FATE (2022-2025 up to three more years) 

FATE aims to achieve multiple goals: (1) to develop and implement an automatic forecast system for the optical turbulence and atmospheric parameters relevant for the ground-based astronomy supported by adaptive optics and interferometry at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) located at Cerro Paranal (Chile), (2) to perform 24h forecasts to support the science operation at the VLT and (3) to perform R&D to improve/optimize forecast performances and pave a roadmap for the OT forecasts at the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) at Cerro Armazones (Chile). The VLT is operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). FATE is funded by ESO. Prime: INAF-OAA, Sub-contractor: LaMMA. PI: E. Masciadri (INAF-OAA). 

ALTA Center (2015-2019), (2020-2025), ....long term project

The Advanced LBT Turbulence and Atmosphere (ALTA) Center is a project aiming to forecast automatically and nightly the optical turbulence and integrated astroclimatic parameters as well as atmospheric parameters relevant for ground-based astronomical observations, mainly supported by Adaptive Optics systems. ALTA supports, nightly, science operations of Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) located at Mt.Graham, Arizona, US. Contracts are renewed typically each 5 years with up-graded objectives: 2015-2019; 2020-2025. The project is carried out by the Optical Turbulence group of INAF-OAA. It is a ling term project that is organised in contracts of 5 years time scale that are defined in sequence. PI: E. Masciadri (INAF-OAA).

CAT (2020-2021) 

Title: How to overcome the optical turbulence - new perspectives for the ground-based astronomy of the new millennium and the satellite communication in the optical bands.

The project CAT is focused on a few challenging objectives related to OT forecast applied to the ground-based astronomy and the free-space optical communication (FSOC).  The project is funded by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. PI: E. Masciadri (INAF-OAA).

OT forecast for EST - SOLARNET (2019-2023) 

It is an on-going feasibility study conceived in the context of the HORIZON 2020 SOLARNET project and funded bu EU. The OT group of INAF-OAA is carrying out a feasibility study aiming to evaluate the possibilities to forecast the optical turbulence in day time for the European Solar Telescope (EST). The final goal is to extend the methods developed by the OT group for the night time to the day time.  Potential sites for the EST are the Teide Observatory (TO at Tenerife, Canary Island) and Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM at La Palma, Canary Islands). (Solarnet PI: O. Van der Luhe - Liebniz Institut for Soalr Physics, Freiburg, Germany) - Responsible INAF WP7.3 for the OT forecast: E. Masciadri (INAF-OAA)

STARMET (2017-2018) 

Project aiming to support joint venture R&D for operational forecast of OT and atmospheric parameters at ESO sites. Funded by Tuscany Region. PIs: E. Masciadri (INAF-OAA) and A. Ortolani (LaMMA)

ACTUES (2017-2018)

Automatic Characterization of TUrbulence for Telecommunications from Earth's Satellites (ACTUES). OT group has been involved/contracted in the context of a cross-comparison study aiming to parameterize models to be applied to the FCO. Funded by ONERA/CNES. INAF-OAA Responsible: E. Masciadri

MOSE (2011-2015) 

MOdelling Sites of ESO (MOSE) was a feasibility study done and funded by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) aiming to investigate the possibility to forecast of the optical turbulence and atmospheric parameters relevant for the ground based astronomy for the VLT and the ELT. Phase A: 2011-2013 – Phase B: 2014-2015. PI: E. Masciadri (INAF-OAA).

ForOT (2006-2010) 

3D Optical Turbulence Forecast above Astronomical Sites was a project funded by a Marie Curie Excellence Grant (EU) (after 2007 this grant has been called ERC Grant) that fostered the creation of team working on forefront and cutting-edge research led by researcher who had the potential to reach excellence in a particular scientific field. Success rate: 12%. ForOT challenge was to bridge the gap between astronomy and meteorology to tackle the problem of the forecast of a random and non linear physical quantity: the optical turbulence. ForOT was a pioneering project which put the bases of what is now a well developed research field in astronomy.  Main goal of the project was focused on the forecast of the optical turbulence in the ground-based astronomical field to support the science operation and the site selection using modelling techniques. The project has been applied to Mt.Graham, site of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) for the forecast application and the Antarctica plateau (Dome C, Dome A, South Pole) for the site selection. Team leader: E. Masciadri (INAF-OAA).