Measurement platforms

Zeppelin NT

Our group performs air quality observations onboard commercial and targeted Zeppelin flights in Germany using the Zeppelin New Technology (NT) developed by Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH & CO. KG (ZLT) in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in 1997 (Tillmann et al., 2022). Zeppelin NT is an economical airship that offers a unique combination of capabilities not available in other airborne platforms including a high scientific payload, high maneuverability in all directions due to a vectored thrust propulsion system, flight speeds from 0–115 km/h, a horizontal reach of up to more than 600 km, operating altitude of 20–1500 m, and a maximum flight endurance of 15 h. We fly the Zeppelin over various cities, including Cologne, Mönchengladbach, Düsseldorf, Aachen, Jülich, Frankfurt, but also over industrial areas, and highways. Our Zeppelin NT has been previously used as an airborne platform fully equipped with instrumentation to conduct atmospheric research during the PEGASOS project. Currently, we use the Zeppelin for targeted science missions but also perform measurements during commercial passenger flights. Two main instrument setups are currently fitted in the cabin of the Zeppelin: the MIRO instrument (link) and the hatch box with diverse low-cost sensors. We are currently expanding the instrumentation to include the VOCUS to measure hundreds of gas- and particle-phase components.

Drone measurements

To differentiate meteorological and chemical processes during field studies, our research group uses serial drones equipped with small, lightweight sensors. These spatially resolved measurements of physical and chemical parameters within the lower troposphere will support the characterization of the planetary boundary layer, e.g. the PBL height, which significantly influences ground based concentration measurements.

Mobile TRacker of Air Quality (MobiTRAQ)

The MobiTRAQ is a mobile laboratory which we equip with instrumentation to perform measurements at emission hot spots dominated by specific biogenic and anthropogenic sources. This includes short-term measurements as well as for longer-term observations in the timescale of 1-2 months.

Current and future projects include measurements in highways and cities around Germany as well as measurements at remote locations to complement various ACTRIS monitoring stations.