Atmosphere-Biosphere Interactions in the Amazon
Dr. Bruno Backes Meller, Project Team Leader
Atmospheric aerosols, which are a manifold mixture of airborne particles from various sources, play an important role in atmospheric, hydrological, and biogeochemical cycling. We investigate different facets of atmospheric aerosols in field and laboratory experiments. The location for our atmospheric research is the Amazon rain forest with its atmospheric state, oscillating between a very clean wet season and highly polluted dry season.
We conduct aerosol research at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO) in central Amazonia, Brazil, in close collaboration with many Brazilian and international partners. Our research utilizes a wide range of online instruments for continuous observation as well as dedicated aerosol sampling for offline analysis. We seek to understand the role of aerosol particles in biogeochemical and hydrological cycling in this unique ecosystem, particularly related to two core questions:
- What have been the central aerosol-related mechanisms in biosphere-atmosphere exchange under pristine and, thus, pre-industrial conditions?
- To what extent have anthropogenic activities, such as land use change and massive aerosol emissions, changed crucial processes in the Amazon, and what are the consequences for the Earth climate system?
The project team „Atmosphere-Biosphere Interactions in the Amazon“ led by Bruno Backes Meller has emerged from the research group „Aerosol Analysis & Microscopy“ led by Christopher Pöhlker, now at PTB Braunschweig.
Further information on the ATTO project can be found here.