362
H.-J. Bolle, S. 1. Rasool, P. Try
cycle over the Mediterranean is only possible with the aid of calibrated and tested
models.
3 An initiative on atmospheric chemistry, pollution and geo-biochemical cycles
in the Mediterranean must necessarily include the exchange between the sea surface
and the atmosphere which would concern both the atmosphere-climate communities
as well as the marine sciences. The combination of biomass burning, industrial
emissions, natural sulfur and carbon dioxide sources, marine emissions, UV and
PAR radiation, BVOC emissions, wind erosion and local transport phenomena (e.g.
by land-sea circulations) provide an unique atmospheric trace constituent
environment the impact of which on health and the biosphere is not yet studied in
a thorough manner. The Mediterranean area provides an ideal natural laboratory to
study involved transformation processes.
Process studies are needed to deepen the knowledge of specific processes and to
reduce the uncertainties on basic phenomena. Experiments to study such processes
include sophisticated sets of observations (from the ground, aircraft and satellites),
and a modelling activity which provides support for the experiment and for the
correct interpretation of the measurements. Experimental process studies may be
imbedded within long term monitoring activities of key parameters, or can be seen
as a component of a large field experiment such as GEWEX
The problems which connect this community with the other atmosphere - climate
groups are manifold:
Atmospheric aerosols interact with the water cycle due to the dependence of
cloud formation on the aerosols.
• The aerosol content (including Saharan dust) influences radiative forcing and
thus climate.
• The exchange of carbon compounds between biosphere and atmosphere
contribute to the greenhouse effect and while increasing levels of trace
constituents affect the biosphere.
The modelling community is challenged to include chemical reactions and trace
constituent transports in models.
The quality of corrections of remote sensing data depends on the knowledge of
properties and concentrations of trace constituents.
• Process studies experiments should be carried out jointly with the community
working on the water cycle.
There have been and is a number of uncorrelated activities on atmospheric
chemistry in the Mediterranean area (such as the early studies of the JRC ISPRA on
pollution in the Po valley, the CEAM activities on meso-meteorological cycles of air
pollution in the Iberian Peninsula, the intensive but short term measurements of
BVOC emissions in Italy, the ongoing semi-permanent European and Mediterranean
Flux Nets, the present activities of ENEA in cooperation with the University of
Rome at Lampedusa, the Israeli space experiment MEIDEX, a joint activity at Crete
to study chemical composition as well as radiative properties of the polluted
Mediterranean atmosphere in August 2001) but to obtain an integrative view on
spatial and temporal synergies as well as regional idiosyncrasies the various
H.-J. Bolle, S. 1. Rasool, P. Try
cycle over the Mediterranean is only possible with the aid of calibrated and tested
models.
3 An initiative on atmospheric chemistry, pollution and geo-biochemical cycles
in the Mediterranean must necessarily include the exchange between the sea surface
and the atmosphere which would concern both the atmosphere-climate communities
as well as the marine sciences. The combination of biomass burning, industrial
emissions, natural sulfur and carbon dioxide sources, marine emissions, UV and
PAR radiation, BVOC emissions, wind erosion and local transport phenomena (e.g.
by land-sea circulations) provide an unique atmospheric trace constituent
environment the impact of which on health and the biosphere is not yet studied in
a thorough manner. The Mediterranean area provides an ideal natural laboratory to
study involved transformation processes.
Process studies are needed to deepen the knowledge of specific processes and to
reduce the uncertainties on basic phenomena. Experiments to study such processes
include sophisticated sets of observations (from the ground, aircraft and satellites),
and a modelling activity which provides support for the experiment and for the
correct interpretation of the measurements. Experimental process studies may be
imbedded within long term monitoring activities of key parameters, or can be seen
as a component of a large field experiment such as GEWEX
The problems which connect this community with the other atmosphere - climate
groups are manifold:
Atmospheric aerosols interact with the water cycle due to the dependence of
cloud formation on the aerosols.
• The aerosol content (including Saharan dust) influences radiative forcing and
thus climate.
• The exchange of carbon compounds between biosphere and atmosphere
contribute to the greenhouse effect and while increasing levels of trace
constituents affect the biosphere.
The modelling community is challenged to include chemical reactions and trace
constituent transports in models.
The quality of corrections of remote sensing data depends on the knowledge of
properties and concentrations of trace constituents.
• Process studies experiments should be carried out jointly with the community
working on the water cycle.
There have been and is a number of uncorrelated activities on atmospheric
chemistry in the Mediterranean area (such as the early studies of the JRC ISPRA on
pollution in the Po valley, the CEAM activities on meso-meteorological cycles of air
pollution in the Iberian Peninsula, the intensive but short term measurements of
BVOC emissions in Italy, the ongoing semi-permanent European and Mediterranean
Flux Nets, the present activities of ENEA in cooperation with the University of
Rome at Lampedusa, the Israeli space experiment MEIDEX, a joint activity at Crete
to study chemical composition as well as radiative properties of the polluted
Mediterranean atmosphere in August 2001) but to obtain an integrative view on
spatial and temporal synergies as well as regional idiosyncrasies the various