cetemps.aquila.infn.it

• Latest Spanpshot
• Precipitations estimate
• National RADAR network composite (restricted)

The climatological station on Monte Portella at Campo Imperature (2388 m) was reactivated by CETEMPS - University of L'Aquila, after one year of blackout due to mainteinance of the electric netweork. The station measures meteorological parameters (temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, precipitation, wind speed & direction), ozono concentration (a key atmospheric pollutant and, starting this year, also the size distribution of atmospheric particulate matter. The selected site is of particular scientific interest, because it is a "background" for atmospheric composition and aerosol, and extreme in terms of temperature and wind speeds.

Influence of fires in Eastern Europe on particulate matter levels

CETEMPS took part to a study led by the Aerosol Remote Sensing group of the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) of the National Research Council (CNR), concerning the fingerprint of wildfires on the particulate load at European scale and published on the open access journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. In the frame of the study, it was developed a method that combines satellite observations of fires with an atmospheric trajectory model to evaluate the influence of fires on the aerosol optical depth at the continental scale.

From a simulation of the years 2002-2007, it comes out that fires related to agricultural practices, in particular in former URSS countries, modulate the annual cycle of the aerosol optical depth throughout Europe, creating a sort of haze that might have yet unrecognized effects on the radiative balance and the air quality of the continent.

Click on the image to see the animation (last update 24/05/2011, 13:30 UTC)

CETEMPS is active for the monitoring of the plume from Iceland volcano Grimsvotn, that started its eruptive activity on 21st May 2011. At the moment simulations are being carried out, using a gaseous tracer with the same molar weight and deposition properties of sulfur dioxide (SO₂, molar weight 64 g/mole).