Public evening lecture by Privatdozent Dr. Axel Kleidon (University of Jena, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

Movement in the atmosphere occurs in order to balance out differences in heating and cooling. This creates work and keeps the movement going. Simple considerations show that the atmosphere works as much as it can - in other words, it operates at its performance limit. This makes it possible to determine what role movement plays in the climate system, how much wind energy is generated in the process and what happens if more and more wind energy is used as renewable energy.

Axel Kleidon studied physics at the University of Hamburg and Purdue University and holds a doctorate in meteorology. After several years in the USA, he has headed an independent research group at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry since 2006 and is a private lecturer at the University of Jena. His research topics range from the thermodynamics of the Earth system to climate and climate change, the influence of life and the limits of renewable energies.

Moderation: Professor Dr. Christian von Savigny