Title: Environmental measurements at Monte Cimone GAW station

Authors: Marco Alemanno; Attilio Di Diodato; Luigi Lauria; Nicola Santobuono

Addresses: Data Elaboration Survey Section, Italian Air Force Mountain Centre of Monte Cimone/Sestola, Italian Air Force Meteorological Service, Via delle Ville, 40, Sestola (Modena), Italy ' Italian Air Force Mountain Centre of Monte Cimone/Sestola, Italian Air Force Meteorological Service, Via delle Ville, 40, Sestola (Modena), Italy ' Data Elaboration Survey Section, Italian Air Force Mountain Centre of Monte Cimone/Sestola, Italian Air Force Meteorological Service, Via delle Ville, 40, Sestola (Modena), Italy ' Data Elaboration Survey Section, Italian Air Force Mountain Centre of Monte Cimone/Sestola, Italian Air Force Meteorological Service, Via delle Ville, 40, Sestola (Modena), Italy

Abstract: Continuous atmospheric CO₂ measurements performed by IAFMC at Mt. Cimone Observatory in the period 1980-2009 were analysed in order to select data representing background concentrations. A filtering technique was used to smooth background data and to separate the annual cycle from the long-term increase. The average growth rate of CO₂ was found to be 1.708 ± 0.003 ppm/year, while annual cycle amplitude was 11.42 ± 1.48 ppm. From spectrum analysis of detrended data significant interannual contributions (periods of about four years and of about 2.5 years) were found. Moreover, a strong positive correlation between CO₂ growth rate and global temperature anomalies was found. A statistical model was applied on column ozone data measured in Sestola in the period 1979-2010 in order to separate natural cyclic contributions from the anthropogenic contribution, which is given by a piecewise-linear trend with a turning point in January 1996. We estimated a trend equal to −1.61 ± 0.41 D.U./year before turning point, and a trend of +1.06 ± 1.18 D.U./year after turning point. Finally, a net decrease in annual maximum of near-noon UV index was found from 2005 in Sestola and in the period 1996-2009.

Keywords: global warming; environmental measurements; atmospheric CO2 concentrations; column ozone; UV index; carbon dioxide; carbon emissions; air pollution; Italy; statistical modelling; global temperature anomalies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2014.066048

International Journal of Global Warming, 2014 Vol.6 No.4, pp.424 - 454

Received: 08 Sep 2012
Accepted: 05 Apr 2013
Published online: 13 Dec 2014 *

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