Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CiROCCO (Enhancing the In-situ Environmental Observations across Under-sampled Deserts - CiROCCO)
Reporting period: 2023-03-01 to 2024-08-31
CiROCCO’s vision is to establish an end-to-end sensing system, composed of a distributed network of cost-effective sensing nodes coupled with state-of-the-art data fusion remote sensing and assimilation modelling techniques. A combination of wireless communications, including satellite and local Wireless Sensor Networks is used to collect data. The defined network of sensors will enhance the current lack of ground observation in desert areas covering Egypt, Serbia and Spain and offering an operational and in parallel easy to maintain and expand solution. During CiROCCO implementation four services are developed i) Renewable energy systems planning ii) Air quality early warning system for human health iii) Land use and ecosystem management iv) Modelling of GHGs and particle emissions. CiROCCO performance and capabilities will be tested and validated in real-life settings in four large Pilot areas in Cyprus, Egypt, Serbia and Spain. Commercialisation services ensure the sustainability of the installation and in parallel FAIR management of data support Cross-COPERNICUS ecosystem integration and assimilation services.
CiROCCO objectives include:
•Business Objective #1: Installation and operation of in-situ, low-cost, stand-alone, electronic sensing nodes in close collaboration with post-Project operating entities, having a real interest from local communities, including the commercial sector.
•Technical Objective #1: Establishment of a low-cost and sustainable network of electronic sensing nodes in under-sampled desert areas and ecosystems in Egypt, Serbia and Spain.
•Technical Objective #2: Development of data processing services based upon ICT infrastructure that allows access to data from hard-to-reach, under-sampled areas, and improvement in their quality by data fusion services.
•Scientific and Innovation Objective #1: Provision of data for the research community, aiming to enhance climate change models and support the EU Green Deal challenges.
•Scientific and Innovation Objective #2: Cross-COPERNICUS ecosystem integration and assimilation.
•Impact Maximisation Objective #1: Acceleration of the adoption of the CiROCCO tools and services by the wider community to ensure impact maximisation.
CiROCCO mid-term impacts include: a) Lower cost of in-situ observation, b) Improved geographical coverage and long-time series of in-situ environmental observations , c) Tested and validated new in-situ measurement technologies in hard-to-reach under-sampled areas, d) Dedicated technical protocols ensuring validation, interoperability, and synchronisation between in-situ and remote sensing systems in compliance with the GEOSS and Copernicus requirements, e) Established collaboration with environmental observation data providers, f) Coherent business models ensuring the systems sustainability, g) Contribution to reinforcing the in-situ component of the GEO initiative, the Copernicus programme, and the EC-ESA initiative on Earth system science. CiROCCO also contributes to wider societal, environmental, economic and scientific impacts.
CiROCCO objectives include:
•Business Objective #1: Installation and operation of in-situ, low-cost, stand-alone, electronic sensing nodes in close collaboration with post-Project operating entities, having a real interest from local communities, including the commercial sector.
•Technical Objective #1: Establishment of a low-cost and sustainable network of electronic sensing nodes in under-sampled desert areas and ecosystems in Egypt, Serbia and Spain.
•Technical Objective #2: Development of data processing services based upon ICT infrastructure that allows access to data from hard-to-reach, under-sampled areas, and improvement in their quality by data fusion services.
•Scientific and Innovation Objective #1: Provision of data for the research community, aiming to enhance climate change models and support the EU Green Deal challenges.
•Scientific and Innovation Objective #2: Cross-COPERNICUS ecosystem integration and assimilation.
•Impact Maximisation Objective #1: Acceleration of the adoption of the CiROCCO tools and services by the wider community to ensure impact maximisation.
CiROCCO mid-term impacts include: a) Lower cost of in-situ observation, b) Improved geographical coverage and long-time series of in-situ environmental observations , c) Tested and validated new in-situ measurement technologies in hard-to-reach under-sampled areas, d) Dedicated technical protocols ensuring validation, interoperability, and synchronisation between in-situ and remote sensing systems in compliance with the GEOSS and Copernicus requirements, e) Established collaboration with environmental observation data providers, f) Coherent business models ensuring the systems sustainability, g) Contribution to reinforcing the in-situ component of the GEO initiative, the Copernicus programme, and the EC-ESA initiative on Earth system science. CiROCCO also contributes to wider societal, environmental, economic and scientific impacts.
The main achievements resulting from the work performed so far include the following:
-1st General Assembly (Cyprus, 19.10.2023) and 2nd General Assembly (Athens, 04-05.06.2024) organised,
-Preparation of the initial and intermediate versions of the Project Handbook, including details on Project management aspects, DMP (Data Management Plan), ROL (Result Ownership List), GDPR, Legal and Ethical aspects,
-Risk registry established and updated when needed,
-Initial Project DMP completed,
-Stakeholder mapping performed and findings reported on a dynamic online canvas,
-4 tailor-made workshops were organised (1 per Pilot) to identify end-user needs and support system design,
-Final version of functional/non-functional requirements of CiROCCO system is in place,
-System architecture has been designed,
-Final prototype of low-cost sensing nodes (LCSNs) is ready and has undergone field testing at the Project’s calibration facility (at the NOA Thissio supersite),
-Air quality data fusion procedures have initiated,
-The architecture of the dust-assimilation systems has been outlined, and the codes for the MIDAS dust optical depth data assimilation into the WRF dust model have been developed,
-Communication and data transfer from the LCSN systems was tested and a time-series database and a visualization dashboard were created,
-Updated Pilot descriptions, identifying required services, mapping stakeholder roles and including implementation plan are in place.
-1st General Assembly (Cyprus, 19.10.2023) and 2nd General Assembly (Athens, 04-05.06.2024) organised,
-Preparation of the initial and intermediate versions of the Project Handbook, including details on Project management aspects, DMP (Data Management Plan), ROL (Result Ownership List), GDPR, Legal and Ethical aspects,
-Risk registry established and updated when needed,
-Initial Project DMP completed,
-Stakeholder mapping performed and findings reported on a dynamic online canvas,
-4 tailor-made workshops were organised (1 per Pilot) to identify end-user needs and support system design,
-Final version of functional/non-functional requirements of CiROCCO system is in place,
-System architecture has been designed,
-Final prototype of low-cost sensing nodes (LCSNs) is ready and has undergone field testing at the Project’s calibration facility (at the NOA Thissio supersite),
-Air quality data fusion procedures have initiated,
-The architecture of the dust-assimilation systems has been outlined, and the codes for the MIDAS dust optical depth data assimilation into the WRF dust model have been developed,
-Communication and data transfer from the LCSN systems was tested and a time-series database and a visualization dashboard were created,
-Updated Pilot descriptions, identifying required services, mapping stakeholder roles and including implementation plan are in place.
During this period a prototype LCSN has been designed and developed. End-user needs were considered for the design. This prototype is a low-cost, miniaturized and integrated multi-sensor system for high-density environmental monitoring in desert environments, enabling the challenging measurement of dust aerosols and CO2 levels. It includes the best-available low-cost sensors from the market, custom modules for power, intelligent control, data transmission by multiple wired and wireless technologies (including satellite communication), and energy harvesting via photovoltaic cells. It has been designed for durability in harsh conditions anticipated in remote and desert areas. The operation of the system has been validated in field conditions against reference instrumentation.
Significant progress was also made in identifying novel low-cost portable sunphotometers for measuring Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) at multiple locations of the Pilot areas and increasing the spatial granularity of ground-based AOD observations. Especially in Egypt—a major and under-monitored desert dust source —3 sun-photometers will be deployed to capture desert dust emissions near the source more accurately, reducing uncertainties in dust modeling. The collected AOD data will be integrated into the WRF-Chem forecasts, allowing adjustments to better reflect dust emissions in the simulations. Progress has also been made in the utilization of the MIDAS dataset to derive columnar mid-visible dust optical depth, allowing for accurate picture of dust plume patterns. Initial test runs have already shown clear improvements in dust modelling across different areas.
Significant progress was also made in identifying novel low-cost portable sunphotometers for measuring Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) at multiple locations of the Pilot areas and increasing the spatial granularity of ground-based AOD observations. Especially in Egypt—a major and under-monitored desert dust source —3 sun-photometers will be deployed to capture desert dust emissions near the source more accurately, reducing uncertainties in dust modeling. The collected AOD data will be integrated into the WRF-Chem forecasts, allowing adjustments to better reflect dust emissions in the simulations. Progress has also been made in the utilization of the MIDAS dataset to derive columnar mid-visible dust optical depth, allowing for accurate picture of dust plume patterns. Initial test runs have already shown clear improvements in dust modelling across different areas.