The potential of the ERATOSTHENES CARO National Facility in the EMMENA region: An Holistic Approach for aerosol and cloud profiling over Limassol, Cyprus
Date Issued
September 10, 2025
Abstract
Cyprus is strategically located in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA). As a crossroad between Europe, Asia and Africa, it is representative of meteorological conditions and coastal areas in the EMMENA region. Therefore, Cyprus, and especially Limassol as a coastal city, can be considered an ideal natural laboratory for advanced and comprehensive field studies on climate change, aerosol-cloud-dynamics-precipitation interaction, and the weather-precipitation-dryness complex [1].
A major challenge in the global understanding of atmospheric processes is the incomplete coverage of ground monitoring stations. Although satellite missions provide continuous regional-to-global observations, their data must be validated with high-resolution ground-based measurements. The lack of a modern supersite in the Eastern Mediterranean, one of the world's hotspots for climate change, limits the ability to monitor pollution, dust storms, and changing precipitation patterns in the region.
To address this gap, a state-of-the-art observational supersite—the Cyprus Atmospheric Remote Sensing Observatory (CARO)—has been established in Limassol. The CARO National Facility (NF) is designed to provide long-term, high-resolution profiling of atmospheric parameters including aerosol, cloud, wind, humidity, and precipitation. Its strategic role is amplified through participation in international satellite validation activities, including the CORAL project, part of the EarthCARE CAL/VAL program.
In addition, to apply a measurement–modelling synergistic approach to address key environmental and atmospheric challenges, CARO's advanced ground-based infrastructure is also leading the ATARRI project (ATmospheric and solAR Research and Innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean). ATARRI aims to strengthen scientific knowledge and innovation and increase the readiness of CARO NF towards supporting cal/val for future satellite missions, as well as supporting, dust modelling and forecasting [2], relationship between aerosol, clouds and solar radiation and modelling in urban areas and Solar energy assessment in different spatiotemporal scales [3]. Selected cases that demonstrate the complex aerosol conditions over Eastern Mediterranean will be presented as well as an intercomparison between EarthCARE products and CARO NF observations.
A major challenge in the global understanding of atmospheric processes is the incomplete coverage of ground monitoring stations. Although satellite missions provide continuous regional-to-global observations, their data must be validated with high-resolution ground-based measurements. The lack of a modern supersite in the Eastern Mediterranean, one of the world's hotspots for climate change, limits the ability to monitor pollution, dust storms, and changing precipitation patterns in the region.
To address this gap, a state-of-the-art observational supersite—the Cyprus Atmospheric Remote Sensing Observatory (CARO)—has been established in Limassol. The CARO National Facility (NF) is designed to provide long-term, high-resolution profiling of atmospheric parameters including aerosol, cloud, wind, humidity, and precipitation. Its strategic role is amplified through participation in international satellite validation activities, including the CORAL project, part of the EarthCARE CAL/VAL program.
In addition, to apply a measurement–modelling synergistic approach to address key environmental and atmospheric challenges, CARO's advanced ground-based infrastructure is also leading the ATARRI project (ATmospheric and solAR Research and Innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean). ATARRI aims to strengthen scientific knowledge and innovation and increase the readiness of CARO NF towards supporting cal/val for future satellite missions, as well as supporting, dust modelling and forecasting [2], relationship between aerosol, clouds and solar radiation and modelling in urban areas and Solar energy assessment in different spatiotemporal scales [3]. Selected cases that demonstrate the complex aerosol conditions over Eastern Mediterranean will be presented as well as an intercomparison between EarthCARE products and CARO NF observations.
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