ETH Zurich’s Researchers Utilize Meteomatics’ Weather Drones for Cloud Seeding Experiments

Clouds play a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate, and understanding their microphysics is key to more accurate climate projections. However, clouds and cloud-aerosol interactions are major sources of uncertainties in these projections. Questions such as how clouds will change in a warming climate and their influence on Earth’s radiation budget are yet to be fully answered. The Atmospheric Physics group at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) is dedicated to studying the formation and evolution of clouds, particularly cloud-aerosol interactions. Their project, CLOUDLAB, aims to improve understanding of cloud microphysical processes and precipitation formation. However, the data collection process for cloud particles, wind, and aerosol concentration has evolved over the years, with each method presenting its own challenges. Ground-based measurements were influenced by the ground and blowing snow, while measurements on a cable car and tethered balloons offered limited vertical structure and location possibilities.

The customer in this case study is the Atmospheric Physics group at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich), led by Professor Ulrike Lohmann. The group is involved in climate research, with a focus on studying the formation and evolution of clouds, especially cloud-aerosol interactions. One of their projects, CLOUDLAB, is dedicated to improving the understanding of cloud microphysical processes and precipitation formation to better simulate and predict precipitation events. The group conducts cloud seeding experiments in wintertime stratus clouds to study ice crystal formation and growth, using a multi-dimensional set of observations and numerical modeling.