Institut für Atmosphäre und Klima (IAC)

ETH Zürich

Mailing address:

Institut für Atmosphäre und Klima (IAC)
ETH Zürich
ETH Zentrum, CHN
Universitätstrasse 16
CH-8092 Zürich
Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0) 44 633 27 55
Fax: +41 (0) 44 633 10 58
E-mail: eva.choffat(at)env.ethz.ch
URL: http://www.iac.ethz.ch/
Phone: +41 (0) 44 633 27 55
Fax: +41 (0) 44 633 10 58
E-mail: eva.choffat(at)env.ethz.ch
URL: http://www.iac.ethz.ch/


Research Focus of the Institute:

The Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science (IACETH) was founded in July 2001 from a merger of the previous ETH units Institute for Atmospheric Science and Institute for Climate Research. IAC is part of the Department of Environmental Sciences (D-UMNW).

IAC straddles the inter-related disciplines of atmospheric and climate science. It pursues leading-edge research on atmospheric physics, chemistry and dynamics, and on global and regional climate, and it pioneers activities at the interfaces of these sub-component fields and the interfaces to other disciplines. IACETH provides lecture courses, practicals and seminars within the ETH curriculums D-UMNW, D-ERDW, D-PHYS and RW, and within the Department of Geography of the University of Zürich. The institute consists of five research groups:

The Dynamical Meteorology group, led by Prof. Huw C. Davies, concerns itself with the theory, modeling, and diagnostic analysis of mid-latitude weather systems and Alpine flow phenomena. The group maintains a suite of numerical models ranging from idealized research models to mesoscale weather forecasting models.

The Atmospheric Chemistry group, headed by Prof. Thomas Peter deals with aspects of stratospheric and tropospheric chemistry, with emphasis on aerosol microphysics and chemistry. Also, it has the scientific oversight for the renowned ozone time series of Arosa and Payerne.

The Atmospheric Physics group (formerly under the directorship of Prof. A. Waldvogel) is temporarily headed by Prof. Hans Richner. Its primary research foci are on precipitation physics, radar meteorology and experimental mesoscale meteorology for which it advances the possibilities from special measuring instruments (wind profilers, Doppler radar). The group participates actively in numerous field studies.

The Global Climate research group, led by Prof. Atsumu Ohmura, has its focus on the radiation and energy balance of the planet. The group has strong interests in the planetary boundary layer and the cryosphere including its interaction with the atmosphere and ocean. The group maintains a general circulation model.

The group Climate and Water Cycle, led by Prof. Christoph Schär, is concerned with atmospheric and hydrological processes relevant to weather and climate on the scale of the European continent and the Alps. The group maintains a regional climate model, several atmospheric and hydrological models, and a comprehensive data set of Alpine precipitation.


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