Institute of Geophysics FUW

The Institute of Geophysics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw is a scientific research centre active in the fields of atmospheric physics, climatic processes, and modern optical and photonic technologies. Phenomena occurring in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere are complex and multifaceted in nature, and their investigation makes it possible to better understand the mechanisms shaping the natural environment and the processes operating within the Earth system.

The second pillar of the Institute’s activity is research in optics and photonics, including, among other topics, the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter and the development of modern optical and photonic techniques. The synergy between geophysical research and the development of optical and photonic technologies enables the advancement of new methods for atmospheric observation and deepens knowledge of the physical processes occurring within the Earth system. Accordingly, in its activities, the Institute combines the development of measurement instrumentation with its application in research, thereby creating an interdisciplinary environment for both fundamental and applied studies.

The Institute comprises three departments: the Department of Atmospheric Physics, the Department of Photonics, and the Department of Information Optics. Within this structure, eleven research groups operate, in which research is conducted by scientists, doctoral students, and technical specialists. These groups combine research experience with expertise in the development of measurement instruments, data analysis, and numerical modelling of physical processes.

Research Scope

Research conducted at the Institute is concentrated in two main streams. The first concerns processes occurring within the Earth system and the planetary environment, in particular atmospheric physics, cloud dynamics and microphysics, turbulent processes, and the influence of atmospheric aerosols on the Earth’s radiative balance and climate system. These studies are carried out using in situ measurements, remote atmospheric sensing methods, and numerical simulations describing radiative transfer and atmospheric processes. The second stream encompasses the development of optical and photonic methods, as well as imaging techniques used in scientific and technological research. This includes studies on light-matter interaction at the nanoscale, nanophotonics, nanostructured optical materials, and the design and modelling of advanced photonic systems. The technologies being developed find applications in optical sensors, imaging systems, information technologies, and modern methods of atmospheric and environmental observation. The integration of these research directions makes it possible to generate synergies between studies of geophysical processes and the development of advanced measurement and modelling tools used in atmospheric and climate research.

The scope of research conducted covers a broad spectrum of topics, in particular:

1. atmospheric physics, including processes of atmospheric dynamics shaping weather and climate;
2. cloud microphysics and the processes responsible for the formation of atmospheric precipitation;
3. studies of atmospheric aerosols and their influence on the Earth’s radiative balance and climate system;
4. radiative transfer in the atmosphere and its significance for climatic processes;
5. turbulent processes in the atmosphere and their role in the transport of energy and matter;
6. remote sensing of the atmosphere using advanced optical and lidar techniques;
7. numerical modelling of atmospheric and geophysical processes;
8. studies of the planetary environment and processes occurring on other bodies of the Solar System;
9. the development of optical and photonic technologies, including nanophotonics and nanostructured optical materials;
10. the development of optical imaging methods and information optics used in data analysis and environmental research.

Research Methods and Infrastructure

Institute of Geophysics possesses extensive research and measurement infrastructure, including, among other facilities, laboratories of atmospheric physics, photonics, and information optics, as well as advanced remote atmospheric sensing systems. This infrastructure enables the conduct of both laboratory experiments and field measurements. Researchers utilize the mobile EMORAL station, which allows lidar measurements to be performed across various regions of Europe and even worldwide. The technologies developed at the Institute are used, among other areas, in optical sensors, imaging systems, telecommunications, photovoltaics, and modern measurement systems employed in environmental research.

The Institute is also the only unit in Poland specialising in atmospheric measurements performed aboard research aircraft, carried out, among other frameworks, within EUFAR projects and in cooperation with research centres such as NCAR and CIRPAS. These studies make use, among other instruments, of the Institute’s own UFT ultra-fast airborne thermometer, which enables the measurement of temperature fluctuations inside clouds with very high spatial resolution. Another important component of the observational infrastructure is the nationwide Poland-AOD Aerosol Research Network, which monitors the properties of atmospheric aerosols over Poland. The Institute also participates in the international EARLINET and AERONET measurement networks.

A particularly important role in the atmospheric observation system is played by the Warsaw remote atmospheric measurement platform WOS, developed at the Remote Sensing Laboratory, which has been granted ACTRIS National Facility status within the European ACTRIS research infrastructure. A further important contribution of the Institute to the development of geophysics is the EULAG numerical package, widely used worldwide for modelling geophysical fluid dynamics, in particular atmospheric and oceanic flows. The Institute’s extensive measurement infrastructure also provides a foundation for the implementation of joint research projects and for the development of new measurement technologies in cooperation with scientific and institutional partners.

Significance of the Research Conducted

The research conducted contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms shaping the Earth’s climate and atmospheric environment. The results of this research are also used in the development of environmental monitoring methods, the analysis of climatic processes, and the design of modern measurement technologies. At the same time, advanced research in optics and photonics is carried out at the Institute. These studies are aligned with the global development of such fields as nanophotonics, metamaterials, and structured optics, in which the optical properties of materials can be tailored through their structure at the nanometre scale. The Institute’s scientific activity is also evidenced by the numerous initiatives undertaken by its staff. New research centres are being established, such as the Centre of Excellence for Structured Fibre Optics and Applications (SOWA). Institute researchers actively participate not only in international conferences themselves but also in their organisation, including the European Lidar Conference 2025. Strong participation in conferences, seminars, and other scientific events provides an important platform for the exchange of knowledge and for the presentation of the latest research achievements

Nearly all research is carried out in cooperation with renowned national and international institutions. Among the Polish partners are, among others, the Warsaw University of Technology, the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, and the Poznań University of Life Sciences. Internationally, the Institute
collaborates with institutions in the United States (the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the Naval Research Laboratory, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California), Germany (the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research), the United Kingdom (the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts), the Netherlands (the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute), and Romania (the National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics). The research conducted at the Institute of Geophysics of the University of Warsaw is part of international atmospheric observation programmes and climate change research initiatives. The Institute’s participation in international measurement networks and in research projects carried out in cooperation with renowned scientific centres in Europe and the United States makes it an important component of the European research infrastructure devoted to atmospheric and environmental observation.