“AERAS”: Near-Real Time Air Pollution (Aerosol) Monitoring

Aim of AERAS project is the development and establishment of a system for spatial mapping and forecasting of the temporal evolution of particulate air pollution (aerosol) events resulting mainly from the Saharan dust transport in SW Mediterranean region and secondary, from anthropogenic sources.

The system will be based on the development of an efficient neural network classification system. The system will integrate meteorological maps of synoptic situation, remotely sensed data and in-situ measurements for the development of statistical models.

The project scheme composition includes two Governmental Organisations (Meteorological Service of Cyprus, Department of Labour Inspection of Work - Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance), an Academic Institute (University of Cyprus, Department of Computer Science), a Research Institute (National Observatory of Athens) and a Private Company (E-biz).

The project is funded under the call "The Research Promotion Foundation's Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development 2003-2005" from the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation.

Duration: Nov. 2006 – Oct. 2008.

Use of Earth Observation for sustainable development in Skiathos Island, Greece

PI of the research project (ΑΡ-304) using ASTER satellite images provided from the Earth Remote Sensing Data Analysis Centre (ASTER ARO Office, Japan). Duration: June 2003 – June 2005.

This project makes combined use of EO imagery (i.e. Landsat), aerial photos, field data (including existing forest maps), along with the ASTER data in order to extract detailed information concerning the area of Skiathos Island in Greece. Skiathos has suffered the last 13 years from forest fires accidents. The resulted thematic products in combination with aerial photography and in-situ measurements will further assist the operations related to land use/cover parameters, required in sustainable development studies. The expected results would be derived by using innovative remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques to map land use/cover changes in Skiathos Island. This issue is specifically intended for decision-makers concerned with land cover mapping and land management. The use of satellite remote sensing can be used not only to improve the understanding of the significant land-cover changes that have been occurred over the past 13 years but also to enable better management decisions to be made. Moreover emphasis is to be given on testing and evaluating the new ASTER sensor data. The potential of ASTER data in analysing land cover conditions and specify specific species and long-term changes is to be evaluated.

Use of ENVISAT data for validating aerosol retrievals by High Spatial Resolution Satellites in support of the ICAROS-NET IST Project

Research project (ΑO-GR1495) using ENVISAT satellite data provided from ESA. Duration: June 2003 – June 2005.

The project aims to acquire and examine ENVISAT data and data products related to air pollution monitoring in the lower troposphere and in the framework of the ICAROS NET IST project. In particular, ENVISAT data and data products from sensors with low spatial resolution (i.e., SCAMACHY, GOMOS) and sensors with moderate and moderate to high spatial resolution (i.e., MERIS, AATSR) will be used to examine the validity of newly developed algorithms for the retrieval of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from high spatial resolution sensors (e.g., Landsat ETM+, SPOT HRVIR). Following their acquisition over one or more of the European test sites, the ENVISAT data or data products will be compared to the respective results from ICAROS NET, which will be presented in terms of AOT maps over the test sites, and local ground based measurements of AOT by using sun photometers. This inter-comparison will both allow verifying ICAROS NET results and adding value to the respective ENVISAT products by further validating them and by assessing their usability.