Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri

Potential of polarization/Raman lidar to separate fine dust, coarse dust, maritime, and anthropogenic aerosol profiles

We applied the recently introduced Polarization Lidar Photometer Networking (POLIPHON) technique for the first time to triple-wavelength polarization lidar measurements at 355, 532, and 1064 nm. The lidar observations were performed at Barbados during the Saharan Aerosol Long-Range Transport and Aerosol-Cloud-Interaction Experiment (SALTRACE) in the summer of 2014. POLIPHON comprises the traditional lidar technique to separate mineral dust and non-dust backscatter contributions and the new extended approach to separate even the dust backscatter component into fine and coarse dust fractions. 5 We show that the traditional and the extended methods are compatible and lead to the same set of dust and non-dust profiles at simplified, less complex aerosol layering and mixing conditions as is the case over the remote tropical Atlantic. To derive dust mass concentration profiles from the lidar observations, trustworthy extinction-to-volume conversion factors are needed and obtained from an updated, extended AERONET sun photometer data analysis of the correlation of fine, coarse and total dust volume concentration with dust extinction coefficients for all three laser wavelengths. Conversion factors for pure marine 10 aerosol conditions and continental anthropogenic aerosol situations are presented in addition. As an additional new feature of POLIPHON, the Raman-lidar method for particle extinction profiling is used to identify the aerosol type (marine or anthropogenic) of the non-dust aerosol fraction. The full POLIPHON methodology was successfully applied to a SALTRACE case and the results are discussed. We conclude that the 532 nm polarization lidar technique has many advantages in comparison to respective 355 and 1064 nm polarization lidar approaches and leads to most robust and accurate POLIPHON products. 15

The GLAM Airborne Campaign across the Mediterranean Basin

AbstractThe Gradient in Longitude of Atmospheric Constituents above the Mediterranean Basin (GLAM) airborne campaign was set up to investigate the summertime variability of gaseous pollutants, greenhouse gases, and aerosols between the western (∼3°E) and eastern (∼35°E) sections of the Mediterranean basin as well as how this connects with the impact of the Asian monsoon anticyclone on the eastern Mediterranean in the mid- to upper troposphere (∼5–10 km). GLAM falls within the framework of the Chemistry–Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx) program. GLAM used the French Falcon-20 research aircraft to measure aerosols, humidity, and chemical compounds: ozone, carbon monoxide, methane, and carbon dioxide. GLAM took place between 6 and 10 August 2014, following a route from Toulouse (France) to Larnaca (Cyprus) and back again via Minorca (Spain), Lampedusa (Italy), and Heraklion (Crete, Greece). The aircraft flew at an altitude of 5 km on its outbound journey and 10 km on the return leg. GLAM also collec...

Air Pollution from Space

Diofantos G. Hadjimitsis, Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, Argyro Nisantzi, Natalia Kouremerti, Adrianos Retalis, Dimitris Paronis, Filippos Tymvios, Skevi Perdikou, Souzana Achilleos, Marios A. Hadjicharalambous, Spyros Athanasatos, Kyriacos Themistocleous, Christiana Papoutsa, Andri Christodoulou, Silas Michaelides, John S. Evans, Mohamed M. Abdel Kader, George Zittis, Marilia Panayiotou, Jos Lelieveld and Petros Koutrakis

Lidar profiling of aerosol optical and microphysical properties from space: overview, review, and outlook

The potential of spaceborne lidar to monitor aerosol layering and mixing with high vertical resolution is reviewed. An overview is presented on aerosol lidar techniques of past, present, and future NASA and ESA lidar missions. The potential of a standard backscatter lidar (LITE, 1994), a backscatter/polarization lidar (CALIPSO, since 2006), a polarization High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL, ATLID, EARTHCARE), and of a multiwavelength polarization HSRL are discussed regarding their ability to derive height profiles of optical and microphysical properties of aerosols and to resolve aerosol types and mixtures as a function of height. The important role of ground-truth activities is emphasized. Measurement examples taken with ground-based lidars illustrate that these systems provide a detailed characterization of complex aerosol scenarios in contrast to the snapshot-like observations with spaceborne lidars.

Remote sensing archaeology knowledge transfer: examples from the ATHENA twinning project

ATHENA is an on-going Horizon 2020 Twinning project aiming to promote remote sensing technologies for cultural heritage (CH) applications in Cyprus. ATHENA project brings together the Eratosthenes Research Center (ERC) of the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) with two internationally leading institutions of Europe, namely the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). The project’s scope is to position the ERC regionally and stimulate future cooperation through placements at partner institutions and enhance the research and academic profile of all participants. The scientific strengthening and networking achieved through the ATHENA project could be of great benefit not only for Cyprus but for the entire Eastern Mediterranean, bearing a plethora of archaeological sites and monuments urgently calling for monitoring and safeguarding. The preservation of CH and landscape comprises a strategic priority not only to guarantee cultural treasures and evidence of the human past to future generations, but also to exploit them as a strategic and valuable economic asset. The objective of this paper is to present knowledge transfer examples achieved from the ATHENA project through intense training activities. These activities were also designed to enhance the scientific profile of the research staff and to accelerate the development of research capabilities of the ERC. At the same time the results from the training activities were also exploited to promote earth observation knowledge and best practices intended for CH. The activities included active and passive remote sensing data used for archaeological applications, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image analysis for change and deformation detection, monitoring of risk factors related to cultural heritage sites including archaeological looting etc.

On the Pathway to Success: Becoming a Leading Earth Observation Centre Through the EXCELSIOR Project

This paper presents the pathway towards the establishment of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE), through the upgrade of the existing Remote Sensing & Geo-Environment Group - ERATOSTHENES Research Centre (ERC), within the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT). The ECoE aspires to become a sustainable, viable and autonomous Centre of Excellence for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment. The ECoE will provide the highest quality of related services in the National, European, Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East and Northern Africa areas (EMMENA). Therefore, drawing on the capitalization of experience and knowledge from previous projects and the research areas and international networks of the ERC, this papers highlights the importance of the establishment of the ECoE in the EMMENA area.

Strategic positioning of the ERATOSTHENES Research Centre for atmospheric remote sensing research in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region

The aim of this article is to present the importance of a permanent state-of-the-art atmospheric remote sensing ground based station in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME). The ERATOSTHENES Research Centre (ERC) with the vision to become a Centre of Excellence for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment (EXCELSIOR H2020: Teaming project) already operates (within Phase 1) a fully established EARLINETt-Cloudnet supersite at Limassol, Cyprus, for a period of 2 years, in close collaboration with the German Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), The scientific aspects of this prototype-like field campaign CyCARE (Cyprus Cloud Aerosol and Rain Experiment) - a common initiative between the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), Limassol and TROPOS- are presented in this paper. Cy-CARE has been designed by TROPOS and CUT to fill a gap in the understanding of aerosol-cloud interaction in one of the key regions of climate change and how precipitation formation is influenced by varying aerosol/pollution and meteorological conditions The guiding questions are: How may rain patterns change in future and what may be the consequences of climate change in arid regions such as EMME. EXCELSIOR is a team effort between CUT (acting as the coordinator), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics Space Applications and Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA), TROPOS and the Cyprus Department of Electronic Communications of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works (DEC-MTCW) who will work together to improve the network structures significantly, resulting in Cyprus being regarded as a cornerstone of a European Network of active remote sensing of the atmosphere.

ERATOSTHENES: excellence research Centre for Earth surveillance and space-based monitoring of the environment, the EXCELSIOR Horizon 2020 teaming project

The aim of this paper is to present the strategy and vision to upgrade the existing ERATOSTHENES Research Centre (ERC) established within the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) into a sustainable, viable and autonomous Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment, which will provide the highest quality of related services on the National, European and International levels. EXCELSIOR is a Horizon 2020 Teaming project which addresses a specific challenge defined by the work program, namely, the reduction of substantial disparities in the European Union by supporting research and innovation activities and systems in low performing countries. It also aims at establishing long-term and strategic partnerships between the Teaming partners, thus reducing internal research and innovation disparities within European Research and Innovation landscape. The proposed CoE envisions the upgrading of the existing ERC into an inspiring environment for conducting basic and applied research and innovation in the areas of the integrated use of remote sensing and space-based techniques for monitoring the environment. Environment has been recognized by the Smart Specialization Strategy of Cyprus as the first horizontal priority for future growth of the island. The foreseen upgrade will regard the expansion of this vision to systematic monitoring of the environment using Earth Observation, space and ground based integrated technologies. Such an approach will lead to the systematic monitoring of all three domains of the Environment (Air, Land, Water). Five partners have united to upgrade the existing ERC into a CoE, with the common vision to become a world-class innovation, research and education centre, actively contributing to the European Research Area (ERA). More specifically, the Teaming project is a team effort between the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT, acting as the coordinator), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the National Observatory of Athens (NOA), the German Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) and the Cyprus Department of Electronic Communications of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works (DEC-MTCW).

Marine spatial planning in Cyprus

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), which is in concept similar to land-use planning, is a public process by which the relevant Member State’s authorities analyse and organise human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic and social objectives. MSP aims to promote sustainable growth of maritime economies, sustainable development of marine areas and sustainable use of marine resources. This paper highlights the importance of MSP and provides basic outcomes of the main European marine development. The already successful MSP plans can provide useful feedback and guidelines for other countries that are in the process of implementation of an integrated MSP, such as Cyprus. This paper presents part of the MSP project, of which 80% funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and 20% from national contribution. An overview of the project is presented, including data acquisition, methodology and preliminary results for the implementation of MSP in Cyprus.