Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology: Radiosonde measurements of the intertropical convergence zone

On 27 June 2021, the research vessel RV SONNE set off under the cruise guidance of Prof. Peter Brandt from GEOMAR in Kiel and co-leader Dr. Julia Windmiller from the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology.

The cruise under the name "Mooring Rescue" served to control and collect scientific measuring buoys in the tropical Atlantic by 15 ocean researchers from different institutions. The aim of the campaign was to investigate how processes on the scale of convective storms, and their interaction with the ocean, influence the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) in the Atlantic. Measurements took place both in the atmosphere and in the ocean and especially at the boundary layer between atmosphere and ocean. These measurements make it possible to study the coupling between atmosphere and ocean on the scale of individual storm systems. Precipitation, moisture and wind profiles, temperature, wind speed, and direction are measured at the sea surface, as well as temperature, salinity, current speed and direction in the upper ocean layers. These measurements provide a reference for storm-resolving models and help determine why they lead to an improved representation of tropical circulation systems.

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