368
H.-J. Bolle, S. 1. Rasool, P. Try
provide the basis for studies of the north-south gradient across the Mediterranean
sea.
Along this transect satellites would monitor the "green wave" and its dependence
on the large scale circulation and the NAO. The variability of surface energy and
water vapour fluxes would be estimated from changes of spectral reflectances,
emissivity, and surface temperatures. It can also be observed - if the time series
becomes long enough - how land-use changed over the years and whether
desertification is progressing. Ground based studies would then try to find out which
had been the causes for these changes if man-made, do they have climatic or
economical reasons, and what are the causes for desertification. The entrainment of
the operating flux measuring stations in Italy would in addition open the field for
studies into the relationship between biomass production as sensed by the vegetation
index and carbon dioxide and water vapour fluxes as well as leaf area index
measured at the ground. In Tunisia studies of the variability of the borderline
between desert and semi-desert belong into the category of gradient studies as the
comparison between the situation in Sardegna and Corsica would be - which clearly
can be seen in satellite images. Finally the transect reaches the area near the Alps
which is strongly influenced by events like the Mistral and the Genova cyclone. The
simultaneous assessment of the water vapour concentrations and of the aerosol
content as well as its properties is obligatory because these data are not only of
interest for climate research but are in addition indispensable for the accurate
correction of the satellite data.
The variability of the central part of the Mediterranean seems not to be strongly
related to the large scale oscillations like the NAO and the MO. To study the
impacts of these phenomena on the ecosystems an east - west transect would be
necessary for which a re-activation of the sites used in follow-on activities of
EFEDA would provide a first string which spans from Spain (Castilla-La
ManchalValencia over Tuscany (Radicondoli) and Crete (Messara valley) to Israel
(Beersheva). Sites in Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, the Balkan, Morocco and islands
should be added. A West - East research program could bridge over to the exemplary
project "Degradation of the Drylands of Asia" of the Center for Environmental
Remote Sensing, Chiba University, Japan, which ends in Turkey. The natural crossover point of both transects would be the island of Lampedusa where presently
integrative and multinational atmospheric research is performed at an Italian
research station.
The oceanographic community is getting organized in the context of the
Mediterranean Forecasting System, an EU-MAST Project (Pinardi and Flemming,
1998). The goal is the prediction of the 3-D physical sea state and related marine
biochemical components at time scales of weeks to months by implementation of an
automatic monitoring and nowcasting/forecasting modelling system. 25 institutions
of Mediterranean countries and some extra-Mediterranean Institutions are involved
in this activity. A pilot project started in September 1998. Satellite data may
contribute to this project by providing sea surface temperatures, sea level height,
water pollution, and information about surface currents.
H.-J. Bolle, S. 1. Rasool, P. Try
provide the basis for studies of the north-south gradient across the Mediterranean
sea.
Along this transect satellites would monitor the "green wave" and its dependence
on the large scale circulation and the NAO. The variability of surface energy and
water vapour fluxes would be estimated from changes of spectral reflectances,
emissivity, and surface temperatures. It can also be observed - if the time series
becomes long enough - how land-use changed over the years and whether
desertification is progressing. Ground based studies would then try to find out which
had been the causes for these changes if man-made, do they have climatic or
economical reasons, and what are the causes for desertification. The entrainment of
the operating flux measuring stations in Italy would in addition open the field for
studies into the relationship between biomass production as sensed by the vegetation
index and carbon dioxide and water vapour fluxes as well as leaf area index
measured at the ground. In Tunisia studies of the variability of the borderline
between desert and semi-desert belong into the category of gradient studies as the
comparison between the situation in Sardegna and Corsica would be - which clearly
can be seen in satellite images. Finally the transect reaches the area near the Alps
which is strongly influenced by events like the Mistral and the Genova cyclone. The
simultaneous assessment of the water vapour concentrations and of the aerosol
content as well as its properties is obligatory because these data are not only of
interest for climate research but are in addition indispensable for the accurate
correction of the satellite data.
The variability of the central part of the Mediterranean seems not to be strongly
related to the large scale oscillations like the NAO and the MO. To study the
impacts of these phenomena on the ecosystems an east - west transect would be
necessary for which a re-activation of the sites used in follow-on activities of
EFEDA would provide a first string which spans from Spain (Castilla-La
ManchalValencia over Tuscany (Radicondoli) and Crete (Messara valley) to Israel
(Beersheva). Sites in Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, the Balkan, Morocco and islands
should be added. A West - East research program could bridge over to the exemplary
project "Degradation of the Drylands of Asia" of the Center for Environmental
Remote Sensing, Chiba University, Japan, which ends in Turkey. The natural crossover point of both transects would be the island of Lampedusa where presently
integrative and multinational atmospheric research is performed at an Italian
research station.
The oceanographic community is getting organized in the context of the
Mediterranean Forecasting System, an EU-MAST Project (Pinardi and Flemming,
1998). The goal is the prediction of the 3-D physical sea state and related marine
biochemical components at time scales of weeks to months by implementation of an
automatic monitoring and nowcasting/forecasting modelling system. 25 institutions
of Mediterranean countries and some extra-Mediterranean Institutions are involved
in this activity. A pilot project started in September 1998. Satellite data may
contribute to this project by providing sea surface temperatures, sea level height,
water pollution, and information about surface currents.