Articles | Volume 18, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3161-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3161-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
15 Jul 2025
Research article |
| 15 Jul 2025
| 15 Jul 2025
A new versatile dropsonde for atmospheric soundings – the KITsonde
Christoph Kottmeier
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research Troposphere Research (IMKTRO), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Andreas Wieser
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research Troposphere Research (IMKTRO), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Ulrich Corsmeier
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research Troposphere Research (IMKTRO), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Norbert Kalthoff
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research Troposphere Research (IMKTRO), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Philipp Gasch
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research Troposphere Research (IMKTRO), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Bastian Kirsch
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research Troposphere Research (IMKTRO), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Dörthe Ebert
German Weather Service, Offenbach, Germany
Zbigniew Ulanowski
British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
Dieter Schell
enviscope GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Harald Franke
enviscope GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Florian Schmidmer
Graw Radiosondes GmbH & Co. KG, Nuremberg, Germany
Johannes Frielingsdorf
Graw Radiosondes GmbH & Co. KG, Nuremberg, Germany
Thomas Feuerle
Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Flugführung, Braunschweig, Germany
Rudolf Hankers
Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Flugführung, Braunschweig, Germany
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Short summary
A new aerological dropsonde system for research aircraft has been developed. The system allows up to four sondes to be dropped with one release container, and data from up to 30 sondes can be transmitted simultaneously. The sondes enable high-resolution profiling of temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind. Additional sensors for radioactivity and particles have been integrated and tested. Operations in different campaigns have confirmed the reliability of the system and the quality of data.
A new aerological dropsonde system for research aircraft has been developed. The system allows...
