Speaker
Descrizione
Since 1993, atmospheric aerosol studies based on multi-wavelength Raman lidar observations have been one of the core research activities at the CNR-IMAA Atmospheric Observatory (CIAO). Over the years, the observatory has significantly contributed to the understanding of various aerosol types, including mineral dust, biomass burning aerosol, and volcanic ash, and their role in atmospheric processes.
At the heart of these activities is POLPO (POtenza Lidar for Particle Observation), a state-of-the-art multi-wavelength lidar capable of measuring the aerosol depolarization ratio and backscatter coefficient at 355, 532, and 1064 nm, and the extinction coefficient at 355 and 532 nm. However, to further enhance the aerosol typing potential of the observatory, we have recently initiated the integration of a fluorescence lidar system alongside POLPO.
While fluorescence-based techniques are well established in several branches of environmental science, they have remained underutilized in lidar remote sensing of aerosols. Only recently have fully calibrated aerosol fluorescence spectra been reported, notably by the German Meteorological Service using the RAMSES lidar. These pioneering results have highlighted the significant added value of fluorescence information in refining aerosol classification, especially when combined with conventional elastic and Raman signals.
Building on this foundation, we have set up a new fluorescence lidar at CIAO. The spectrometer used for fluorescence detection was fully calibrated in June 2025, allowing the first fluorescence measurements at the observatory. The synergy between multi-wavelength depolarization data from POLPO and spectrally resolved fluorescence will be exploited to better characterize the nature and origin of aerosol events, with a particular focus on Saharan dust and biomass burning plumes. Preliminary results from these first observations will be presented at the meeting.
