Meteorological Measurement Campaign Launched

The international research consortium TEAMx is set to conduct a large-scale meteorological measurement campaign in the Inn and Adige valleys, as well as the German Alpine foothills, during 2024/25. The campaign aims to gather comprehensive data to improve the understanding of air exchange processes over mountainous regions. Scientific coordination is being led by the Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences, where a recent kick-off meeting marked the start of the initiative.

Air exchange processes in mountainous regions are as intricate as the terrain itself, often characterized by turbulence. Gaining a deeper understanding of these processes is essential not only for improving weather forecasts but also for addressing the challenges posed by climate change. "To investigate these air exchange processes, we are adopting a multi-scale approach," explains Prof. Mathias Rotach from the Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences . He serves as the scientific director of TEAMx, which focuses on exploring the interplay between local, regional, and large-scale - even global - air exchange mechanisms. In the long term, TEAMx aims to enhance climate models and improve predictions for extreme events, such as heavy precipitation in mountainous areas.

To achieve these goals, detailed and extensive measurements are required to better model the complex air layers and dynamic processes in these regions. "Data availability remains a challenge," notes Priv.-Doz. Manuela Lehner, PhD, Senior Scientist and TEAMx Program Coordinator. Under her leadership, the TEAMx Observational Campaign (TOC) , an extensive year-long measurement initiative, will be conducted in the European Alpine region throughout 2024/25.

The campaign will focus on four key target areas: the Inn Valley, the Adige Valley, the Alpine ridge between the two valleys, and the Bavarian Alpine foothills. Meteorological remote sensing systems deployed across approximately 15 locations will provide continuous atmospheric profiles of wind, temperature, and humidity. In addition, two intensive observation periods in winter and summer 2025 will collect supplementary data using aircraft, drones, and weather balloons.

The last campaign of this scale was conducted 25 years ago, with the University of Innsbruck playing a pivotal role. Now, the university's involvement is even more significant. "Instrument technology and modeling capabilities have advanced considerably since then," explains Manuela Lehner. TEAMx benefits from the contributions of numerous research groups and partners, providing a wide array of cutting-edge instruments for the project.

Around 200 researchers from over 25 institutions are participating in the TEAMx Observational Campaign. From November 19 to 20, more than 70 members convened at the University of Innsbruck for a kick-off meeting. The event facilitated preparations for additional measurements scheduled for January and February, while also offering the first trial of daily operations in the campaign's Operations Center.

"The broad significance of this measurement campaign is reflected not only in the participation of research groups but also in the involvement of several national weather services," highlights Mathias Rotach. The initiative is further supported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) , a specialized agency of the United Nations.