About the Project

The project combines observational activities, numerical simulations, and theoretical analysis.

Field measurements are performed at two selected target areas representative of two different mountain situations: the isolated peak of Col Margherita (Eastern Italian Alps) and an extended slope on the side of Monte Baldo (Central Italian Alps). The integrated multi-instrumental setup includes weather stations, instruments for eddy covariance measurements of turbulence, ground-based remote sensing systems, and sampling systems for PM10 mass concentration and the chemical characterization of particulate matter. In particular, three types of tracers will be investigated: 1) sea salt components (such as sodium, magnesium, and chloride) to define a marine source; 2) trace elements (such as Al and Mn) as indicators of terrigenous sources and mercury as an indicator of air from the Po valley; 3) levoglucosan as a biomass burning tracer.

High-resolution numerical simulations of meteorological and transport processes are performed by means of suitable prediction models, specifically designed for high-resolution runs, including back-trajectory models. Results from measurements provide the basis for refining our representation of the phenomena under investigation, and improving their parameterizations in the above models, in view of appropriately accounting for the role of the many factors involved, over a variety of weather and seasonal situations.

The DECIPHER Project is part of the TeamX (Multi-scale transport and exchange processes in the atmosphere over mountains) international research programme