Vertical Distribution of Ice in Arctic Clouds

Vertical Distribution of Ice in Arctic Clouds ( VERDI ) denotes a German research project to study Arctic clouds, which took place under the auspices of the University of Leipzig in April / May 2012. The aim of the measurements was to improve the understanding of the effects of clouds in the Arctic climate system. The key question was aimed at the distribution of ice crystals and water droplets within the clouds, which may be different depending on the temperature and formation mechanisms of the clouds.

Measurements

While VERDI were observed clouds using aircraft measurements and their properties characterized in detail. For a remote sensing methods have been (passive and active ) is used to map the clouds over a large area. Secondly, the cloud droplets and ice crystals were measured within the cloud number and size. The measurements were carried out using the research aircraft Polar 5 of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research ( AWI), which was stationed during the measurements in Inuvik / Canada. The survey area included the southeastern Beaufort Sea north of the Mackenzie Delta in the north- western Canada. A total of 16 flights between 21 April and 17 May 2012 were originally performed.

Promotion

VERDI was funded by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, the German Research Foundation (DFG ), the Research Centre Jülich (FZJ ) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Other participating institutions were the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of DLR. Logistical support was provided by the Aurora Research Institute in Inuvik, which provided office space and accommodations available.