Observation of crystal habits and sizes in ice / mixed phase clouds

In the scientific field of mixed phase clouds are many questions that still have to be answered. One of the main question is how ice particles grow by up-taking water from the liquid phase within mixed phase clouds. In the middle latitudes this processes are one of the most efficient processes for precipitation formation.

To understand the interaction processes of the two phases within mixed-phase clouds better the liquid and the ice phase have to be studied in parallel and defined within the cloud. The topic of my PhD is focused on the observation of particle growth processes within mixed phase clouds involving the two phases.

To study such processes the microphysical properties of the hydrometeors (liquid water content (LWC), ice water content (IWC), shapes, droplet size distribution) have to be retrieved and their changes studied. The studies are based on the TU-Delft owned Transportable Atmospheric Radar (TARA). TARA is a full parametric profiling S band precipitation radar that is used to characterize the ice-phase within the mixed-hase clouds. Complementary measurements will be taken into account, such as the Raman-lidar Caeli to measure the liquid phase, and a microwave radiometer to measure liquid water path (LWP) and ice water path (IWP). All the instruments are located and run at Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research (CESAR).

So research is done to close gaps between theory and observations, as well as to provide information for better parameterisations of particle growth processes and of mixed-phase clouds in models. The thesis will focus on creating an observational setup for mixed-phase cloud growth processes characterization.

Personal Information:

First name(s) / Surname:

Lukas Pfitzenmaier

Contact information:

Delft University of Technology,

Faculty for Civil Engineering and Geoscience, Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Stevinweg 1, 2628CN Delft

e-Mail:

l.pfitzenmaier@tudleft.nl

Nationality:

German

Date of birth:

7th November 1986

Gender:

Male

At the moment:

Delft University of Technology

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosceinces,

Department of Geoscience & Remote Sensing, Group of atmospheric remote sensing (ATMOS)

Project:

Within the Initial Training for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (ITARS) Program

Part of Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)

Marie Curie Actions - Research Fellowship Programme

Topic:

Iceparticle growth processes within mixed-phase clouds.

Studies

2010 - 2012

University of Leipzig Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Institute for Meteorology

Course of studies: Master of Science Meteorology (M. Sc.)

Topic of the Masters Thesis:

Determination of microphysical properties of liquid water clouds based on observations with radar, microwave radiometer and lidar (written at TROPOS)

2007 - 2010

University of Leipzig Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Institute for Meteorology

Course of studies: Bachelor of Science Meteorology (B.Sc.)

Topic of the Bachelor Thesis:

Infuence on concentration of atmospheric aerosolparticles by the planetary bondary layer and airmass source at the high mountain station BEO-Moussala, Bulgaria (written at TROPOS)

Antedated jobs

08-2010 - 09-2012

Scientic assistent at the Leibniz Institut of Troposphereic Research in Leipzig (TROPOS), Physics Department, working group of Tropospheric Aerosols

EGU 2015

Effect of cloud microphysics on particle growth under mixed phase conditions. Lukas Pfitzenmaier, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, Yann Dufournet, Christine Unal, Herman Russchenberg, Alexander Myagkov (*), and Patric Seifert(*), Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Germany (*)

Winner of the 2015 Outstanding Student Posters Award of EGU in atmospheric science section

--> Short abstract - Poster

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ERAD 2014

Influence of the liquid layer within mixed-phase clouds on radar observations.
Lukas Pfitzenmaier, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, and Yann Dufournet, Christine Unal, Herman Russchenberg

--> Short abstract - Extended abstract - Poster

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CESAR science day 2014

Observations of liquid and ice particle interaction within mixed-phase clouds using combined radar and lidar techniques. Lukas Pfitzenmaier, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, and Yann Dufournet, Christine Unal, Herman Russchenberg

--> Poster

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HyMEX work shop 2013

Separation of liquid and ice phase within mixed-phase clouds using combined radar and lidar measurements during HyMex – some case studies. Lukas Pfitzenmaier, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, and Yann Dufournet, Christine Unal, Herman Russchenberg

--> Poster

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CESAR science day 2013

Combined measurements from TARA and CAELI: Applications for mixed-phase cloud studies. Lukas Pfitzenmaier, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, and Yann Dufournet, Christine Unal, Herman Russchenberg, Arnoud Apituley (*), Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) (*)

--> Poster

Comunication Services

ITaRS Fellows representative, from February 2013 to Ferbruary 2014

Summer Schools

First ITaRS Summer School on Aerosol Remote Sensing, Processes and Applications, Sept 23 - Oct 4, 2013, Bucharest, Romania.

Second ITaRS Summer School on Clouds and Precipitation: Observations and Processes, Sept 9-17, 2014, Juelich, Germany

Additional Courses

Part of the TU Delft craduate school, atteding courses due to the requirements

Course on radar Doppler spectra organized within the ERAD conference, 2014

ITaRS course on English scientific writing, Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña

Education within the department Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Computer skills and competences

Involved in the organization and performence of the Analysis of the Composition of Clouds with Extended Polarisation Techniques campaign (ACCEPT), 2014, Cabauw the Netherlands.

Programming languages: IDL, Matlab, Fortran, (LabView)