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Introduction
In Heidelberg, environmental physics continuously developed since the 1950s from the application of
nuclear physics methods to environmental research, mainly driven by Otto Haxel. In 1975, this led to
the foundation of the Institut für Umweltphysik (Institute of Environmental Physics), the first of its
kind in Germany, in the Fakultät für Physik und Astronomie with Karl-Otto Münnich as its founding
director.
From the start, the IUP focused on the underlying physics of a wide spectrum of environmental processes
and less on specific applications in atmospheric sciences, soil sciences, hydrology, or oceanography.
This turned out to be a major strength and it continues to distinguish the IUP from other large
environmental research institutes. With this focus, the IUP attains great flexibility in its methods
and is able to provide an environment where classical divisions between systems and disciplines can
be overcome. For instance, we investigate boundary layers between compartments which determine
the soil-atmosphere and ocean-atmosphere interactions. This direction of research is also adopted
by large international programs, like the International Geosphere Biosphere Project (IGBP), which
in recent times focus increasingly on investigation of interaction between compartments of the Earth
system. With its firm rooting in physics, the IUP sees itself in an excellent position to recognize and
investigate system properties of our environment and the interplay of its subsystems (atmosphere,
cryosphere, soil, groundwater, oceans,. . . ).
The IUP is a strongly experiment-oriented institution. Our current major fields of research are:
• physical foundations of climate research (budgets of greenhouse gases, oxidation capacity of the
atmosphere, radiation in the atmosphere),
• consequences of global change on central cycles in the earth system (water, carbon), and
• reconstruction of paleoclimate from a variety of environmental archives.
Our spectrum of methods still contains those developed from nuclear physics inheritance, specifically
the analysis of 14 C and various stable isotopes including noble gases. In addition, we employ an
array of new techniques like spectroscopy (of the atmosphere) and imaging spectroscopy, remote
sensing from ground-, air-, and space-borne platforms, time series analysis, as well as experiment- and
process-oriented modeling and simulation.
This report gives a snapshot of the research performed at the IUP by diploma students, doctoral
students, and senior scientist. It is intended as a comprehensive but concise overview for the members
of the institute as well as for the scientific community.
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