Monte Cimone

The Italian Climate Observatory "Ottavio Vittori" at Mount Cimone (ICO-OV) is located on the highest peak of the Northern Apennines that mark the border line of two different climate regions: the continental Europe (northwards) and the Mediterranean Basin (southwards).

The observations of atmospheric composition conducted at the ICO-OV, provide useful information for evaluating the role of regional and long-range transport processes in modifying the tropospheric background conditions of the Mediterranean basin/Southern Europe. Due to the completely free horizon, high altitude and great distance from major pollution sources, ICO-OV represents a strategic platform to study the chemical-physical characteristics and climatology of the free troposphere in the South Europe and North Mediterranean basin. Moreover, this long-term monitoring activity helps in quantifying the existing trend of climate-altering substances and atmospheric pollutants.

Continuous monitoring of climate-altering compounds (trace gases and aerosol), solar radiation as well as meteorological parameters are carried out since 1996 by ISAC-CNR (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of the National Reaserach Council). Measurements of atmospheric concentration of a wide range of halogenated VOCs started in 2003 by University of Urbino, Italy, with the installation of a commercial ADS-GC-MS system (Adsorption-Desorption System coupled with Gas-Chromatograph and a Mass Spectrometer analyzer), fully automated for continuous operation.

The ICO-OV is classified as a global station by the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) program by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Station designation: 

CMN

Coordinates: 

44.1932º N, 10.7014º E

Station elevation: 

2165 meters above sea level

Air intake elevation: 

7 meters above ground level

Station PI: 

Michela Maione (michela.maione@uniurb.it)

Station manager: 

Jgor Arduini (jgor.arduini@uniurb.it)

Station team: 

Paolo Bonasoni (p.bonasoni@isac.cnt.it); Francescopiero Calzolari (f.calzolari@isac.cnr.it); Paolo Cristofanelli (p.cristofanelli@isac.cnr.it), Angela Marinoni (a.marinoni@isac.cnr.it)

Station funding: 

Monte Cimone is funded by the CNR-ISAC (National Research Council of Italy Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate) and PON PER-ACTRIS-IT (Programma Operativo Nazionale Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020, Potenziamento della componente italiana dell'Infrastruttura di Ricerca Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research).