WASCAL Master's Students Attend ORCESTRA Campaign on Climate Research
ORCESTRA, the international field research campaign ‘Organized Convection and EarthCare Studies over the Tropical Atlantic’, investigates the effects of organised tropical cloud convection on the global climate. Originally initiated by the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, ORCESTRA brings together eight different sub-campaigns involving 17 scientific institutions from seven countries. Using state-of-the-art technology, including three specialised research aircraft, a research vessel, the EarthCare satellite and ground stations in Cape Verde and Barbados, extensive measurements are being carried out in the tropical Atlantic.
On the Cape Verdean Island of Sal, one of the main sites of the campaign, the WASCAL students were introduced to various scientific methods and technologies. This included the calibration and deployment of radiosondes, which were regularly launched as part of the ORCESTRA/MAESTRO sub-campaign to measure atmospheric parameters such as temperature, humidity and wind speed. The students actively participated by launching the radiosondes themselves and analysing the data collected.
In addition, the students attended daily meteorological briefings, which are crucial for planning the flight routes of the research aircrafts. These briefings are essential to optimise the coordination of the research aircraft missions and maximise data collection under specific weather conditions.
At the end of their visit, the WASCAL students presented their research objectives and the results obtained during the campaign at a mini-symposium of the ORCESTRA partners at the local training centre of the Cape Verdean National Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics (Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia e Geofísica-INMG).
A particular highlight was the visit to the German research aircraft HALO (High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft), where the students gained a comprehensive understanding of the technical and scientific capabilities of the aircraft.
Further information:
Orcestra-Webseite
Wascal-Programm
Contact:
Yuting Wu
Project coordination ORCESTRA-campaign
yuting.wu@mpimet.mpg.de