WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

GERMANY

1.   MONITORING

1.1   DWD (German Weather Service)

Long term monitoring of total ozone and its vertical distribution is carried out by the German Weather Service. Stratospheric ozone is measured at the 3 stations, Potsdam, Lindenberg and Hohenpeißenberg (Bavaria). For most of the stations mentioned there are available continuous ozone observations since 1968, in Potsdam already since 1964. Measurements are performed with Dobson and Brewer Instruments, ozone sondes and an ozone lidar for measurements up to 50 km.

1.2   UBA and BfS

Since 1993 the solar UV-radiation at earth surface has been measured at 4 observational of the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) and of the Federal Agency for Radiation Safety (BfS). In particular the spectral irradiances for wavelength between 290 and 450 mm are monitored with commercially available instruments. The stations are situated at the Baltic Sea, in the middle, the southeast and the southwest parts of Germany. Beside these activities the DWD also plans to start a UV monitoring network. The networks will have different goals

I.     DWD: scientific purposes, e.g. long term trends, correlation with other variables, short term forecasts
II.   BfS/UBA: public health purposes, e.g. public warning, publication of UV-indices,etc

1.3.   AWI

At the german arctic and antarctic stations continuous measurements are performed using ozone sondes as well as different remote sensing instruments to detect stratospheric trace gases.

1.4.   GOME

The GOME instrument was launched with the ERS 2 satellite April 1995. The instrument was constructed in international cooperation under german leadership. Algorithm development is done at DLR/DFD. The instrument gives a global ozone column map every three days. The activities are mainly funded by DARA (German Space Agency) and the Federal Ministry of Science, Education, Research and Technology (BMBF).

1.5.   Further institutional monitoring activities

Project-independent long-term research (monitoring) is performed by several German research centers (such as KFA, IAP and IFU). < In this context the activities of the IAP (institute for atmospheric physics in Kuhlungsborn) at the international LlDAR-observatory ALOMAR and the measurements (UV, trace gases) of the IFU (Institute for environment research in Garmisch-P.) can be mentioned.

2.   RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

In Germany the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Technology (BMBF) promotes the main activities in ozone research and represents the head of the national ozone research programme with about 60 running projects. Within this programme several questions concerning the natural variability and the destruction of ozone are investigated. The main topics are: investigations concerning the stratospheric chemistry and dynamics, observation of the variability of stratospheric ozone including investigations of the mechanisms leading to ozone changes, development of effective tools for the forecast of ozone changes and investigations referred to the UV-B-radiation on ground.

The investigations of stratospheric chemistry and dynamics include the conversion and dispersion of atmospheric trace gases in the stratosphere and the formation of aerosols and polar stratospheric clouds including their chemical and microphysical properties. Now measurements and numerical models are an important tool for the investigation of the spatial and temporal distribution of ozone and trace gases in the stratosphere; these models must be further developed in the newer future.

Some special subjects, that will be considered in the near future, are the separation of natural and anthropogenic causes of ozone losses, the interaction between troposphere and stratosphere including the mass fluxes between troposphere to stratosphere and the impact of tropospheric weather systems on the stratospheric ozone layer, in this sense it ist also necessary to investigate the dynamical structure and the variability of the polar vortex, because it plays a major role regarding the polar ozone hole.

In connection with the destruction of stratospheric ozone, higher levels of UV-B-radiation are expected on ground. In order to understand alterations in UV flux on ground in detail new spectroradiometers were developed to perform detailed process studies. Some projects are focussed on the effect of increasing UV radiation on different biological systems and human health. Furthermore it ist planned to consider the influence of ozone variation with altitude, for instance the loss of stratospheric ozone and rising ozone levels in the troposphere; other aspects are the influences of clouds, aerosols and ice particles on radiation processes. Additional projects are funded which investigate the possible impacts of UV radiation on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and on human health.

The ozone research programme is structured into 4 core projects.

1.   Process studies:

Within this core project the first mission (CHORUS, Chemistry and dynamics of ozone reduction in the lower stratosphere was planned in 1996 with Strato 2C. Due to the delay in constructing the aircraft the instruments which were developed especially for Strato 2C will be used in a mission using the Falcon and balloons in the winter 1996/97 in midlatitudes and in the arctic region (CHORUS / interim mission).

Additionally a project called POLECAT will be realized which will investigate PSC formation and processing. Beside model calculations and laboratory studies the falcon will be used for several campaigns in 1996/1997 in the arctic.

2.   Ozone variability:

One of the main topics of this project is the discrimination between natural and anthropogenic influence leading to changes in the ozone column thickness. Data of the monitoring stations will be further analysed to identify trends of ozone and other ozone relevant parameters. Further topics are stratospherictropospheric-exchange processes and the variability of the polar vortex.

3.   Prognosis:

As a first step to realize the goal of a reliable long-term ozone prediction simulation of episodes and process studies are planned and to compare the computed results with the measured data. Additionally simulations will be done for long term studies. These studies will be done to simulate historical episodes and to simulate different scenarios for the future development. The coupling of ozone reduction with climatical aspects is another topic within this core project.

4.   Solar UV radiation:

Several new instruments and improved calibration procedures were developed to achieve stable very high resolution instruments. Filters with a narrow band, high transmission and high stability were developed for filterradiometers. The instruments have to be tested with an instrument comparison campaign. The instruments will be used to perform process studies. Further projects were focussed on improved calibration standards (PTB, Braunschweig) and to improve numerical simulation of UV radiative transfer.

Within their research efforts on atmosphere and climate the Federal Ministry for Education, Science, Research and Technology (leadership) and the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Reactor Safety sponsor a program "Pollutants from Air Traffic: Effects and Prevention". The program is running from 1992 till 1997 and ist composed of an atmospheric science part and an engine technology part. It aims at assessing the long-term effects of pollutants from air traffic on the atmosphere, the reduction of jet engine emissions, and the support of regulatory efforts. Partners in the program are universities, research, establishments and aerospace companies.

Additionally it has to be mentioned that national activities were well coordinated with international campaigns. German groups were strongly engaged in the european campaigns and are again involved within the projects funded by the EU within the 4th environment programme. Meteorological support for the national and european campaigns was provided by FU Berlin.