Speaker
Descrizione
The CNR-IMAA Atmospheric Observatory (CIAO), located in Potenza, Southern Italy, has recently enhanced its observational capabilities with the implementation of a state-of-the-art aerosol in-situ facility (Laurita et al., 2025), made possible also thanks to the ITINERIS project. This new component complements CIAO’s remote sensing infrastructure, providing continuous, high-quality ground-level measurements of key aerosol properties. In February 2024, the facility achieved initial acceptance as an ACTRIS National Facility for aerosol in-situ observations, aligning CIAO with European standards for long-term monitoring. The facility is currently in Step 1b of the ACTRIS labelling process, which covers the implementation and pre-operation phases.
Integrating in-situ aerosol data with advanced remote sensing yields a comprehensive, vertically resolved characterization of aerosol properties. This synergy improves remote sensing retrieval validation, supports aerosol classification, and enhances analysis of aerosol transport and transformation.
To highlight the added value of this integrated approach, selected case studies conducted within ITINERIS will be presented, including episodes of wildfire smoke and Saharan dust transport, both phenomena frequently observed at CIAO (De Rosa et al., 2025). These examples demonstrate how combining surface in-situ and profiling observations provides deeper insight into aerosol vertical structure and evolution.
Furthermore, the first annual dataset collected by the facility since operations began in 2024 will be shown. This initial record documents seasonal aerosol variability and establishes a robust reference for long-term monitoring. This major upgrade, made possible also thanks to the ITINERIS project, reinforces CIAO’s strategic role within ACTRIS and its contribution to international research on air quality and climate.
Laurita, T. et al.: CIAO main upgrade: building up an ACTRIS-compliant aerosol in situ laboratory, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 2373–2396, 2025.
De Rosa B. et al.: Characterization of fresh and aged smoke particles simultaneously observed with an ACTRIS multi-wavelength Raman lidar in Potenza, Italy, Remote Sens., 2025.
