Luftkolonnen

Luftkolonnen refers to the vertical column of air above a given area on the Earth's surface. In meteorology and atmospheric science, the concept describes the total mass of air per unit area in that column, which is equivalent to the atmospheric pressure exerted by the column at the surface.

Quantitatively, the mass per unit area of the air column equals the surface pressure divided by gravity. With a typical surface pressure near 1013 hPa, the column mass is about 10,000 to 10,500 kilograms per square meter (roughly 10.3 metric tons per square meter). The column extends from the ground to the top of the atmosphere, but most of the mass resides in the lower troposphere.

Measurements and data for luftkolonnen are obtained indirectly. Scientists use vertical profiles of temperature, humidity, and density, along with instruments such as radiosondes, lidars, and satellite remote sensing, to derive column properties. Common products include total column water vapor and total column amounts of specific gases, which are important for understanding atmospheric composition and radiative forcing.

Applications of the luftkolonnen concept include weather forecasting, climate research, and atmospheric chemistry. By representing the atmosphere as a vertical stack, researchers analyze mass distribution, heat content, and trace-gas concentrations, and they compute column-integrated quantities used in models and forecasts. The concept also underpins hydrostatic balance and helps relate surface observations to conditions aloft.

See also: Atmosphere, Atmospheric pressure, Hydrostatic equation, Total column amount, Remote sensing.