SCIENCE
I am a researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) of the National Research Centre (CNR), Bologna (Italy), part of the group of Remote Sensing of the Stratosphere and P.I. of ESA Changing Earth Science Network CHIMTEA Fellowship.
ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS and CLIMATE
My research focuses on the response of the middle atmosphere to perturbations of different scales: e.g. solar influence, solar proton events and smaller scales (such as sprites). We do so by means of "thought-experiments" on a 3-dimensional numerical model of the middle atmosphere (with N.F.Arnold and S.England @University of Leicester) and by seeking for observational evidence in remote sensing satellite data, e.g. with the MIPAS spectrograph onboard the ENVISAT satellite (with BM.Dinelli @ISAC-CNR and DCFI-University of Bologna, Italy, and with J.Remedios @EOS, Space Research Centre, Leicester, UK). You can read more about modelling here and about remote sensing data here.
In collaboration with the Danish Meteorogical Institute (DMI, with P.Berg, B.Christansen and P.Thejl) we are looking at the propagation of the response to perturbations down to the troposphere (read more).
SPRITES
Sprites are spectacular flashes of light that can occur above thunderstorms, up to 80-90 Km, and as much as 100 Km wide. See picture in the next column.
As part of the CAL (Coupling of Atmospheric Layers) European network, my studies deal with the possible impact of sprite-like perturbations on the middle atmosphere and climate. This summer we had a successful observational campaign, Eurosprite2005.
One of the major results of the CAL network has been to identify key issues sprite research needs to focus on. CAL scientis form the core of the science team of the ASIM experiment to be mounted on the International Space-Station and asims at studying these key issues. The ASIM experiment has been approved by ESA for phase A. Click on ESA news.
ASTROPHYSICS
My research in astrophysics has covered heavy elements stellar nucleosythesis in AGB stars (with R.Gallino and C.Travaglio @University of Torino, Italy), high resolution stellar spectroscopy (with M.Asplund and R.Collet @University of Uppsala, Sweden), spectroscopy of low metallicity stars and Galactic chemical evolution (with S.G.Ryan and S.Tsangarides @The Open University, UK).
Major publication (selected in journal 2009 highlights): Arnone, E. et al 2009 PSST on Satellite detection of sprite induced chemical perturbations.
Most cited publication: Arnone, E. et al 2005, A&A 430, 507, with S.G.Ryan, D.Argast, J.F.Norris, and T.Beers.
A list of publications can be found here.
