PREVIOUS PAGE A unique large-scale European experiment focusing on Climate Research has been launched since early October in Kalavryta, with the Demokritos Research Station at the summit of mountain Helmos being its epicenter. The Environmental Radioactivity and Aerosol Technology Laboratory for Atmospheric and Climate Impacts (ENRACT) of the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos, led by Dr. K. Eleftheriadis, is pleased to host and jointly coordinate, along with the project coordinators Dr. A. Nenes (EPFL/FORTH) and Dr. Ulas Im (Aarhus University), part of the European program CleanCloud and the major experimental campaign CHOPIN (Cleancloud Helmos Orographic Site Experiment). The campaign takes place at the Helmos Hellenic Atmospheric Aerosols and Climate Change Station, located at an altitude of 2,134 meters, as well as at other locations at lower elevations within the facilities of the Kalavryta ski resort. This location is often situated in the free troposphere, with minimal influence from surface pollution, and is thus considered representative of the atmospheric background of the Eastern Mediterranean region. Installed at the crossroads of the main air masses in the area and often within clouds, the station is considered ideal for conducting research on clouds and climate.
The CHOPIN campaign brings together over 50 participants from more than 10 European research groups, aiming to understand the mechanisms of cloud formation and evolution, as well as aerosol-cloud interactions, providing valuable insights into changes in critical atmospheric parameters under climate change conditions. The campaign makes use of a combination of in situ measurements, remote sensing techniques (e.g., radar, lidar), unmanned aerial vehicles, tethered balloons, and advanced computational models to achieve the aforementioned goals. The extensive infrastructure and equipment developed were hosted not only at the Demokritos station at the peak of Helmos, but also at other locations at lower elevations within the Kalavryta ski resort facilities. It is important to emphasize the significant contributions from the ski resort staff, especially from the general manager, A. Agrios, and the mayor of Kalavryta, A. Papadopoulos, who have provided and continue to offer their support and critical logistical infrastructure for the operation of the scientific equipment and the execution of measurements, including unmanned aerial flights, radar operations, and other in situ observations.
Furthermore, it is important to highlight that the operations of all aerial and remote sensing instruments have been overseen and licensed by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, the Hellenic Civil Aviation Service, the Hellenic Air Force, the Hellenic National Defence General Staff and the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission. All the above make the CHOPIN campaign a unique example of interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge research in the Kalavryta region, underscoring the significance of the scientific infrastructures operated by the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos in the area over the past decade.
Meeting of K. Eleftheriadis and A. Nenes with the mayor of Kalavryta A. Papadopoulos
Helmos Hellenic Atmospheric Aerosols and Climate Change Station
CHOPIN team at the Demokritos Helmos mountain station
UAV launch at SKI parking airway (USRL, Cyprus Institute)
EPFL (Switzerland) Radars and FMI (Finland) Wind lidars at Helmos Mt Ski center
EPFL (Switzerland) Tethered balloon flying over Helmos Mt for airborne observations
