The Aerosol Sources and Transport team, led by Dr. Birgit Wehner, investigates the role of natural aerosol sources. This currently includes particle formation from precursor gases in a wide range of environments, such as the Arctic, the marine boundary layer, and the vicinity of clouds. A second focus is on the vertical transport of aerosol particles as well as particle exchange at interfaces, such as the ocean–atmosphere interface. The aim of our research is to quantify the influence of individual particle sources on the aerosol budget in different regions and to assess how effective the vertical exchange of particles is and what role they may therefore play in cloud formation.

In addition to ground-based measurement methods, a wide range of airborne platforms are used, such as unmanned aerial systems (UAS), tethered balloons, and a helicopter-borne platform.

Projects

CAINA-NAT

CAINA focuses on the question of how nitrogen compounds change the formation of new particles at cloud edges and thus cloud microphysics. Vertical measurement profiles provide input data for simulations that reproduce droplet formation processes under varying wind speed and particle composition.

APAICA

As part of a Polarstern expedition, the project analyzes vertical aerosol fluxes and their sources in the marine Arctic, with a particular focus on black carbon and INPs. The aim is to better understand the role of these particles for Arctic amplification and mixed-phase cloud processes.