Objective:

The air and atmosphere group is an interdisciplinary research group with whose members come from Physics, Remote Sensing, Engineering and Information Technology. The main focus of the group is on research related to atmospheric remote sensing and air quality assessment, with particular emphasis to meteorological, chemical and climatological processes in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer. Current efforts range from the analysis of satellite observations, to theoretical radiative transfer modeling of the atmosphere. Several studies and project are devoted to regional satellite retrieving of Particulate Matter concentration (MODIS), local atmospheric and weather conditions, satellite based clouds detection in alpine environment, surface radiative forcing and experimental campaigns for measuring the atmospheric pollution. The group consist of two senior researchers, one PhD Student, one IT researcher and several other undergraduate students.

Expertise and Capacity:

• PM satellite retrieving
• Satellite based Cloud detection
• Radiative transfer modeling

Projects:

• AIR_ST - Monitoring of air quality in South Tyrol with remote sensing data (funded by the Province of Bolzano) 
• PV Initiative - Surface-atmosphere coupled model  for estimation of the incident solar radiation  (funded by ERDF - European Regional Development Fund)

Publications:

1. Emili, E., A. Lyapustin, Y. Wang, C. Popp, S. Korkin, M. Zebisch, S. Wunderle, and M. Petitta, 2011, High spatial resolution aerosol retrieval with MAIAC: Application to mountain regions, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D23211, doi:10.1029/2011JD016297.
2. Emili, E., C. Popp, S. Wunderle, M. Zebisch, M. Petitta, 2011, Mapping particulate matter in alpine regions with satellite and ground-based measurements: An exploratory study for data assimilation, Atmospheric Environment, Volume 45, Issue 26, August 2011, Pages 4344-4353, ISSN 1352-2310, DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.05.051
3. Emili, E., C. Popp, M. Petitta, M. Riffler, S. Wunderle, and M. Zebisch, 2010, PM10 remote sensing from geostationary SEVIRI and polar-orbiting MODIS sensors over the complex terrain of the European Alpine region. In Remote Sensing of Environment 114 (11), pages 2485-2499. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2010.05.024 
4. Petitta, M., C. Popp, E. Emili, C. Steurer, M. Zebisch, and L. Verdi, 2009, A scientific and operational project for monitoring AOD and PM in Alto Adige/South Tyrol: outlines, first results and perspectives. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 11
5. Petitta, M., C. Popp, E. Emili, L. Verdi, S. Schneiderbauer, C. Steurer, and M. Zebisch, 2009, A new approach for air quality monitoring  using remote sensing and in-situ data in South Tirol. In Air Quality Science and Application, pp. 895
6. Emili, E., C. Popp, M. Petitta, M. Riffler, and S. Wunderle, 2009, Air quality remote sensing over alpine regions with METEOSAT SEVIRI. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 11