The overarching goal of the DFG research unit VolImpact is to improve our understanding of how the climate system responds to volcanic eruptions. Due to new developments in observational and modelling capabilities we will now be able to answer questions that could not be addressed before. The project combines the expertise of world leading experts in complementary disciplines, which are all necessary to accomplish the selected research objectives. This includes skills in satellite remote sensing of atmospheric composition, stratospheric aerosol parameters and clouds as well as in modelling of aerosol microphysical and cloud processes, and in climate modelling.

The research unit consists of five science projects (VolPlume, VolARC, VolCloud, VolDyn and VolClim) complemented by a coordination project (VolCoord). Scientists from seven different research institutions and universities in Germany participate in VolImpact including the universities of Bremen, Greifswald, Hamburg and Leipzig as well as the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Max-Planck-Institute of Meteorology in Hamburg and the Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research in Kiel. The research unit is lead by Prof. Christian von Savigny from the Institute of Physics at the University of Greifswald.

The first phase of the VolImpact research unit started in spring 2019.