ALOMAR: Three decades of cutting-edge research in the Arctic - retrospective and outlook
On 16 June 1994, the ALOMAR Observatory (Arctic Lidar Observatory for Middle Atmosphere Research) was opened on the island of Andøya in northern Norway. To mark its 30th anniversary, a symposium was held last week at the Andøya Rocket Range to reflect on and discuss the past, present and future of the research site.
The spirit of ALOMAR
In his welcoming remarks, Kjell-Are Johansen, Mayor of Andøya, emphasised the special significance of the observatory: ‘ALOMAR is more than just an observatory. It is a symbol of what can be achieved when science and engineering work hand in hand.’ Gerd Baumgarten, head of the Optical and Sounding Rocket Soundings Department at the IAP, emphasised this idea and described ALOMAR as a place where challenges are mastered together - he called this the ‘spirit of ALOMAR’.
After the mayor's welcome, Eivind Thrane, one of the co-founders of ALOMAR, had the honour of giving the first lecture of the symposium - just one day after his 90th birthday. He recalled the beginnings of the observatory and conveyed greetings from Ulf von Zahn, another co-founder and first director of the IAP, who was unfortunately unable to attend in person.
The following presentations by the scientists provided a comprehensive overview of the observatory's research activities and successes. Martin Flügge, Director of Ground-based Instrumentation at Andøya Space, spoke about the tropospheric measurements at ALOMAR and emphasised the ideal conditions of the site. Kolbjörn Blix, Vice President for Sub-Orbital at Andøya Space, highlighted ALOMAR's role in the development and realisation of rocket experiments.
A scientific hotspot for atmospheric research
However, the symposium not only focussed on past successes, but also on the future of ALOMAR. Gerd Baumgarten, for example, promised ALOMAR a bright future - not least because of the increase in noctilucent clouds, which are the subject of his research. Ralph Latteck, scientist in the department Radar Remote Sensing of the IAP, gave an overview of the development of radar research at ALOMAR. He also presented current projects such as MAARSY3D and the further expansion of the SIMONe network.
The prominent role of ALOMAR as a scientific hotspot due to its unique location and the special atmospheric conditions in the Arctic was emphasised by Claudia Stolle, Director of the IAP. In her vision for the future of the observatory, she emphasised the importance of the continuation of long-term time series for climate modelling, the analysis of trends and the expansion of mobile instrumentation. In addition, in light of the newly opened Andøya Spaceport, ALOMAR can make an important contribution to supporting space traffic and analysing its effects.
The 30th anniversary of the ALOMAR observatory emphasises its importance as an international research facility. With its multidisciplinary approach and sophisticated instruments, ALOMAR is well equipped to continue to play a key role in atmospheric research in the future.
The Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics is one of the German main centers for Middle Atmosphere research and maintains active cooperations with several international research organizations. The institute is located near the Baltic Sea resort Kühlungsborn, owns a separate site on the island Rügen, and is a major partner of the ALOMAR observatory in northern Norway. As associated institute of the Rostock University it is part of the teaching programme in physics. A total of about 90 persons is employed at IAP. The institute realizes an equal-opportunity and family-friendly human resource policy and is certified with the audit "berufundfamilie" ('career and family').
Contact: Director Prof. Claudia Stolle cstolle@iap-kborn.de