogeochemical research is highly interdisciplinary and international. Scientists from all over the world contribute to the success of our institute, and our research is often conducted in remote and exotic locations.

References to meteorology and climatology arise in particular in connection with

• research on the carbon cycle,
• detection and analysis of greenhouse gases, and
• land–atmosphere interaction models.

Time schedule

• 12:30 CET: departure from the Paulinum at Augustusplatz Leipzig by bus
• 14:00 CET: arrival in Jena
• 14:00–16:30 CET: visit to the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry with presentations and discussions on current research
• 16:30 CET: departure by bus from Jena
• 18:00 CET: arrival at the Paulinum at Augustusplatz Leipzig

Ronneburg recultivation WISMUT uranium mining, climate experience trail

Participants should be good walkers.

On the New Landscape in Ronneburg, a climate experience trail was created in place of the legacy of uranium mining by WISMUT AG on the occasion of the Federal Garden Show 2007. At 12 stations, scientific and socio-political statements on weather, weather conditions and climate are conveyed, especially for schoolchildren of all ages.

At the same time, it offers an insight into the complexity of landscape restoration, which will take decades, starting with groundwater regulation including data collection on the microclimate.

In addition, a phenological garden was created in 2013 according to the principle of GPM gardens (Globe phenological monitoring), in which nine indicator plants can be observed in their annual cycle. The topic of sustainability is also complemented by further offerings on a bee nature trail and other biological experiments. This interesting and efficient form of teaching is offered exclusively by volunteers in cooperation between the district and the town of Ronneburg to date.

Time schedule

• Outward journey: 12:30 CET Leipzig (route 70km)
• Arrival: 14:00 CET Ronneburg
• 14:00–16:00 CET: explanation of the theme with a walk along the climate trail
• Return journey: 16:00 CET Ronneburg
• Arrival: 17:30 CET in Leipzig

MDR weather editorial office

This excursion includes a visit to the weather editorial office of the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), where the participants can get an insight into the everyday life of television meteorologists.

The excursion is planned with reservations. The exact schedule may have to be adapted to the current COVID-19 situation and possible access restrictions to the MDR premises.

Time schedule: Due to the short distances within Leipzig, the timing can be flexible. Fringe points are meeting at the lecture hall building of Augustusplatz, tram ride to MDR (about 30 minutes), visit to the weather editorial office (90 minutes), and return trip to Augustusplatz (30 minutes).

DWD field office Leipzig

The DWD field office in Leipzig is the regional office of the National Meteorological Service responsible for the Free States of Thuringia and Saxony as well as the State of Saxony-Anhalt and liaises with the institutions of the Federal States. In close cooperation with the responsible offices at DWD headquarters, this primarily includes official weather warning and forecasting activities.

In addition, the voluntary and full-time DWD stations in the aforementioned Federal States are looked after and technically maintained. For agriculture and forestry, in addition to questions of applied research, up-to-date advisory products are processed and published. A working group is concerned with the preservation of historical climate data to make the – still enormous – analogue data pool available in increasingly digitised form in a quality-assured manner. Furthermore, dislocated workplaces from the fields of climate and environmental consulting, development of seasonal forecasts and the Hohenpeißenberg observatory are located at the Leipzig site.

Time schedule

• 12:30 CET: departure from Augustusplatz with tram line 4 in the direction of Stötteritz to the last stop
• Then either change to bus 74 in the direction of Holzhausen and get off at one stop, and then walk for10 minutes to the DWD field office in Leipzig (Kärrnerstraße 68).
• Or take a 20-minute walk to the DWD field office.
• 13:30 CET to around 15:00 CET: guided tour of the DWD field office
• Return to the final stop of tram line 4, journey to the city centre
• Approx. 16:00 CET: return to Augustusplatz

Federal Environment Agency Dessau-Roßlau

The Federal Environment Agency in Roßlau has many points of contact with meteorology. The focus is particularly on the fields of climate change/climate protection/climate adaptation, air pollution control and soil protection. Experts from these fields will be available to answer the questions of the excursion participants, which could be, for example:

• How does the UBA gain its knowledge?
• How does the UBA participate in scientific development?
• How is the political interaction organised (both GO and NGO) in terms of policy advice and related issue setting?
• What are the current issues being worked on?

Time schedule: (subject to timetable changes)

• Footpath to Leipzig Central Station
• Departure at 13:01 CET with Regionalexpress 13 in the direction of Magdeburg to Dessau station (arrival 13:47 CET)
• Short walk to the UBA
• 14:15 CET to around 16:15 CET: visit to the UBA
• Short walk to Dessau railway station
• Departure at 16:49 CET (S2 in the direction of Leipzig-Stötteritz) to Leipzig Central Station tief, arrival at 17:43 CET