Curriculum Vitae

1972-1978: Studies of physics at the Technical University of Munich; diploma thesis on lattice defects in molybdenum, characterised by ¹⁸¹Ta Mößbauer spectrometry (supervisor: W. Gläser)

1979-1983: Doctoral work at the Max-Planck Institute for Quantum Optics (MPQ), laser-spectroscopic investigations of IF, formed in the reactions F + IX (X = Cl. Br, I), graduation at the University of Munich (supervisor: H. Walther)

1983-1985: Scientist at MPQ (state-selective multi-photon ionization studies)

1986-1987: Postdoctoral fellow at the University of California (Berkeley); construction of the highest-resolution extreme-ultraviolet experiment to that date; high-resolution spectroscopic studies of H₂, N₂ and Kr; 1986: Nobel Price in Chemistry for the research director, Y. T. Lee

1988-1989: Scientist at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestric Physics

Since 1990: Staff scientist at IMK-IFU; development and application of five lidar systems (aerosol, ozone, water vapour); since 2000 also in charge of the long-term measurements of the stratospheric aerosol in the frame of the world-wide atmospheric network NDACC; principal investigator in numerous national and international joint projects (e.g., of EUROTRAC, the European Union and the German BMBF); research highlights: details on the transport of trace constituents in the Alps; extensive studies of stratosphere-troposphere transport; first detection of intercontinental transport of ozone

Research Interests

• Physics and chemistry of the atmosphere
• Impact of atmospheric transport on the vertical distribution of the trace constituents (Alpine wind system, stratosphere-troposphere transport, intercontinental transport, stratospheric aerosol)
• Vertically and temporally highly resolved investigations in the tropopause region
• Long-term changes in the atmosphere
• Optical remote sensing (lidar), laser development
• Satellite ground truthing

Actual projects

• EARLINET-ASOS: EU “Co-ordination Action” for an improvement of the infrastructure of the European lidar network EARLINET
• Development of a high-power Raman lidar system for water-vapour and temperature sounding
• Development and testing of a reliable and widely tunable single-mode OPO system

Networks

• NDACC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change), principal investigator for the lidar measurements at IMK-IFU

• EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) principal investigator of partner IMK-IFU

Project Co-ordination

Co-ordinator of the German joint project ATMOFAST (programme „Atmosphärenforschung 2000“ of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)); work-package co-ordinator in the EU projects STACCATO and EARLINET

Selected Publications