RADO

Project title:

ROMANIAN ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH 3D OBSERVATORY

General description:

The goal of this project is to contribute to the reconciliation of science and society in Romania by creating a new infrastructure (Romanian Atmospheric research 3D Observatory) able to combine research, education and demonstration activities and to act as consultative organism for environmental policy makers. Environmental change is one of the most important global issues facing society. Air quality, ozone depletion and climate change are all issues that receive considerable exposure in the social and political arena. The potential impact of atmospheric change on the economy and health of people, fauna and flora is dramatic. Scientific research into the causes, consequences, and mitigation of such changes is essential for informed policy-making.

The main objective of the project is to deploy a highly instrumented monitoring network to better observe and understand atmospheric and hydrologic processes. The facility will provide necessary verification data for satellite and satellite-based remote sensing and airborne measurements, and for improving atmospheric and hydrologic modeling activities.

Duration of the project:

  • 2009-2011.

Funding:

  • Norway Grants

Partners:

  • National Institute of R&D for Optoelectronics;
  •  Norwegian Institute for Air Research;
  •  “Al. Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi;
  •  “Babes-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca;
  •  “Politechnica” University of Timisoara;
  •  National Administration for Meteorology;
  •  Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering;
  •  University of Bucharest.

Results:

This project aims to create the first 3D Atmospheric Observatory in Romania (and so far unique in SE Europe), dedicated to research and monitoring of atmospheric processes and compounds in the Planetary Boundary Layer and Free Troposphere. The infrastructure will be open for the implementation of new projects and ideas which explore all atmospheric-related phenomena, including the interactions of the Atmosphere with Land, Hydrosphere and Biosphere.

RADO is intended to become in the following years a world class facility at which fundamental research, continuous monitoring, teaching and information will be successfully carried forward.

RADO hopes to be the focus of many international experiments designed to look into the chemistry of the free troposphere and the planetary boundary layer.