University of Nova Gorica part of ESA measurement campaign
Nova Gorica - Researchers from the University of Nova Gorica, from Haze Instruments, and extreme pilot Matevž Lenarčič, will take part in a European Space Agency (ESA) project in Cape Verde later this month. The project aims to study the accuracy of satellite measurements and the use of these measurements in models of the Earth's atmosphere.
According to the university, the project aims to study atmospheric conditions and measure the aerosol properties of the transport of Saharan sand, black carbon and other particles across the Atlantic and the impact on global climate.
The measurements will be made by aircraft in the air and by lidars on the ground. They will be used to calibrate the lidar on the Aeolus satellite, which the ESA uses to measure wind speeds across the Earth's surface and at different altitudes.
The results of the measurements will be published in scientific literature and will be used to validate meteorological and climate models.
Matevž Lenarčič and the Slovenian project's research leader Griša Močnik, head of the Centre for Atmospheric Research at the University of Nova Gorica, will fly over the eastern Atlantic during satellite flybys around the island of Sao Vicente.
The ESA project also involves NASA, the French National Centre for Scientific Research, the German Aerospace Center, the National Observatory of Athens and the Cyprus Institute, the university added.