Heike Kalesse-Los

Heike Kalesse-Los serves as a W1 (Tenure Track) Professor for Arctic Climate Change at the University of Leipzig since April 2018. She is affiliated with the Institute of Meteorology and specializes in atmospheric remote sensing research with a strong focus on Arctic climate systems.

• Leipzig University, Institute of Meteorology (2018-present)
• Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (2015-2018)
• McGill University, Montreal (2011-2014)

Education:

• Doctorate, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz (2006-2010)
• Diploma in Meteorology, University of Leipzig (2000-2006)

Professor Kalesse-Los's research centers on remote sensing of the Arctic climate system, with particular expertise in analysis of Doppler spectra from cloud radar devices and development of atmospheric retrieval algorithms. Her work integrates multiple remote sensing instruments to investigate cloud microphysics, dynamics, and radiation interactions. She also conducts research at the atmosphere-biosphere interface, focusing on flying insect retrievals and precipitation shadowing effects. A significant portion of her recent work applies machine learning techniques to improve short-term power forecasts for renewable energy systems, particularly wind and photovoltaic applications.

Her recent publications (2019-2022) demonstrate a strong methodological focus on applying artificial neural networks to cloud radar data analysis. These works address critical challenges in cloud physics including riming prediction, cloud liquid detection, and identification of cloud droplets beyond lidar attenuation. The research consistently bridges atmospheric science with advanced computational techniques, establishing new methodologies for atmospheric retrieval using radar Doppler spectra.

Research Funding:

• TRR 172/B07: Influence of water channels in sea ice and polynyas on Arctic cloud properties (DFG, 2020-2023)
• PICNICC: Polarimetry influenced by CCN and INP in Cyprus and Chile (DFG, 2018-2023)
• CORSIPP: Characterization of orographically influenced frosting and secondary ice production (DFG, 2023-2026)
• PV-WOV: Improving photovoltaic performance forecasts (EU ESF, 2022-2025)

Professor Kalesse-Los leads multiple collaborative research projects funded by the German Research Foundation and European Union, focusing on Arctic climate processes and renewable energy applications. Her work involves extensive collaboration with researchers across atmospheric physics, climate science, and machine learning domains. She maintains active research partnerships with institutions in Germany and internationally, including previous affiliations with McGill University in Canada.

Her research group operates within the Arctic Climate Change research unit at Leipzig University, working with advanced remote sensing instrumentation including cloud radar systems and microwave radiometers. The team participates in international field campaigns focused on Arctic atmospheric processes and contributes to major collaborative research centers including the SFB Transregio 172: Arctic Amplification.