Articles | Volume 11, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-11-3057-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-11-3057-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
26 Aug 2026
Research article |
| 26 Aug 2026
| 26 Aug 2026
Airborne measurements for investigating offshore wind farm wakes and modifications of sea state – benefits and limitations
Astrid Lampert
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
TU Braunschweig, Institute of Flight Guidance, Hermann-Blenk-Str. 27, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
Beatriz Cañadillas
TU Braunschweig, Institute of Flight Guidance, Hermann-Blenk-Str. 27, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
Thomas Rausch
TU Braunschweig, Institute of Flight Guidance, Hermann-Blenk-Str. 27, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
Lea Schmitt
TU Braunschweig, Institute of Flight Guidance, Hermann-Blenk-Str. 27, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
Bughsin' Djath
Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
Johannes Schulz-Stellenfleth
Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
Andreas Platis
Environmental Physics, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Kjell zum Berge
Environmental Physics, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Ines Schäfer
Environmental Physics, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Jens Bange
Environmental Physics, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Lukas Gruchot
Environmental Physics, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Thomas Neumann
FGW e.V. – Fördergesellschaft Windenergie und andere Dezentrale Energien, Oranienburger Str. 45, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Martin Dörenkämper
Fraunhofer IWES, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Bernhard Stoevesandt
Fraunhofer IWES, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Julia Gottschall
Fraunhofer IWES, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
Lukas Vollmer
Fraunhofer IWES, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Stefan Emeis
Karlsruhe Insitute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Mares Barekzai
Karlsruhe Insitute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Simon Siedersleben
Karlsruhe Insitute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Martin Kühn
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Physics, Germany
ForWind – Center for Wind Energy Research, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Gerald Steinfeld
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Physics, Germany
ForWind – Center for Wind Energy Research, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Detlev Heinemann
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Physics, Germany
ForWind – Center for Wind Energy Research, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Joachim Peinke
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Physics, Germany
ForWind – Center for Wind Energy Research, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Hendrik Heißelmann
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Physics, Germany
ForWind – Center for Wind Energy Research, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Jörge Schneemann
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Physics, Germany
ForWind – Center for Wind Energy Research, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Gabriele Centurelli
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Physics, Germany
ForWind – Center for Wind Energy Research, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Philipp Waldmann
TU Braunschweig, Institute of Flight Guidance, Hermann-Blenk-Str. 27, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
Konrad Bärfuss
TU Braunschweig, Institute of Flight Guidance, Hermann-Blenk-Str. 27, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
Data sets
In-situ airborne measurements of atmospheric and sea surface parameters related to offshore wind parks in the German Bight K. Bärfuss et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.902845
In-situ airborne measurements of atmospheric and sea surface parameters related to offshore wind parks in the German Bight T. Rausch et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.955382
Short summary
Two major aircraft measurement campaigns above the North Sea provide insights into modifications of the wind field and sea surface induced by wind farms. The aircraft performed transects at hub height upstream and downstream of wind farm clusters and identified different effects, e.g. how long it takes for the wind speed to recover after the wind farm, how changes across the coastline interact with wind energy, and if wind farms are well represented in numerical simulations.
Two major aircraft measurement campaigns above the North Sea provide insights into modifications...
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