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A geometrical method to determine the vertical distribution of a trace gas in the lower troposphere is presented. The technique is based on quasi-simultaneous measurements of diffuse solar radiation with spectrometric equipment observing the atmosphere from different viewing directions and a measurement of a distant lamp. Differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) algorithms are applied to retrieve the slant column densities (SCDs) of the analyzed compound. A recursive procedure involving the set of observed SCDs, the geometry of measurement, and several offline radiative transfer simulations provides the vertical profile of the target trace gas. This technique is applied to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) SCDs, and the results are compared to the output of the modeling system Gas Aerosol Modeling Evaluation System (GAMES). The correlation coefficient between the DOAS and GAMES NO2 concentration profiles is 0.7 and shows a nonnegligible variability as a function of altitude and sky conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The possible influence on the Castel Porziano Presidential Estate pine forest (Italy) of pollutant-rich air masses from the neighboring metropolitan area of Rome is analyzed. This study aims to highlight the consequences which this natural reserve located along the coast may suffer due to the vicinity of the metropolitan area. Two case studies, one representative of synoptic and the other of breeze patterns, are presented and analyzed to evaluate how the local wind circulation can influence these processes of mutual interaction between the wooded and the urban area nearby. This is a common situation in many other places around the world. To this end an up-to-date version of a method for gas profile retrieval in the lower troposphere, developed by the authors, is exploited to study the time evolution of the vertical structure of O3 and NO2 concentrations on the Estate. The method consists of applying an inversion technique, based on the weighted Chahine algorithm, to DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) remote-sensing measurements. The analysis of the retrieved vertical profiles shows that the degradation process associated with the arrival of air masses rich in photo-chemical pollutants, due to breeze circulation modified by the Coriolis Effect, is more apparent at upper levels than near the surface, affecting to a greater degree the higher branches of the trees. The paper also examines the impact of O3 on the wooded part of the Castel Porziano Estate. The incidence of this effect is evaluated with the analysis of the so-called AOT40 parameter. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents an evaluation of the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) trend inferred from UV-visible zenith-sky measurements performed at the 'Ottavio Vittori' ground-based research station (http://www.isac.cnr.it/cimone) at Monte Cimone (44.18° N, 10.7° E, 2165 m above sea level (a.s.l.)). Experimental data series are obtained from the measured spectra adopting a retrieval procedure according to differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) methodology. Data series cover the period from 1993 to 2009, with limited interruptions due to technical maintenance of the instrument or poor meteorological conditions. The NO2 trends are calculated with a linear regression model considering different factors assumed to contribute to NO2 atmospheric content. Before running the model, a procedure for data quality control was applied to reduce or exclude the influence of measurements affected by poor meteorological conditions or the vertical transport of polluted air masses from the lower troposphere. The negative trends obtained for sunrise (a.m.) and sunset (p.m.) NO2 measurements are in good agreement with previous studies accomplished for ground-based stations in the northern hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the framework of air quality monitoring, measurements by Earth-observing satellite sensors are combined here with regional meteorological and chemical transport models. Two satellite-derived products developed within the QUITSAT project, regarding significant pollutants including PM2.5 and NO2, are presented. Estimates of PM2.5 concentrations at ground level were obtained using moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (Terra-Aqua/NASA) aerosol optical properties. The semi-empirical approach adopted takes into account PM2.5 sampling and meteorological descriptions of the area studied, as simulated by MM5, to infer aerosol optical properties to PM projection coefficients. Daily maps of satellite-based PM2.5 concentrations over northern Italy are derived. Monthly average values were compared with in situ PM2.5 samplings showing good agreement. Ozone monitoring instrument (OMI) (Aura/NASA) NO2 tropospheric contents are merged using the GAMES chemical model simulations. The method employs a weighted rescaling of the model column in the troposphere according to the OMI observations. The weightings take into account measurement errors and model column variances within the satellite ground pixel. The obtained ground-level concentrations of NO2 show good agreement with the environmental agencies' in situ. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An UVVis spectrometer was installed at Mt. Cimone Station in 1993. Since then it carried out zenith scattered solar radiation measurements at sunrise and sunset in the 407–464 nm spectral region. Data has been processed through DOAS methodology in order to obtain NO2 slant column. An inversion algorithm is used to calculate the gas vertical distribution from ground based column amount measurements so that the gas content in stratosphere and troposphere is evidenced. Two years data (1995–1996) are shown and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The automatic identification system (AIS) facilitates the monitoring of ship movements and provides essential input parameters for traffic safety. Previous studies have employed AIS data to detect behavioral anomalies and classify vessel types using supervised and unsupervised algorithms, including deep learning techniques. The approach proposed in this work focuses on the recognition of vessel types through the "Take One Class at a Time" (TOCAT) classification strategy. This approach pivots on a collection of adaptive models rather than a single intricate algorithm. Using radar data, these models are trained by taking into account aspects such as identifiers, position, velocity, and heading. However, it purposefully excludes positional data to counteract the inconsistencies stemming from route variations and irregular sampling frequencies. Using the given data, we achieved a mean accuracy of 83% on a 6-class classification task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Areas with dimensions of 1000–3000km in which the total ozone content (TOC) decreases fast are called ozone mini-holes. They are generated mainly dynamically in two ways, either by poor-ozone air mass transport from the tropics to higher latitudes by planetary wave activity or, they are connected with strong adiabatic uplifting of the tropopause height. An ozone mini-hole, generated by the second mechanism, was observed over the Balkan Peninsula on 19/21 March 2005. In the middle of March, the polar vortex was strongly disturbed by Rossby waves, reaching up to the lower stratosphere. Warming episodes over a geographical area, covering the Barents Sea and the Polar Sea north from Central Siberia, displaced a polar vortex fragment extremely southwards. However, the vorticity was weak and the stratospheric temperatures did not reach low values, providing conditions for ozone chemical destruction via heterogenic reactions. At the same time, a Rossby wave ridge was located below the European polar fragment. In the period from 13 to 19 March, the thermal tropopause over Sofia was uplifted almost by 3km. Ozone distributions observed by the SCIAMACHY instrument on 18–21 March show a fast TOC decrease westwards from Ireland, which was moving eastwards during the next days, increasing the area in which the ozone content decreased. On 20/21 March low ozone content was observed above the Stara Zagora (42°N, 25°E) ground-based station by means of the GASCOD instrument, using DOAS technique. The TOMS Earth probe instrument detected 237DU over Sofia. This is a record low March value from the beginning of the TOMS instrument measurements in 1978. In March/April the ozone distribution was characterized by its mean annual maximum of 360DU at 42°N. Using the TUV model, the UV-index was calculated for regions of 2000m height, typical for the mountains southwards of Sofia. The UV-index was very high (almost 10). This is a result not only of the low TOC but also of the relatively high zenith angle at middle latitudes in March. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Studies have shown that the total ozone amount and the ozone mixing ratio on the Earth’s equator correlate with the 27-day rotational modulation of the solar activity.We report some first results of our research, concerning possible links between the short-term solar activity, i.e., variations on the rotational time-scale, and the stratospheric NO2. The solar activity variations and the atmospheric responses were studied by means of wavelet analysis, cross-correlation and cross-wavelet analysis. It is found out that the 27-day solar cycle in the UV irradiation is modulated by a longer period of several months; this longer period is probably related with active region growth and decay (ARGD). That kind of modulation produces shortening or extension of the 27-day basic period, ranging from 22 to 34 days. The modulation is a consequence of ARGD and hence, results from a variable pattern of spots and active regions on the solar surface. We find a similar time-frequency behaviour in the wavelet maps of NO2 slant column amounts, derived from DOAS measurements at the Stara Zagora station as well as in the total ozone amount, obtained by the GOME instrument during solar cycle 23. For those time intervals when the cross-correlation between the variation of the short-term solar activity and that of the trace gas species is positive, the cross-correlation coefficients are up to 0.6 for the NO2 and up to 0.5 for the ozone variation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a representative of a family of chemically very active radicals NOx=NO+NO2. These radicals catalytically destroy the ozone and play a significant role in other ozone-destroying catalytic cycles. In the polar night NO2 can deactivate ClO by a termolecular reaction to form the reservoir gas Cl0NO2. In this way NO2 restricts the ozone destruction in the polar vortex. NO2 also takes part in heterogeneous reactions, which occur on the surface of polar stratospheric clouds.For the trace gases study and particularly for the nitrogen dioxide a spectrometric instrument GASCOD-BG was installed at the Solar Terrestrial Influences Laboratory - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences , Stara Zagora Department in August 1999. The instrument was developed at the Institute of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the Council of National Research, Italy, Bologna. The results of the NO2 observation for more than two years are presented in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An airborne UV-visible spectrometer, the Gas Analyzer Spectrometer Correlating Optical Differences, airborne version (GASCOD/A4pi) was successfully operated during the Airborne Polar Experiment, Geophysica Aircraft in Antarctica airborne campaign from Ushuaia (54 degrees 49' S, 68 degrees 18' W), Argentina in southern spring 1999. The instrument measured scattered solar radiation through three optical windows with a narrow field of view (FOV), one from the zenith, two from the horizontal, as well as actinic fluxes through 2pi FOV radiometric heads. Only a few airborne measurements of scattered solar radiation at different angles from the zenith are available in the literature. With our configuration we attempted to obtain the average line-of-sight concentrations of detectable trace gases. The retrieval method, based on differential optical absorption spectroscopy, is described and results for ozone are shown and compared with measurements from an in situ instrument as the first method of validation.