Dear Ulrich, could you please briefly introduce yourself and your HErZ project?
I've been involved with HErZ as a project leader since 2016. Our HErZ projects focus on the role of novel observation systems for applications in the lowest 1-2 kilometers of the atmosphere (atmospheric boundary layer). Specifically, how can novel satellites (e.g., currently MTG-S1), meteorological drones, or ground-based remote sensing systems improve the representation of winds, gusts, and turbulence, or water vapor, clouds, and temperature in models? This is important, for example, for creating high-resolution reanalyses, optimizing the use of renewable energies, and improving short-term weather forecasts.
If you had to define HErZ in one sentence…
HErZ is a dense network for fundamental meteorological research and teaching in Germany. It provides the German Meteorological Service (DWD) with access to the latest research findings, attracts young scientists to the DWD, offers universities and research institutions new resources and expertise, and fosters sustainable connections among meteorology researchers in Germany.
What does the collaboration between your HErZ project and the DWD look like? What do your project and your team gain from this?
Our current project, HIRES-APP, connects us with the DWD through observations, data assimilation, and renewable energies. To improve models, novel observation methods must be developed and applied. To this end, we cooperate with the DWD (Lindenberg Observatory and model development) and organize measurement campaigns that enable process understanding and model further development. At the same time, we conduct data assimilation experiments with new observations in close collaboration with the DWD and use reanalysis data to characterize and communicate the meteorological conditions for the utilization of renewable energies. This is primarily done by doctoral and postdoctoral researchers who utilize DWD expertise for new research questions and implement it at the university.
How is the research landscape and staff at your university changing thanks to HErZ?
HErZ brings applied and sustainable aspects to the university's research landscape. These are very important and motivating for many students. A junior professorship in energy meteorology, established through HErZ, focuses on this research area at the Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology. Close collaboration with the Energy Economics Institute at the University of Cologne has grown through HErZ in recent years, where scientists are researching the optimal use of meteorological data for predicting energy availability - an area that will gain significant importance in the context of AI research.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
HErZ has been and continues to be successful in organizing nationwide courses, summer schools, and field trips, for example, in the fields of energy meteorology and boundary layer profiling. This allows the focus areas at the various HErZ locations to be made accessible to many Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD students. Some of the models have been adopted by UPAS – the University Partnership for Atmospheric Sciences – and are being further developed there.
Here is an example from the joint HErZ measurement campaign FESSTVaL 2021. It shows how novel measurement methods for detecting cold pools were developed and applied, contributing to a deeper scientific understanding.