The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with 38,000 students and 4,000 postgraduates, one of the largest universities in Germany.

The focus of the research of Integrated Remote Sensing group in the department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences lies on the combination of state-of-the-art remote sensing methods and atmospheric models. Overall goal is an improved understanding of the atmospheric component of the hydrological cycle. To this end measurements are used for evaluation/improvement of atmospheric models and model simulations are used for improvement of observational methods.

Microwave radiometry forms a central component in this research group. Novel microwave radiometer for an improved survey of the atmosphere are conceptually designed and tested. Also, studies for future satellite-based instruments are conducted. Especially relevant parameters are liquid and snow water content, as well as the spatial distribution of water vapor. The latter also has applications in satellite communication and astronomy.

The synergetic use of microwave radiometers, cloud radar, and lidar has a large potential for the accurate detection of the state of the atmosphere (temperature- and humidity profiles, as well as cloud parameters). To this end, combined algorithms (Integrated Profiling Techniques - IPT) are developed, which also enable the characterization of the observational error, and long-term measurements are analysed.