Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
By Team WissensSpuren and TROPOS
The Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) pursues a distinct and globally unique research focus centered on aerosols (tiny airborne particles) and clouds. Although present in small quantities, aerosols are crucial elements of the atmosphere because they influence the Earth’s energy, water, and trace substance balance. Human activities can alter the properties of these highly dispersed systems, which in turn can have direct and indirect impacts on people. These impacts can occur through health effects from inhaling particles and fog droplets, as well as through regional and global climate changes.
History
The institute was founded on January 1st, 1992, following the recommendation of the Science Council, by the science ministries of the federal government and the state. The Unification Treaty called for the dissolution of all research institutes of the former Academy of Sciences of the GDR by the end of 1991. At the current location of Wissenschaftspark Permoser Strasse, approximately 1,500 employees from various institutes worked at the time, including around 85 staff members from the Research Department of Chemical Toxicology, which had been conducting atmospheric environmental research since the 1970s and provided a foundation upon which future work could build.
In the 1990s, the focus was on the heavily polluted atmosphere over the environmentally challenged Central German Chemical Triangle. The study of air pollution in international urban and rural areas, along with the significant role of aerosols and clouds in the global climate system, made the work increasingly international in the following years. Milestones include hosting the International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation (ICCP) in Leipzig (2012), participation in international polar expeditions such as MOSAiC in the Arctic (2019/20), and the coordination of Germany’s contribution to the European research infrastructure ACTRIS (since 2023).
Over the past two decades, TROPOS has developed a profile that meets the characteristics of the Leibniz Association: social relevance, scientific excellence, application-oriented basic research, and collaboration with universities. TROPOS is also a point of contact for politics, society, and science in the fields of environment and climate.
Education and Research
TROPOS collaborates closely with the Leipzig Institute of Meteorology at the University of Leipzig and actively supports the development of young scientists through bachelor’s and master’s education, as well as during their doctoral studies. Researchers from the institute also teach at the University of Leipzig. The department heads are jointly appointed and contribute to the university’s efforts to promote emerging talent. In 2012, the Leibniz Graduate School “Aerosols, Clouds, and Radiation” was established, which focuses on the properties and impacts of mineral dust aerosols.
The institute’s mission is to understand and predict processes within the tropospheric multiphase system: Tropospheric aerosols and clouds play a central role in the coupled human-environment-climate system. These processes are highly complex and can only be successfully studied through interdisciplinary cooperation. For this reason, TROPOS investigates, understands, and models the physical and chemical processes of tropospheric aerosols and clouds, from molecular and microscale to long-range transport in areas with varying levels of pollution.
Outreach
TROPOS serves as a point of contact for politics, society, and science on the issues of health and climate – in line with the Leibniz Community’s ideal of “theoria cum praxi” (theory with practice). Knowledge and technology transfer is a key task, as scientific insights and research-driven technological advancements must be conveyed to various sectors of society to make an impact. This transfer occurs in four main areas: public engagement, education, politics, and technology, with air quality issues being one of the primary focuses.
The “Leipzig Meteorological Colloquium,” organized by TROPOS and the Leipzig Institute of Meteorology at the University of Leipzig, is aimed at a professional audience. As part of popular science events, such as the Long Night of Sciences or “Book a Scientist,” researchers share insights into their work.