Dr. Christian Chwala

Dr. Christian Chwala

Research fields:

  • Rainfall observation with opportunistic sensors (CML, SML and PWS)
  • Merging weather radar and ground-based sensors
  • Deep Learning methods for quantitative precipitaiton estimation
  • Deep Learning for post-processing atmospheric model output

 

Current projects as PI:

  • MERGOSAT - Merging of rain rate estimates from opportunistic sensors and geostationary satellites
  • RealPEP - Near-Realtime Quantitative Precipitation Estimation and Prediction (project website)

 

Other current projects:

  • HoWa-PRO - Innovative methods of precipitation measurement and forecasting in use for early flood warning in small catchments (project website)
  • OpenSense COST Action -  Opportunistic Precipitation Sensing Network (project website)

 

Former projects as PI:

  • RESEAD - Robust Environmental Sensor data using Explainable data-driven Anomaly Detection
  • SpraiLINK - Spatial rainfall estimates using improved observations from commercial microwave links and statistical data fusion

Publikationsliste


2025
A New Initiative to Facilitate the Global Collection of Microwave Link Data and Its Use in Hydrometeorology
Fencl, M.; Bareš, V.; Ostrometzky, J.; Messer, H.; Winterrath, T.; Priestley, A.; Chwala, C.
2025. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 106 (3), E438 – E440. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-24-0346.1
2024
Fifteen Years of Integrated Terrestrial Environmental Observatories (TERENO) in Germany: Functions, Services, and Lessons Learned
Zacharias, S.; Loescher, H. W.; Bogena, H.; Kiese, R.; Schrön, M.; Attinger, S.; Blume, T.; Borchardt, D.; Borg, E.; Bumberger, J.; Chwala, C.; Dietrich, P.; Fersch, B.; Frenzel, M.; Gaillardet, J.; Groh, J.; Hajnsek, I.; Itzerott, S.; Kunkel, R.; Kunstmann, H.; Kunz, M.; Liebner, S.; Mirtl, M.; Montzka, C.; Musolff, A.; Pütz, T.; Rebmann, C.; Rinke, K.; Rode, M.; Sachs, T.; Samaniego, L.; Schmid, H. P.; Vogel, H.-J.; Weber, U.; Wollschläger, U.; Vereecken, H.
2024. Earth’s Future, 12 (6), 2024EF004510. doi:10.1029/2024EF004510
Temporal Super-Resolution, Ground Adjustment, and Advection Correction of Radar Rainfall Using 3-D-Convolutional Neural Networks
Polz, J.; Glawion, L.; Gebisso, H.; Altenstrasser, L.; Graf, M.; Kunstmann, H.; Vogl, S.; Chwala, C.
2024. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 62, Art.-Nr.: 5103710. doi:10.1109/TGRS.2024.3371577
Data formats and standards for opportunistic rainfall sensors
Fencl, M.; Nebuloni, R.; C. M. Andersson, J.; Bares, V.; Blettner, N.; Cazzaniga, G.; Chwala, C.; Colli, M.; de Vos, L.; El Hachem, A.; Galdies, C.; Giannetti, F.; Graf, M.; Jacoby, D.; Victor Habi, H.; Musil, P.; Ostrometzky, J.; Roversi, G.; Sapienza, F.; Seidel, J.; Spackova, A.; van de Beek, R.; Walraven, B.; Wilgan, K.; Zheng, X.
2024. Open Research Europe, 3, 1–30. doi:10.12688/openreseurope.16068.2
Technical note: A simple feedforward artificial neural network for high-temporal-resolution rain event detection using signal attenuation from commercial microwave links
Øydvin, E.; Graf, M.; Chwala, C.; Wolff, M. A.; Kitterød, N.-O.; Nilsen, V.
2024. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 28 (23), 5163–5171. doi:10.5194/hess-28-5163-2024
Improved rain event detection in commercial microwave link time series via combination with MSG SEVIRI data
Graf, M.; Wagner, A.; Polz, J.; Lliso, L.; Lahuerta, J. A.; Kunstmann, H.; Chwala, C.
2024. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 17 (7), 2165 – 2182. doi:10.5194/amt-17-2165-2024
2023
High-Resolution Rainfall Maps from Commercial Microwave Links for a Data-Scarce Region in West Africa
Djibo, M.; Chwala, C.; Graf, M.; Polz, J.; Kunstmann, H.; Zougmoré, F.
2023. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 24 (10), 1847 – 1861. doi:10.1175/JHM-D-23-0015.1
spateGAN: Spatio‐Temporal Downscaling of Rainfall Fields Using a cGAN Approach
Glawion, L.; Polz, J.; Kunstmann, H.; Fersch, B.; Chwala, C.
2023. Earth and Space Science, 10 (10), e2023EA002906. doi:10.1029/2023EA002906
Transboundary Rainfall Estimation Using Commercial Microwave Links
Blettner, N.; Fencl, M.; Bareš, V.; Kunstmann, H.; Chwala, C.
2023. Earth and Space Science, 10 (8), Art.: e2023EA002869. doi:10.1029/2023EA002869
Development of channel transmission loss function for WRF_HYDRO modeling of semi-arid regions: The case of wadi Faria, Palestine
Khader, A.; Jayyousi, A.; Shadeed, S.; Arnault, J.; Kunstmann, H.; Chwala, C.; Fersch, B.
2023. An-Najah University Journal for Research - A (Natural Sciences), 37 (1), 39 – 44. doi:10.35552/anujr.a.37.1.2097
Missing Rainfall Extremes in Commercial Microwave Link Data Due To Complete Loss of Signal
Polz, J.; Graf, M.; Chwala, C.
2023. Earth and Space Science, 10 (2), e2022EA002456. doi:10.1029/2022EA002456
New Insights Into the Dynamics of Wet Antenna Attenuation Based on In Situ Estimations Provided by the Dedicated Field Experiment ATTRRA2
Tiede, J.; Chwala, C.; Siart, U.
2023. IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, 20, 5 S. doi:10.1109/LGRS.2023.3320755
Expert Flagging of Commercial Microwave Link Signal Anomalies: Effect on Rainfall Estimation and Ambiguity of Flagging
Polz, J.; Glawion, L.; Graf, M.; Blettner, N.; Lasota, E.; Schmidt, L.; Kunstmann, H.; Chwala, C.
2023. 2023 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing Workshops (ICASSPW), 1–5, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/ICASSPW59220.2023.10193654
Potential and Limitations of Filling Gaps in Commercial Microwave Link Data Stemming From Complete Loss of Signal During Heavy Rainfall
Graf, M.; Blettner, N.; Polz, J.; Chwala, C.
2023. 2023 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing Workshops (ICASSPW), 1–5, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/ICASSPW59220.2023.10193696
Towards Innovative Solutions for Monitoring Precipitation in Poorly Instrumented Regions: Real-Time System for Collecting Power Levels of Microwave Links of Mobile Phone Operators for Rainfall Quantification in Burkina Faso
Djibo, M.; Ouedraogo, W. Y. S. B.; Doumounia, A.; Sanou, S. R.; Sawadogo, M.; Guira, I.; Koné, N.; Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.; Zougmoré, F.
2023. Applied System Innovation, 6 (1), 4. doi:10.3390/asi6010004
2022
Combining Commercial Microwave Link and Rain Gauge Observations to Estimate Countrywide Precipitation: A Stochastic Reconstruction and Pattern Analysis Approach
Blettner, N.; Chwala, C.; Haese, B.; Hörning, S.; Kunstmann, H.
2022. Water Resources Research, 58 (10), Art.: e2022WR032563. doi:10.1029/2022WR032563
Challenges in Diurnal Humidity Analysis from Cellular Microwave Links (CML) over Germany
Rubin, Y.; Rostkier-Edelstein, D.; Chwala, C.; Alpert, P.
2022. Remote Sensing, 14 (10), Art.-Nr.: 2353. doi:10.3390/rs14102353
2021
Regenmessung im Mobilfunknetz – Opportunistische Erfassung meteorologischer Größen
Graf, M.; Polz, J.; Chwala, C.
2021. Physik in unserer Zeit, 52 (2), 88–93. doi:10.1002/piuz.202001602
Near-realtime quantitative precipitation estimation and prediction (RealPEP)
Trömel, S.; Chwala, C.; Furusho-Percot, C.; Henken, C. C.; Polz, J.; Potthast, R.; Reinoso-Rondinel, R.; Simmer, C.
2021. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 102 (8), E1591-E1596. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0073.1
Rainfall estimates from opportunistic sensors in Germany across spatio-temporal scales
Graf, M.; El Hachem, A.; Eisele, M.; Seidel, J.; Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.; Bárdossy, A.
2021. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 37, Art.-Nr.:100883. doi:10.1016/j.ejrh.2021.100883
Quantitative analysis of the performance of spatial interpolation methods for rainfall estimation using commercial microwave links
Eshel, A.; Messer, H.; Kunstmann, H.; Alpert, P.; Chwala, C.
2021. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 22 (4), 831–843. doi:10.1175/JHM-D-20-0164.1
2020
Landesweite Niederschlagsmessung mit Richtfunkstrecken des Handynetzes
Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.
2020. Wasserwirtschaft, 110 (10), 39–40. doi:10.1007/s35147-020-0447-2
Microwave Instrument for Simultaneous Wet Antenna Attenuation and Precipitation Measurement
Moroder, C.; Siart, U.; Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.
2020. IEEE transactions on instrumentation and measurement, 69 (8), 5853–5861. doi:10.1109/TIM.2019.2961498
Modeling of Wet Antenna Attenuation for Precipitation Estimation From Microwave Links
Moroder, C.; Siart, U.; Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.
2020. IEEE geoscience and remote sensing letters, 17 (3), 386–390. doi:10.1109/LGRS.2019.2922768
Rain event detection in commercial microwave link attenuation data using convolutional neural networks
Polz, J.; Chwala, C.; Graf, M.; Kunstmann, H.
2020. Atmospheric measurement techniques, 13 (7), 3835–3853. doi:10.5194/amt-13-3835-2020
Rainfall estimation from a German-wide commercial microwave link network: optimized processing and validation for 1 year of data
Graf, M.; Chwala, C.; Polz, J.; Kunstmann, H.
2020. Hydrology and earth system sciences, 24 (6), 2931–2950. doi:10.5194/hess-24-2931-2020
2019
Commercial microwave link networks for rainfall observation: Assessment of the current status and future challenges
Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.
2019. Wiley interdisciplinary reviews / Water, 6 (2), e1337. doi:10.1002/wat2.1337
2018
The TERENO pre-alpine observatory: Integrating meteorological, hydrological, and biogeochemical measurements and modeling
Kiese, R.; Fersch, B.; Baessler, C.; Brosy, C.; Butterbach-Bahl, K.; Chwala, C.; Dannenmann, M.; Fu, J.; Gasche, R.; Grote, R.; Jahn, C.; Klatt, J.; Kunstmann, H.; Mauder, M.; Rödiger, T.; Smiatek, G.; Soltani, M.; Steinbrecher, R.; Völksch, I.; Werhahn, J.; Wolf, B.; Zeeman, M.; Schmid, H. P.
2018. Vadose zone journal, 17 (1), Art. Nr.: 180060. doi:10.2136/vzj2018.03.0060
2017
Stochastic Reconstruction and Interpolation of Precipitation Fields Using Combined Information of Commercial Microwave Links and Rain Gauges
Haese, B.; Hörning, S.; Chwala, C.; Bárdossy, A.; Schalge, B.; Kunstmann, H.
2017. Water resources research, 53 (12), 10740–10756. doi:10.1002/2017WR021015
The ScaleX campaign: scale-crossing land-surface and boundary layer processes in the TERENO-preAlpine observatory
Wolf, B.; Chwala, C.; Fersch, B.; Garvelmann, J.; Junkermann, W.; Zeeman, M. J.; Angerer, A.; Adler, B.; Beck, C.; Brosy, C.; Brugger, P.; Emeis, S.; Dannenmann, M.; De Roo, F.; Diaz-Pines, E.; Haas, E.; agen, M.; Hajnsek, I.; Jacobeit, J.; Jagdhuber, T.; Kalthoff, N.; Kiese, R.; Kunstmann, H.; Kosak, O.; Krieg, R.; Malchow, C.; Mauder, M.; Merz, R.; Notarnicola, C.; Philipp, A.; Reif, W.; Reineke, S.; Rödiger, S.; Ruehr, N.; Schäfer, K.; Schrön, M.; Senatore, A.; Shupe, H.; Völksch, I.; Wanninger, C.; Zacharias, S.; Schmid, H. P.
2017. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 98 (6), 1217–1234. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00277.1
Improving rainfall estimation from commercial microwave links using METEOSAT SEVIRI cloud cover information
Boose, Y.; Doumounia, A.; Chwala, C.; Moumouni, S.; Zougmore, F.; Kunstmann, H.
2017. European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU 2017), Vienna, Austria, April 23–28, 2017
Application of commercial microwave link (CML) derived precipitation data in a hydrology model
Smiatek, G.; Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.
2017. European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU 2017), Vienna, Austria, April 23–28, 2017
Potential of commercial microwave link network derived rainfall for river runoff simulations
Smiatek, G.; Keis, F.; Chwala, C.; Fersch, B.; Kunstmann, H.
2017. Environmental research letters, 12 (3), Art.Nr. 034026. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aa5f46
2016
Modeling the atmospheric and terrestrial water and energy cycles in the ScaleX experiment through a fully-coupled atmosphere-hydrology model
Senatore, A.; Fersch, B.; Rummler, T.; Brosy, C.; Chwala, C.; Junkermann, W.; Völksch, I.; Kunstmann, H.
2016. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, Wien, A, April 17-22, 2016
Improving rainfall measurement in gauge poor regions thanks to mobile telecommunication networks
Gosset, M. E. J.; Kunstmann, H.; Zougmore, F.; Cazenave, F.; Leijnse, H.; Uijlenhoet, R.; Chwala, C.; Keis, F.; Doumounia, A.; Boubacar, B.; Kacou, M.; Alpert, P.; Messer, H.; Rieckermann, J.; Hoedjes, J. C. B.
2016. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 97 (3), ES49-ES51. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00164.1
Real-time data acquisition of commercial microwave link networks for hydrometeorological applications
Chwala, C.; Keis, F.; Kunstmann, H.
2016. Atmospheric measurement techniques, 9 (3), 991–999. doi:10.5194/amt-9-991-2016
2015
Real time data acquisition of commercial microwave link networks for hydrometeorological applications
Chwala, C.; Keis, F.; Kunstmann, H.
2015. Atmospheric measurement techniques discussions, 8 (11), 12243–12262. doi:10.5194/amtd-8-12243-2015
The ScaleX experiment in the TERENO-prealpine observatory
Wolf, B.; Chwala, C.; De Roo, F.; Fersch, B.; Garvelmann, J.; Haas, E.; Junkermann, W.; Ruehr, N.; Schäfer, K.; Vogelmann, H.; Zeeman, M.; Arneth, A.; Butterbach-Bahl, K.; Dannenmann, M.; Emeis, S.; Kiese, R.; Kunstmann, H.; Mauder, M.; Suppan, P.; Sussmann, R.; Schmid, H. P.
2015. 33rd International Conference on Alpine Meteorology (ICAM), Innsbruck, A, August 31 - September 4, 2015
Real time data acquisition of a countrywide commercial microwave link network
Chwala, C.; Keis, F.; Kunstmann, H.
2015. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, Wien, A, April 12-17, 2015 Geophysical Research Abstracts, 17(2015) EGU2015-12522
Real time access to commercial microwave link data: details of the data acquisition software, the database and its web frontend
Keis, F.; Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.
2015. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, Wien, A, April 12-17, 2015 Geophysical Research Abstracts, 17(2015) EGU2015-12123-1
2014
Using microwave backhaul links to optimize the performance of algorithms for rainfall estimation and attenuation correction
Trömel, S.; Ziegert, M.; Ryzhkov, A. V.; Chwala, C.; Simmer, C.
2014. Journal of atmospheric and oceanic technology, 31, 1748–1760. doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-14-00016.1
A monostatic microwave transmission experiment for line integrated precipitation and humidity remote sensing
Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.; Hipp, S.; Siart, U.
2014. Atmospheric research, 144, 57–72. doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2013.05.014
2012
Precipitation observation using commercial microwave communication links
Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.; Hipp, S.; Siart, U.; Eibert, T.
2012. Proceedings of International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS-2012), München, July 22-27, 2012, 2922–2925, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/IGARSS.2012.6350714
Precipitation observation using microwave backhaul links in the alpine and pre-alpine region of Southern Germany
Chwala, C.; Gmeiner, A.; Qiu, W.; Hipp, S.; Nienaber, D.; Siart, U.; Eibert, T.; Pohl, M.; Seltmann, J.; Fritz, J.; Kunstmann, H.
2012. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 16, 2647–2661. doi:10.5194/hess-16-2647-2012
Remote sensing of precipitation and humidity using commercial microwave links and a monostatic transmission experiment
Chwala, C.; Siart, U.; Hipp, S.; Eibert, T. F.; Kunstmann, H.
2012. 12th Specialist Meeting on Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad), Roma, I, March 5-9, 2012
Efficient modelling of rain field microwave attenuation and Doppler noise for different drop size distributions
Siart, U.; Hipp, S.; Eibert, T.; Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.
2012. 12th Specialist Meeting on Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad), Roma, I, March 5-9, 2012
Precipitation observation using commercial microwave communication links
Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.; Hipp, S.; Siart, U.; Eibert, T.
2012. Internat.Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symp. (IGARSS-2012), München, July 22-27, 2012
Precipitation observation using microwave backhaul links in the alpine and pre-alpine region of Southern Germany
Chwala, C.
2012. 2.REKLIM Workshop, Lüneburg, 19.-21.März 2012
Microwave transmission: A new tool for remote sensing precipitation and humidity
Chwala, C.; Siart, U.; Gmeiner, A.; Hipp, D.; Kunstmann, H.
2012. 76.Jahrestagung der DPG und DPG-Frühjahrstagung, Fachverband Umweltphysik, Berlin, 25.-30. März 2012 Verhandlungen der Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft, R.6, B.47(2012), UP 8.4
Continuous rainfall measurements using commercial backhaul links in the alpine and pre-alpine region of Southern Germany
Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.; Qiu, W.; Hipp, S.; Siart, U.; Seltmann, J.
2012. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, Wien, A, April 22-27, 2012
Efficient modelling of rain field microwave attenuation and Doppler noise for different drop size distributions
Siart, U.; Hipp, S.; Eibert, T.; Chwala, C.; Kunstmann, H.
2012. 12th Specialist Meeting on Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad), Roma, I, March 5-9, 2012, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/MicroRad.2012.6185245
2011
Niederschlagsquantifizierung über Richtfunksignalabschwächung in kommerziellen Mobilfunknetzen und über ein monostatisches atmosphärisches Transmissions-Experiment
Kunstmann, H.; Chwala, C.; Qiu, W.; Hipp, S.; Siart, U.; Eibert, T.; Fritz, J.; Bradt, A.
2011. 1.Wissenschaftliche Tagung ’Umweltforschungsstation Schneefernerhaus’, Iffeldorf, 20.-21.Mai 2010 Abstractband
2009
Atmospheric transmission measurements for precipitation quantification
Hipp, S.; Chwala, C.; Siart, U.; Eibert, T.; Kunstmann, H.
2009. Wave Propagation and Scattering in Communications, Microwave Remote Sensing and Navigation (WFMN 09), Chemnitz, November 25-27, 2009