“Our goal is to improve the quality of forecasting and monitoring of some environmental phenomena, such as extreme weather events, transport of volcanic ash and desert sands, which often contaminate the airspace of Catania International Airport. In fact, we believe that for an airport or a pilot it is essential to also know these indications, in order to make the right choice and not run into critical situations. For these reasons, sophisticated instruments have been acquired that allow to measure environmental parameters and to validate weather-environmental forecast models. They are called celiometers and are the spearhead of a system aimed at providing, in particular to airport managers, information that will allow them to optimize operations in the airport runways when certain phenomena occur, allowing the integration of reports from volcanological observatories, with meteorological data predicted by high resolution spatial and temporal models “. This is said by Professor Salvatore Magazù, full professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Messina, who coordinates the experimental research group in Environmental Physics operating within the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Physical Sciences and Earth Sciences (MIFT) of the University of Messina. Magazù is also the national scientific referent of the PON Research and Innovation 2014-2020 Project – “Use of innovative technologies, materials and models in the aeronautical field – Aeromat”, which also provided for the installation of celiometers.
The latter were tested precisely on the occasion of the last paroxysmal phenomenon of Etna which took place last February 21, characterized by strong emissions of volcanic dust. Using a weather-environmental modeling chain, developed in order to study the transport of volcanic ash in the atmosphere, the research team continuously monitored the evolution of the event. “The new devices – explains Magazù – consist of a laser source and a detector capable of recording the scattered light and measuring the height of the volcanic cloud. The purchase and installation of these instruments will allow to carry out ground measurement campaigns, aimed at validating and optimizing the performance of the forecast models. The data from this network will then flow into Alice-net, a network of operational stations managed by Italian Research Institutes and Bodies, whose main activities focus on environmental issues.
“The Aeromat project – emphasizes Magazù – is focused on the aviation – safety binomial, in line with the priorities identified by the European Parliament and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which dictate the minimum standards for risk prevention , and its primary objective is to improve the quality of the prediction of some phenomena in order to be able to intervene quickly. The project combines experimental research and environmental weather models related to the impact of volcanic ash, to determine constant scientific support, both to those who build aircraft, to aircraft pilots and to those who manage air traffic. This is to prevent the presence of ash in the air from creating dangerous situations, as those who work in Catania know well, but also in the airports of Comiso, Reggio Calabria or Naples ”.
“We predicted and then recorded, – concludes Magazù – during the event of February 21 last in Catania how the strong winds initially coming from the north-western quadrants, caused the spread of large quantities of ash south of the volcano and, in particular way in some specific flight sectors causing the suspension of activities at Fontanarossa in Catania for about two hours. Furthermore, as the weather conditions changed, the volcanic ash reached the A18 motorway (Catania – Messina), settling, in particular, on the land between the Acireale and Giarre exits. Thanks to the instruments that will be placed near the Catania airport and the weather-environmental models, we will be able to measure the relevant physical parameters and foresee the possibility of using some areas of the airport; in other cases, however, these systems will allow to know in advance the evolution of events, and on this basis it will be possible to prevent planes from leaving or landing, or cars from passing through certain areas, favoring mobility and directions for movement of users, thus avoiding inconvenience.
The Aeromat project includes a partnership of prestigious Research Bodies (University of Messina, National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, University of Naples, University of Mediterranean Studies of Reggio Calabria and University of Cassino and Southern Lazio) and from private companies (Etna Hitech, Sielte, Ieeng solution, SAC, Proplast). As part of the same project, we are building a drone, equipped with sensors, with a hydrogen engine that we will present in the coming months “.
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