Institute of Atmospheric Physics

Official Chinese name	中国科学院大气物理研究所
Official English name	Institute of Atmospheric Physics, CAS
Chinese aliases	中国科学院地球物理研究所, 大气所
English aliases
Acronyms	IAP
Research fields	Atmospheric science, Earth system models, climate change, meteorological disasters, carbon neutrality
Total employee count	Over 500 (as of 23 November 2025)

Summary

Institute of Atmospheric Physics is categorised as a Regular Defence Partner based on the following indicators:

Defence advisor

0 indicators

Defence award

2 indicators

Defence funding

3 indicators

Defence laboratory

1 indicators

Military-technology patent

3 indicators

Research collaboration with defence entities

3 indicators

Defence advisory roles

Members of the leadership of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics have possibly not served on defence-related expert committees. However, because the underlying data are outdated and lack sufficient detail, this assessment is made with low confidence, and such service by any member of the leadership cannot be fully ruled out.

Defence awards

Available information indicates that researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics have received at least six separate defence awards. These include two Military Science and Technology Progress Awards, one Commemorative Medal for the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, one All-Army Excellent Teaching Material Award, one People's Liberation Army (PLA) Science and Technology Progress Award and one National Defence Science and Technology Award.^[1]

Of the six awards identified, five can be confidently determined as having been awarded while the researcher was employed at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics. Dates are known for four awards, confirming their ties to work carried out at Institute of Atmospheric Physics. While the date is not known for the fifth award, it was confirmed that the researcher had spent their entire career at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics,^[2] indicating that the award was tied to the institute's work.

One award, the Commemorative Medal for the 70th Anniversary, had a confirmed date but its links to the Institute of Atmospheric Physics could not be verified. Although the award was granted in 2016,^[3] further analysis found that the researcher had spent time at both the Institute of Atmospheric Physics as well as another CAS institute around the same time.^[4] This meant that our analysis was unable to confidently determine that the award was granted in connection to their work at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics. However, it is important to note that the researcher has spent most of their career at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics and remains employed there, based on the information available.^[5]

Identified awards were granted between 2000 and 2019. While this indicates an extensive and consistent history of recognition of IAP work in defence science and technology circles, it is historical in nature and has not continued for more recent work.

While researchers and projects affiliated with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics have received at least six defence awards prior to 2021, its researchers have probably not been granted awards in recent years. However, because the available information is somewhat outdated, the assessment is made with medium confidence.

Defence funding

Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics authored 15 publications funded by Chinese defence entities, placing the institute in the 37th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. Of the 1,937 authors affiliated with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics who published during this period, 19 (1 per cent) had at least one defence-funded publication. However, it is not possible to attribute specific funding to individual researchers based solely on publication data.

Defence laboratories

No publicly available information suggests that this institute hosts or is affiliated with any known defence laboratories. The Chinese language laboratory websites do not mention any links or references to defence-related activities.

Military-technology patents

Between 2021 and 2025, the Institute of Atmospheric Physics was granted five military-technology patents, placing it in the 61st percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. A total of 40 inventors affiliated with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics were listed on these patents.

Research collaboration with defence entities

Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics co-authored 343 publications with at least one Chinese defence entity, placing the institute in the 53rd percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis.

These collaborations include 98 publications with PLA academic institutions, 169 with defence laboratories, 82 with members of the Seven Sons of National Defence, 16 with members of the Seven Sons of Ordnance Industry and 5 with defence conglomerates.

Of the 1,937 authors affiliated with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics who published during this period, 337 (17 per cent) had at least one defence-related collaboration.

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