Dr. Leopoldo Stefanutti

Director of Geophysica-GEIE
European Economic Interest Group – GEOPHYSICA, Florence, Italy
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I will examine the problems related with the characterisation of clouds and aerosols, discuss the optimal payload to be hosted in two different aircrafts (the M-55 Geophysica and the DLR Falcon) together with the measurement strategy, examine the design of the different instruments, with particular attention to the optical instruments, and finally analyse some of the results obtained during: APE-POLECAT (Arctic), APE-THESEO (Tropics), APE-GAIA (Antarctic) and ENVISAT Validation (Italy).

A brief discussion of the advantage of an aircraft, versus satellite, balloon and ground based stations will be presented. Aircrafts are particularly suitable to study processes, carry out measurements over large distances and permit direct in situ measurements, while the satellite-based sensors are remote sensing devices, which need always some a priori assumptions and generally a validation procedure.

Aerosols and clouds have to be characterized both microphysically, chemically, and geometrically. A synergy of different instruments is thus necessary. The following instruments have been developed in the past years to be installed on the M-55 Geophysica for the study of aerosol and clouds:

  • Two microjoule lidars, operating at 532 nm, with direct and cross-polarised detection channel (MAL).
  • A multi-spectral high power lidar (ABLE) operating at 355, 532 and 1064 nm.
  • A Miniaturised Aerosol sampler (MAS), actually a laser backscatter-sonde.
  • A Foreward Scattering Probe (The FSSP).
  • Two different Condensation Nuclei counters (COPAS).
  • A Counterflow virtual impactor inlet, which may permit the chemical analysis of the particles when coupled with Tunable Diode Laser Spectrometers to measure the water vapour and HNO3 content of the particles.
  • Lyman-to measure water vapour in the lower stratosphere (FLASH).
  • A Lyman-to measure total water (FISH).

On the DLR Falcon, for the combined flights with the M-55 Geophysica, an O3 and aerosol lidar was installed during APE-POLECAT and APE-THESEO, while a water vapour lidar operated during the ENVISAT mid latitude campaign.