Partnering Institutions 

The Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie(MPI-BGC), founded in 1997, has a focus on the understanding of how living organisms –including humans –exchange fundamental resources like water, carbon, nitrogen and energy with their environment, and how this affects and responds to global climate and environmental change. 
The relevant expertise related to ITMS is the development of inverse transport modelling at regional scales by the Airborne trace gas measurements and mesoscale modelling (ATM) Group of the Biogeochemical Signals (BSI) Department. For example, the STILT (Stochastic Time Inverted Lagrangian Transport) model is hosted at MPI-BGC, and was integrated within the CSR (CarboScope-Regional) inversion system to estimate sources and sinks of greenhouse gases from atmospheric observations.
In the Biogeochemical Integration (BGI) Department, the Global Diagnostic Modelling Group develops observation-based products of carbon and water fluxes using machine learning methods that integrate in situ measurements and satellite information to extrapolate local measurements to continental and global scales. The products from the FLUXCOM initiative, consisting of state-of-the-art data-driven estimations of biospheric fluxes of CO2, have been designed by this group and are continuously improved and hosted at the MPI-BGC and is used within the ITMS. more

The Deutscher Wetterdienst is a public institution with partial legal capacity under the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. As Germany's National Meteorological Service, the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) is responsible for meeting meteorological requirements arising from all areas of economy and society in Germany. This is done by advising the Federal Government, federal and state ministries, municipalities, business and industry. The area of responsibility is based on a statutory information and research mandate, the DWD Act. Climate monitoring, prediction and services is among its major mandates.
Expertise and research contributions to the ITMS project span from observations to model simulations and data assimilation. For instance, DWD operates the ICOS atmospheric tall tower network in Germany, and the numerical weather prediction model ICON with its data assimilation systems. DWD coordinates the ITMS project together with MPI-BGC. more

The Institute for Environmental Physics at the University of Bremen has decade long experience in remote sensing of greenhouse gases using satellites (SCIAMACHY, GOSAT, OCO-2/-3, CO2M) as well as using ground-based FTIR (TCCON lead). This includes algorithm development for and data analysis of atmospheric greenhouse gas data up to the point of deriving emissions from the remote sensing data sets using data driven approaches. In this area, the team at the University of Bremen leads the ESA Climate Change Initiative Greenhouse Gas project and contributes substantially to the CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) and C3S (Copernicus Climate Change Service) services which is also being used within ITMS. In addition, the team at the University of Bremen developed new innovative observational techniques to quantify greenhouse gases emissions using sensors on aircraft and drones. more

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT is a global leading technological research institute and part of the Hermann von Helmholtz Association, one of the most important German science organisations. At the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU) is coordinating the Module Sources & Sinks (Q&S) while the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Trace Gases and Remote Sensing (IMK-ASF) is contributing to Module Modelling (M) and Observations (B).

The Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), has a focus on biosphere-atmosphere-hydrosphere interactions and has an outstanding tradition in greenhouse gas research, the translation of ecological process knowledge into biogeochemical process models and environmental assessment studies. The results of national (including TERENO) and international field and laboratory studies have been used to develop and apply the mechanistic biogeochemical LandscapeDNDC model. LandscapeDNDC has been applied to cropland, grassland and forest ecosystems at local, regional, national and global scales, and the research has contributed to a better understanding of the effects of land use and management and global change on greenhouse gas exchange in ecosystems. Within the ITMS, LandscapeDNDC is further developed and used for the simulation of terrestrial C and N turnover and the associated exchange of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) at high spatial (field scale) and temporal (hourly to daily) resolution to improve UNFCCC GHG reporting and inverse modelling approaches.

The Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Trace Gases and Remote Sensing (IMK-ASF) investigates dynamic, microphysical and chemical processes in the Earth’s atmosphere, with the goal to understand, quantify and predict its natural variability and long-term changes. Accurate measurements of atmospheric trace gases, aerosols and clouds from various observational platforms (ground-based stations, air craft, balloons, satellites) provide the data that are required for the modelling of atmospheric processes. Particular focus of the activities of IMK-ASF is to investigate the complex links and feedbacks between climate change, dynamics and transport, and atmospheric chemistry. As part of Module M, the IMK-ASF is working on an extension of ICON, a next generation of numerical weather forecasting model run by the DWD operationally since 2015. The ICON-ART module (Aerosol and Reactive Trace gases) allows, among other things,  the investigation and simulation of chemical processes of chemical tracers. In ITMS, ICON-ART is used for data assimilation and GHG inversion for flux estimation. As part of Module B, the IMK-ASF will contribute ground-based measurements of GHG using the EM27/SUN spectrometer. more

Heidelberg University is the oldest university in Germany and one of the strongest in research in Europe.  Research activities at the Institute for Environmental Physics (IUP) at Heidelberg University range from atmospheric physics and the physics of aquatic systems to the study of climate history. To this end, researchers at the IUP develop physical measurement and modeling methods and apply them on all scales of the Earth system from global to local. The study of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), is one major focus at IUP.  The goal is to better understand how anthropogenic and biogeochemical processes influence greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Ground- and satellite-based remote sensing methods as well as in-situ and mobile measurements are used to map and quantify greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Atmospheric transport models such as the Weather and Research Forecast (WRF) model, the Flexpart model, or the GRAMM-GRAL model are used to simulate and interpret greenhouse gases at various scales. Inverse estimation techniques allow the determination of greenhouse gas emissions. Within the ITMS project, greenhouse gas monitoring strategies for anthropogenic greenhouse gases, especially fossil CO2, from German metropolitan regions are investigated, which can be used in ITMS. more

DLR is the Federal Republic of Germany's research centre for aeronautics and space. DLR conducts research and development activities in the fields of aeronautics, space, energy, transport, security and digitalization. The DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics investigates the physics and chemistry of the global atmosphere from the Earth's surface up to the upper boundary of the middle atmosphere at about 120 km height. The institute covers a broad variety of methods comprising the development of sensors, observations on different spatial scales (local to global), analysis, theory construction, and numerical modelling. With these competences the institute works both on fundamental and application-oriented problems, where long-term basic research in the forerun of applications is emphasized. more

The Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute is a scientifically independent research institution of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture that works at the interface of science, politics and society. It consists of 15 specialised institutes that conduct research and provide policy advice in economics, ecology, and technology regarding rural areas, agriculture, forests, and fisheries.
Among other things, the Thünen Institute prepares the national greenhouse gas reporting in the sectors of agriculture and land use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF) on behalf of the Federal Government, as well as reporting on emissions of air pollutants and dust from agriculture. The Thünen Institute coordinates the German National Forest Inventory and the National Forest Condition Survey. It monitors the impact of the Fertiliser Ordinance, develops remote sensing products on German agriculture, and is home to the national focal point that coordinates the German contribution to the European research infrastructure Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS). more

The UBA is the federal environmental agency of Germany. Its task is to ensure a healthy environment with clean air and water that is as free of pollutants as possible for the citizens of Germany.
The UBA deals with a very broad spectrum of topics, ranging from waste prevention and climate protection to the regulation of pesticides. At the centre of its work is the collection of data on the state of the environment, the investigation of the relevant interrelationships and the preparation of projections in order to provide policy advice to federal authorities such as the Ministry of the Environment. Section V1.6 at UBA is the central national entity responsible for reporting of greenhouse gases under the UNFCCC and for reporting on air pollutants under the UNECE. The rapid technological developments in recent years in the field of inverse modelling and space-based air quality assessment have placed Section V1.6 in the middle of large EU research consortia such as the H2020 project "VERIFY" and the national research "Guardrails for Emission Inventories", where tools for the verification of emission inventories of air pollutants (such as NO2) are developed from space-based data sources. The most important direct input for the modelling activities in ITMS, however, is provided by Section II4.2 at UBA which is responsible for the assessment of the air quality in Germany. Section II4.2 is houses the necessary expertise, infrastructure and tools to transform the data from V1.6 into spatial and temporal priors that are ready to be used in modelling module of ITMS. To develop these priors is the key objective of both sections at UBA in the ITMS project. UBA is thus an important partner within ITMS and will benefit from the contributions of the individual sub-projects of ITMS. more

Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT)peatland Scienn is one of the most important green universities of applied sciences in Europe, specialising in "green engineering". The starting point for all degree programmes is the sustainable use and protection of our natural resources. As a partner in practice, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences stands for applied research. It contributes to the solution of local and global challenges through practically relevant results.
The Peatland Science Centre (PSC) at the HSWT researches the central issues surrounding the climate impact of peatlands and their protection and utilisation strategies. The research centre is actively involved in shaping the process towards climate neutrality in Bavaria and internationally in synergy with other resources such as biodiversity, water balance and productivity. The PSC has many years of experience in measuring and balancing greenhouse gases from peatland ecosystems of various uses. As part of ITMS, these serve the MODELPEAT project as a basis for modelling greenhouse gas emissions from peatland ecosystems. In addition, a dynamic peatland water level map is being further developed. The aim is also to depict all relevant greenhouse gases for specific land uses across Bavaria using an extended statistical modelling approach. more

As a member of the Helmholtz Association, Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) researches options for a digitalised society, a climate-friendly energy system and a resource-conserving economy. The FZJ combines natural, life and technical sciences in information, energy and bioeconomy with particular expertise in high-performance computing and uses unique scientific infrastructures.
The Institute Agrosphere (IBG-3) aims to improve our understanding of hydrological and biogeochemical processes in terrestrial systems, specifically focusing on agricultural and soil-groundwater systems. Key research activities include the investigation of biogeochemical cycles and the quantification of exchange processes and subsurface processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Sensing technologies, experiments at the laboratory, field and regional scales, and modelling approaches are used to bridge disparities between the spatial and temporal scales at which processes occur in terrestrial systems. As part of the ITMS, IBG-3 is improving the Community Land Model (CLM5) and using it to estimate greenhouse gas emissions at a high spatial and temporal resolution for the area of Germany. more

As a Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, the Alfred Wegener Institute works primarily in the cold and temperate regions of the world. We are involved in deciphering the complex processes in the ‘Earth system’ with numerous national and international partners. Our planet is undergoing profound climate change. The Biological Institute Helgoland (BAH) is part of the Alfred Wegener Institute Foundation, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research and investigates biological communities in the North Sea. Helgoland is Germany's only offshore island, around 70 kilometres from the mainland. The rocky mudflats and the more than 35 square kilometres of underwater rocky landscape are home to the richest marine flora and fauna on the German coast in a kind of oasis. Heligoland is an ideal location for studying the coastal seas. These are highly variable ecosystems, varying in time scales from seconds to decades and spatial scales from mm to km. Most of the research on the Section Ecology of Shelf Seas is on the topic ‘Coast’ of the programme Changing Earth - Sustaining our Future. Geographically, the section focuses on the pelagic and benthic communities of the North Sea, coupled with comparative studies in other shelf sea systems.
Our aim is to understand and predict the effects of anthropogenic changes on shelf sea communities. This includes the relationship between microorganisms and their environment and the formation of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. more

The Helmholtz Center Hereon conducts cutting-edge international research for a changing world: around 1,000 employees generate knowledge and innovations for greater resilience and sustainability. Hereon's scientific spectrum includes high-performance materials, processes and environmentally friendly technologies for mobility and new energy systems. In addition, research is carried out into biomaterials for medicine and to improve quality of life. Through research and consulting, Hereon addresses the challenges of climate change in a solution-oriented manner and enables sustainable management and protection of the coastal and marine environment through comprehensive scientific understanding. From basic understanding to practical application - the interdisciplinary research spectrum covers a unique range. Read more about the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon.

Department of Aquatic Nutrient Cycles: Intact aquatic ecosystems are characterized by high biodiversity. They provide important ecosystem services and make a wide range of resources available. In order to maintain these functions and resources in the long term, the highly productive coastal ecosystems must be used sustainably. However, this can only succeed if the use is based on an overall understanding of the coastal systems. We are therefore investigating the nutrient and oxygen dynamics of various coastal ecosystems, in particular the Elbe and the North Sea. We are particularly interested in the influence of climate change and human use on coastal systems. We also deal with the management of coastal systems. We want to develop scenarios for sustainable use and also consider social aspects of coastal development that are closely linked to the preservation of the coastal habitat. more

Researchers at Freie Universität Berlin benefit from access to a wide range of academic networks around the world. They produce groundbreaking results and set tomorrow’s research trends through interdisciplinary work with an international focus. Freie Universität Berlin is among the select few German institutions of higher education supported by the German federal and state governments’ Excellence Strategy. The Institute of Meteorology's of the research and teaching focuses on understanding atmospheric processes and simulating weather and climate on time scales ranging from hours to millennia. A special feature is our own weather station, which feeds hourly data into the global measuring network, with regular student weather observations.

The Tropospheric Environmental Research working group is led by the visiting professors Martijn Schaap and Tim Butler, deals with in model-based studies of short-term predictions of pollutant loads, source attribution of particulate matter and ozone, and pollutant inputs into ecosystems. A major part of the work is application-related and is carried out in real time. In teaching, the focus of the WG is on the fundamentals of atmospheric chemistry and air pollution control as well as air pollutant modelling. Close cooperation is also maintained with the working group "Climate, Air and Sustainability" (CAS) at TNO in Utrecht (NL), especially within joint projects on the application and further development of the chemical transport model LOTOS-EUROS. more

The department of Bioclimatology at the Georg-August-University in Göttingen specializes in investigating the interaction between ecosystems and the atmosphere. Specifically, the research focuses on ecophysiology and biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial ecosystems and their responses to changing climate and land-use management. The department operates several research sites that utilize advanced micrometeorological measurements, such as the eddy covariance technique, to measure exchange of water vapor, energy and carbon dioxide between ecosystems and the atmosphere.
The department’s contribution to ITMS lies in its expertise and use of stable water vapor and carbon dioxide isotopologues to enhance the understanding of  greenhouse gas exchange processes. More specifically, the department contributes to the ISOMONEAE project within ITMS B_II, which aims to establish high-frequency, long-term isotope-specific flux measurements of H₂O, CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O. more

The Professorship of Environmental Sensing and Modelling at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) examines urban environments with special focus on sensor networks for GHGs and air quality (in-situ and remote sensing). The different data sets are used to determine urban emissions based on multi-scale modelling approaches and to validate satellite observations. more

The Remote Sensing and Image Analysis group at Technical University of Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt) specializes in remote sensing and photogrammetry, operating at the intersection of geodesy, environmental sciences, and computer science. The group's primary focus is on conducting environmental analyses of forests and peatlands, which includes monitoring and evaluating ecological changes and the health of these vital ecosystems. The group is particularly dedicated to developing and evaluating innovative methods, especially in the fields of machine learning and deep learning. These approaches enable the extraction of valuable insights from large and complex datasets, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of environmental monitoring. more

The chair of Landscape Ecology at the University of Rostock focuses its research on greenhouse gas emissions from temperate peatlands and bogs as well as biodiversity aspects and peatland management and restoration practice. The working group has more than a decade of experience of mobile closed chamber measurements of the relevant GHGs, eddy covariance measurements and ecological modelling regarding GHG balances. Despite the GHG measurements in the field and subsequent modeling vegetation mapping is and expertise and close relations to remote sensing research is also available. more

The Jade University of Applied Sciences in Wilhelmshaven within its remote sensing branch performs scientific airborne research with a specialized research aircraft (Diamond HK 36-TTC ECO, registration D-KWHV). This research aircraft is a unique platform for airborne remote and in-situ sensing. The aircraft is a touring motor glider and therefore highly energy efficient and environmentally friendly in its operation. It can carry approximately 130 kg of sensors within its underwing pods and in the fuselage. For more information see: Research Aircraft of the Jade University of Applied Sciences Wilhelmshaven. more

The department of Forest Ecology and management cover research in core themes Climate, Carbon and Nitrogen cycling, Forest vegetation, Hydrology and Sustainable digital planning tools. Among others it operates the ICOS greenhose gas monitoring site Svartberget, which is one of few ICOS sites that are a combined Ecosystem (greenhouse gas flux) and Atmsopheric (greenhouse gas concentration) at a large range of measurement heights on the same tall tower. This is relevant as a potential in-kind contribution to subproject B_II FeaViTa. more

The Meteorology and Air quality group at wageningen is expert for the meteorology of the planetary boundary layer and effects of heterogeneous land surface patterns on it. It developed among others the LES-model DALES and the boundary layer model CLASS. This is relevant as a potential in-kind contribution to subproject B_II FeaViTa. more

The institute for Geophysics and Meteorology is among others and expert institution on ground-based meteorological remote sensing, and operates the monitoring facility CPEX-Lab which includes continuous measurement of variables that allow for products characterizing clouds and boundary-layer height. This is relevant as a potential in-kind contribution to subproject B_II FeaViTa. more