Article published on Theoretical and Applied Climatology: Analysis of two decade meteorological and air quality trends in Rome (Italy)
ABSTRACT: This study presents a trend analysis of a two-decade (2000–2020) series of surface meteorological and air quality data measured in Rome (Italy). Data series are collected at three sites in Rome downtown and its coastal surroundings. This paper fills the gap due to missing or incomplete recent information about the meteorological and atmospheric composition tendencies in the Rome area. Datasets are subjected to in-depth quality control and to statistical analysis to verify the data homogeneity, whilst trend analysis is performed...
Article published on BAMS: The Boundary Layer Air Quality-Analysis Using Network of Instruments (BAQUNIN) Supersite for Atmospheric Research and Satellite Validation over Rome Area
ABSTRACT: The Boundary layer Air Quality-analysis Using Network of Instruments (BAQUNIN) supersite is presented. The site has been collecting pollutant concentrations and meteorological parameters since 2017. Currently, BAQUNIN consists of three observation sites located in the city center of Rome (Italy), and in the neighboring semirural and rural areas. To the best of our knowledge, BAQUNIN is one of the first observatories in the world to involve several passive and active ground-based instruments installed in multiple locations, managed by different...
Article published on Atmospheric Measurement Techniques: Aerosol optical characteristics in the urban area of Rome, Italy, and their impact on the UV index
ABSTRACT: The impact of the aerosol optical properties on the ultraviolet index (UVI) in the urban area of Rome is investigated in this study. In particular, the influence of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and single scattering albedo (SSA), estimated at the wavelength of 340 nm, and of the Ångström exponent, calculated in the range 340–500 nm, over a period of 11 years (2010–2020) in the months from March to September are analyzed. The UVI is monitored by a Brewer spectrophotometer, whereas...
Article published on Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics: Classification of synoptic and local-scale wind patterns using k-means clustering in a Tyrrhenian coastal area (Italy)
Abstract: In coastal regions, the complex interaction of synoptic-scale dynamics and breeze regimes influence the local atmospheric circulation, permitting to distinguish typical yet alternative patterns. In this paper, the k-means clustering algorithm is applied to the hourly time series of wind intensity and direction collected by in-situ weather stations at seven locations within 30 km from the western coastline of central Italy, in the proximity of Rome, over the period 2014–2020. The selection of both wind-integral quantities and ad hoc...
BAQUNIN participation at the Fourth National Congress of AISAM
BAQUNIN participated in the Fourth National Congress of the Italian Association of Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (AISAM) hosted by the University of Milan (Italy) from 15 to 19 February 2022. The Congress is intended as a meeting point for the Italian scientific community, which deals with atmospheric sciences, meteorology, and climatology and is configured as a precious opportunity to promote reflection on current and urgent issues. The BAQUNIN team participated with four contributions: "The influence of meteorological conditions on the atmospheric composition in...
In memory of Marco
The untimely passing of Marco Cacciani (18th January 2022) is a loss to the European science community. Marco was a brilliant researcher in the field of atmospheric science, endowed with extraordinary experimental talent and keen ability to understand the observed phenomena. He was co-founder and the beating heart of the BAQUNIN project, head of the Atmospheric Physics Laboratory and our scientific beacon. We, who had the privilege to be his friends and to work with him, hope that we can keep on the...
An isolated peak of atmospheric pressure caused by the explosion of the Hunga Tona-Hunga Ha’apai volcano
The BAQUNIN microbarometer installed at the urban observatory of the Sapienza Campus (Rome, Italy) recorded the shock wave due to the explosion of the Hunga Tona-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, which reached Italy on the evening of 15 January 2022. The isolated peak at 19:52 UTC (red ellipse) is evident, with a pressure increase of about 1.6 mbar. The oscillations following the main peak are linked to other shock waves that reached the station from different directions. Since the eruption, which released...