In the geophysical division, the Applied Geophyiscs group develops electromagnetic techniques for applicaton in environment, engineer geophysics, archaeology, etc. The Space Physics group explores the magnetosphere of Earth, the solar wind, comets and asteroids, as well as the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, by means of measurements of their respective magnetic field and radiosoundings.

In the meteorological division, issues of Regional Climate Research are investigated by means of statistical-dynamical simulation and regionalization. The Integrated Remote Sensing group firstly combines state-of-the-art remote sensing methods, and secondly applies these methods for use in evaluation and improvement of atmospheric models. The focus of the Integrated Numerical Modelling group is on the modelling of interactions between the individual components of the system Earth. The associated dynamic processes are parameterized and their impacts are analysed. The working group Tropical and Subtropical Meteorology, Extrem Weather Events concentrates on the diagnoses of large to mesoscale processes in both observations and model data in the region of Africa.