Institute for Atmospheric Physics - Traffic and Environment

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Traffic and Environment

	Wake vortices of aircraft The lift force exerted on aircraft wings produces two counter-rotating vortices with long life-times in the wake of an aircraft. Especially during the critical landing phase wake vortices can endanger any aircraft following close behind. The following aircraft must therefore maintain a prescribed safety distance.
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Aviation and weather

Weather is one of the most disruptive factors in aviation. It jeopardises the safety and economic efficiency of the entire air transportation sector. Moreover, the disturbance caused by any individual weather event depends on a complex network of non-meteorological factors. The continuing increase in global air traffic requires a rigorous investigation of the impact of weather upon aviation, and the development of measures to confine that influence, especially in Europe and Germany.

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Noise propagation

Noise is one of the most important environmental problems in the vicinity of traffic infrastructures such as airports, roads and railway lines. Traffic noise originates from propulsion, wheels and air flow and is emitted into the atmosphere. The propagation of sound waves in the atmosphere is largely determined by refraction, absorption and scattering depending on the actual state of the atmosphere.

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	Traffic emissions The chemical composition of the earth's atmosphere is in parts primarily determined by emissions of species like carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO2), hydrocarbons or soot.
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	Environmental impact of traffic At the Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre the impact of different traffic emissions on the composition of the atmosphere and the climate is investigated. Among other aspects, the relative contributions of single traffic modes are quantified.
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	Contrails The impact of air-traffic on climate is not only restricted to the emission of combustion products like soot, HO2, CO2 and NOX. If the ambient air is cold and moist enough the aircraft engines also trigger the formation of clouds.
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Wake vortices of aircraft

Aviation and weather

Noise propagation

Traffic emissions

Environmental impact of traffic

Contrails