Atmospheric Physics

The research activity on Atmospheric Physics at the Department of Physics and Earth Sciences develops along two main research lines: (a) Study of precipitation fine structure and spatial and temporal properties, and (b) development and application of satellite precipitation estimation techniques.

(a)    The precipitation structure at the ground is analyzed by using disdrometric data [6]. The study of drop size distribution at different elevations lead to assess the dependency of drop breakup size on the height above the sea level [9]. Application of drop size studies are for soil science [8, 10], and calibration of active precipitation sensors [15]. Further activity is devoted to the study of rainfall spatial and temporal properties as seen by different sensors [13], with the aim to set-up a reliable validation tool for satellite estimates [11, 12].

(b)    Statistically based VIS-NIR-IR techniques have been developed to estimate precipitation at regional and continental scales, by using data from both geosynchronous (SEVIRI, MVIRI) and sun-synchronous (MODIS) sensors. An artificial neural network, trained on surface data (radar and/or raingauge networks), is used to estimate precipitation probability [1] and precipitation rate [3] at the satellite field of view scale, the latter designed for operational use. A different approach makes use of data from passive microwave sensors (SSM/I, SSM/IS, AMSU/MHS) or lightning data [7] to improve the quantitative meaning of an IR-based estimation technique. Applications are mainly for flood risk prevention and mitigation [2, 4, 5], and for the study of water balance over remote areas, such as Tibetan Plateau [14] and Antarctica.

Past and ongoing projects:

PROSA (Prodotti di Osservazione Satellitare per Allerta Meteorologica), funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) (2008-2010)

CEOP-AEGIS (Coordinated Asia-European long-term Observing system of Qinghai– Tibet Plateau hydro-meteorological processes and the Asian-monsoon systEm with Ground satellite Image data and numerical Simulations) funded by EU under FP7 (2008-2012)

H-SAF (EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility on Support to Operational Hydrology and Water Management), funded by EUMETSAT (2007-2017)

PNRA (Bilancio della sostanza ghiaccio e caratterizzazione delle precipitazioni solide in Antartide) funded by the Italian Ministry of Research and University (2010-2012)

PNRA (Telerilevamento da satellite della tipologia di precipitazione sulla regione Antartica) funded by the Italian Ministry of Research and University (2014-2015)

References

[1] Porcù F. and D. Capacci, 2008: Seasonal sensitivity of a VIS-NIR-IR probability of precipitation algorithm. Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics. DOI 10.1007/s00703-007-0273-4

[2] Porcù F. and A. Carrassi, 2009: Societal impact of cyclonic systems over Europe, Nat. Hazards Earth Sys. Sci., 9, 823-829.

[3] Capacci, D. and F. Porcù, 2009: Evaluation of a satellite multispectral VIS/IR daytime statistical rain-rate classifier and comparison with passive microwave rainfall estimates, J. Appl. Meteor. Clim., 48, 284-300.

[4] Llasat, M.C., M. Llasat-Botija, M. A. Prat, F. Porcù, C. Price, A. Mugnai, K. Lagouvardos, V. Kotroni, D. Katsanos, S. Michaelides, Y. Yair, K. Savvidou, and K. Nicolaides, 2010, High-impact floods and flash floods in Mediterranean countries: the FLASH preliminary database. Adv Geosci., 10, 47-55.

[5] Bartzokas, A., J. Azzopardi, L. Bertotti, A. Buzzi, L. Cavaleri, D. Conte, S. Davolio, S. Dietrich, A. Drago, O. Drofa, A. Gkikas, V. Kotroni, K. Lagouvardos, C. J. Lolis, S. Michaelides, M. Miglietta, A. Mugnai, S. Music, K. Nikolaides, F. Porcù, K. Savvidou, and M. I. Tsirogianni, 2010, The RISKMED project: philosophy, methods and products, Nat. Hazards Earth Sys. Sci., 10, 1393-1401.

[6] Prodi, F., C. Caracciolo, L. P. D’Adderio, M. Gnuffi and E. Lanzinger (2011), Comparative Investigation of Pludix disdrometer capability as Present Weather Sensor (PWS) during the Wasserkuppe campaign. Atm. Res., 99, 162-173.

[7] Casella, D., S. Dietrich, F. Di Paola, M. Formenton, A. Mugnai, F. Porcù, and P. Sanò, 2012, PM-GCD – a combined IR–MW satellite technique for frequent retrieval of heavy precipitation, Nat. Hazards Earth Sys. Sci., 11, 231-240.

[8] Caracciolo, C., M. Napoli, F. Porcù, F. Prodi, S. Dietrich, C. Zanchi and S. Orlandini, 2012, Raindrop size distribution and soil erosion, J. Irrig. Drain Eng., 138, 461-469.

[9] Porcù, F., L. P. d’Adderio, F. Prodi and C. Caracciolo, 2013, Effects of altitude on maximum raindrop size and fall velocity as limited by collisional breakup, J. Atmos. Sci., 70, 1129-1134.

[10]Corona, R., T. Wilson, L. P. D’Adderio, F. Porcù, N. Montaldo, and J. Albertson, 2013, On the Estimation of Surface Runoff through a New Plot Scale Rainfall Simulator in Sardinia, Italy, Procedia Environmental Sciences, 19, 875-884

[11]Mugnai, A., D. Casella, E. Cattani, S. Dietrich, S. Laviola, V. Levizzani,G. Panegrossi, M. Petracca, P. Sanò, F. Di Paola, D. Biron, L. De Leonibus,D. Melfi, P. Rosci, A. Vocino, F. Zauli, S. Puca, A. Rinollo, L. Milani, F. Porcù, and F. Gattari, 2013, Precipitation Products from the Hydrology SAF, Nat. Hazards Earth Sys. Sci., 13, 1959–1981.

[12]Puca, S., F. Porcù, A. Rinollo, G. Vulpiani, P. Baguis, E. Campione, A. Ertürk, S. Gabellani, R. Iwański, M. Jurašek, J. Kaňák, J. Kerényi, G. Koshinchanov, G. Kozinarova, P. Krahe, B. Łapeta, E. Lábó, L. Milani, Ľ. Okon, A. Öztopal, P. Pagliara, F. Pignone, C. Rachimow, N. Rebora, E. Roulin, İ. Sönmez, A. Toniazzo, D. Biron, D. Casella, E. Cattani, S. Dietrich, S. Laviola, V. Levizzani, D. Melfi, A. Mugnai, G. Panegrossi, M. Petracca, P. Sanò, F. Zauli, P. Rosci, L. De Leonibus, E. Agosta, F. Gattari, 2013, The validation service of the hydrological SAF geostationary and polar satellite precipitation products. Nat. Hazards Earth Sys. Sci., in press.

[13]Porcù, F., L. Milani and M. Petracca, 2013, On the uncertainties in validating satellite instantaneous rainfall estimates with raingauge network, Atmos. Res., doi: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2013.12.007

[14]Porcù, F, U. Gjoka, L. P. D’Adderio, S. Dietrich, P. Sanò, D. Casella, and A. Mugnai, 2013, Satellite precipitation estimation over the Tibetan Plateau and perspectives for new satellite missions. Proc of WATGLOBS: Terrestrial Water Cycle Observation and Modeling from Space: Innovation and Reliability of Data Products, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China 26-30 April, 2013

[15]Porcù, F., L. P. d’Adderio, F. Prodi and C. Caracciolo, 2013, Rain drop size distribution over the Tibetan Plateau, Atmos. Res., submitted