Mt. Cimone

Italian Climate Observatory “Ottavio Vittori”

Mountain remote background

(43°21’N, 12°34’E, 2165 m asl)

The Italian Climate Observatory “O. Vittori” (ICO-OV) GAW-WMO Global Station, is located on the top of Mt. Cimone (2165 m a.s.l.), the highest peak of the northern Italian Apennines and it is the only high mountain station for atmospheric research located both South of the Alps and the Po basin. Due to the completely free horizon, high altitude and great distance from major pollution sources, the Observatory represents a strategic platform to study the chemical-physical characteristics and climatology of the free troposphere in the South Europe and North Mediterranean basin. At ICO-OV, continuous monitoring of climate-altering compounds (trace gases and aerosol), solar radiation as well as meteorological parameters are carried out since 1996. The ICO-OV activity can help to better monitor the changes of atmospheric composition, to investigate the processes influencing climate and to assess the contribution of short and long-range air mass transport to atmospheric variability. Data from ICO-OV are also used to calibrate and verify data from satellites and model simulations. Observation activities and measurement programs: Surface ozone Sulphur dioxide Nitrogen oxides Carbon monoxide (GC) Carbon monoxide (NDIR) Methane Nitrous oxide Halogenated gases Sulfur hexafluoride Columnar ozone and nitrogen dioxide Aerosol size distribution Aerosol scattering coefficient Aerosol number concentration Black carbon Aerosol chemistry Meteorological parameters Lightning detection Solar radiation Sun photometry The Observatory is part of several international networks devoted to the long-term monitoring of atmospheric properties and climate change study. The CNR climate observatory is part of the Monte Cimone Station, the only Global Station of the Global Atmopsher Watch programme of the World Meteorological Organization existing in Italy. More information about:

Research activities: http://www.isac.cnr.it/cimone/research

Research projects: http://www.isac.cnr.it/cimone/projects

Near-real-time data: http://www.isac.cnr.it/cimone/realtime

Education activities: http://www.isac.cnr.it/cimone/education