Dr. Gregor Köcher

Meteorologist and Physicist
Curriculum Vitae

Learn about what I do

Research

Expertise in multifrequency polarimetric radar observations, NWP modeling, convective cloud microphysics, high-impact weather, automatic cell-tracking, radar forward operators and hydrometeor identification

Polarimetric and Dual-Wavelength Radar Observations

Cloud and precipitation measurements at Ka- and C-Band.

Numerical weather prediction

High-res, convection-permitting weather forecasts (e.g., WRF)

Convective Cloud Microphysics

Cloud particle nucleation and growth, cold and warm cloud microphysics, precipitation formation.

Radar forward operator

For simulating polarimetric and Doppler radar measurements from model output (e.g., CR-SIM)

Convective Cell-Tracking

For automatic detection and tracking of convective cells in simulation or observation (e.g., TINT or TOBAC)

Hydromet. Identification

For classification of hydrometeor types present in the radar volume. (e.g., Dolan)

List of publications

Ockenfuß, P., Köcher, G., Bauer-Pfundstein, M., and Kneifel, S.: A Novel Framework for Automatic Scanning Radar Pointing Calibration Using the Sun, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5690, 2026.
Köcher, G. and Zinner, T.: The spatial distribution of convective precipitation – an evaluation of cloud microphysics schemes with polarimetric radar observations, Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 8363–8377, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-8363-2025, 2025.
Weber, A., Köcher, G., and Mayer, B.: Parameterization of 3D cloud geometry and a neural-network-based fast forward operator for polarized radiative transfer, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5805–5821, doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5805-2025, 2025.
Köcher, G., Zinner, T., and Knote, C.: Influence of cloud microphysics schemes on weather model predictions of heavy precipitation, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6255–6269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6255-2023, 2023.
Köcher, G.: Convective cloud microphysical parameterizations in a numerical weather prediction model: an evaluation with polarimetric radar observations, Dissertation, LMU München: Fakultät für Physik, https://doi.org/10.5282/edoc.32170, 2023.
Tetoni, E., Ewald, F., Hagen, M., Köcher, G., Zinner, T., and Groß, S.: Retrievals of ice microphysical properties using dual-wavelength polarimetric radar observations during stratiform precipitation events, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3969–3999, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3969-2022, 2022.
Köcher, G., Zinner, T., Knote, C., Tetoni, E., Ewald, F., and Hagen, M.: Evaluation of convective cloud microphysics in numerical weather prediction models with dual-wavelength polarimetric radar observations: methods and examples, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1033–1054, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1033-2022, 2022.
Trömel, S., Simmer, C., Blahak, U., Blanke, A., Doktorowski, S., Ewald, F., Frech, M., Gergely, M., Hagen, M., Janjic, T., Kalesse-Los, H., Kneifel, S., Knote, C., Mendrok, J., Moser, M., Köcher, G., Mühlbauer, K., Myagkov, A., Pejcic, V., Seifert, P., Shrestha, P., Teisseire, A., von Terzi, L., Tetoni, E., Vogl, T., Voigt, C., Zeng, Y., Zinner, T., and Quaas, J.: Overview: Fusion of radar polarimetry and numerical atmospheric modelling towards an improved understanding of cloud and precipitation processes, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17291–17314, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17291-2021, 2021.
Hagen, M., Ewald, F., Groß, S., Oswald, L., Farrell, D. A., Forde, M., Gutleben, M., Heumos, J., Reimann, J., Tetoni, E., Köcher, G., Marinou, E., Kiemle, C., Li, Q., Chewitt-Lucas, R., Daley, A., Grant, D., and Hall, K.: Deployment of the C-band radar Poldirad on Barbados during EUREC4A, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 5899–5914, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-5899-2021, 2021.
Stevens, B., et al.: EUREC4A, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 4067–4119, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-4067-2021, 2021.
Möller, G.: The Impact of Wind Drift on Radar-Derived Rainfall Estimates, Master's Thesis, Universität Hamburg, Meteorologisches Institut, https://wetterradar.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/user_upload/wetterradar/Literatur/master_moeller_2018.pdf , 2018.

Get in Touch

gregor.koecher@lmu.de
gregor.koecher@outlook.de