Glossary

In this glossary we explain technical terms as we understand and use them at the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research - Atmospheric Environmental Research.

This glossary is under construction. Please send suggestions for additional glossary entries to Dr. Mechtild Agreiter.

Anthroposphere
The anthroposphere describes the sphere of the earth system, which encompasses the entire living space created and influenced by man, including the biological and technical processes built and operated by him.

Eddy covariance method
The eddy covariance method is a micrometeorological method for the quantitative determination of the exchange of energy and air constituents, such as water vapour or greenhouse gases, on the scale of an ecosystem. The disturbance of the ecosystem under investigation is very small and the exchange processes are hardly influenced by the measurement. Furthermore, quasi-continuous measurements at intervals of less than one hour are possible.

Pedosphere
The pedosphere describes the sphere of the Earth system, which comprises the totality of the soils and the processes taking place in them. It partly overlaps with the litho-, hydro-, atmo- and biosphere.