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Thematic Area 2 - PALEOCLIMATE and PALEOENVIRONMENTS

The Anthropocene Epoch is a novel, yet unofficial, unit of geologic time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems. The Anthropocene is also a period characterized by an unprecedented technology level that allows us to measure essential variables of the climate system (ECVs) at high temporal resolution (e.g. satellites) and forecast future climate scenarios using state-of-the-art supercomputers based on Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). However, instrumental records exist only since the mid XX century while simulations are time-limited to a few centuries. Thus, it remains elusive whether the documented and predicted changes are part of the long-term natural variability of the climate system. In this respect, climate archives such as ice cores, marine/lake sediment cores, corals, speleothems and tree-rings offer an extraordinary perspective of the past climate evolution and, thus, they represent a fundamental benchmark to place on-going climate change into a larger context of long-term natural climate variability. In particular, the past climate is punctuated by important climate events that can be used as examples (not necessarily analogues) to assess the rate of natural changes and understand the interactions between critical components of the climate system including external and internal forcings. Thus, paleo-climatology is a fundamental research field for the study of the Anthropocene as it provides insight into how Earth's climate system works and how it may change in the future. This, ultimately, improves climate models by lowering uncertainties on future projections.
Natural archives of past climate history are pillars for paleoclimatologists as they literally represent time machines. Scientists look for clues of past events in these records as biological, geochemical, and sedimentary indicators used for the empirical quantification of climatic and environmental parameters, something generally referred to as proxies. Each type of archive comes with its benefits and drawbacks. Thus, paleo-studies greatly benefit from the integration of complementary archives together to have an interdisciplinary overview on how the climate system works.

Main ERC Panels:
• PE4_5 - Analytical chemistry
• PE4_18 - Environment chemistry
• PE10_1 - Atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric composition, air pollution
• PE10_3 - Climatology and climate change
• PE10_6 - Palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology
• PE10_8 - Oceanography (physical, chemical, biological, geological)
• PE10_9 - Biogeochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, environmental chemistry
• PE10_11 - Geochemistry, cosmochemistry, crystal chemistry, isotope geochemistry, thermodynamics
• PE10_18 - Cryosphere, dynamics of snow and ice cover, sea ice, permafrosts and ice sheets

Referents: Andrea Spolaor, Tommaso Tesi

Contact: info-paleoclimate AT isp.cnr.it

Sub-themes

Ice cores

Ice cores are among the best resolved archives of the past Earth climate to the point that it is possible to describe even seasonal climate oscillations. They are drilled on mountain glaciers and ice sheets, where year-round below freezing temperatures allow undisturbed solid deposition and preservation of the original stratigraphy. Ice cores recovered from Antarctica and Greenland provide the oldest records, covering respectively the last 800 000 and 125 000 years. Yet, important climate information can also be extracted from non-polar glaciers such in the Alpine, Andes and the Himalaya regions. Among the climatic information, ice core analyses can give insight to past temperatures, volcanism, winds, precipitation, aridity, solar activity, change in biogeochemical cycle and atmospheric composition. In particular, ice core records are valuable paleo archives for the past atmospheric composition since the ice can trap the chemical compounds and their abundance as well as the gasses concentration, preserved in the ice as air bubbles of an ancient atmosphere. Physical properties of the ice layers identified in the core can also be studied and provide the past history of ice sheet dynamics.

Sediment cores

Marine sediment records can span millions of years, with the resolution that can vary from centuries to seasonal deposition and thus they represent far the oldest climate archives available. Sediments cover all latitudes meaning that they can provide information about different environmental conditions and, thus, can resolve different aspects of the climate system from the Equator to Polar Regions. Lake sediments are complementary to marine archives as they provide information about the terrestrial environment although their temporal range is usually much narrower. There is a wide range of proxies that can be analyzed in sediments to describe several Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) during different periods of the Earth’s history. The most common ECVs studied through sediments include, among the others, surface ocean and atmospheric temperature, salinity, sea ice distribution and ice-sheet dynamics, precipitation on land, dissolved oxygen content, sea level change, ocean current energy, ocean pH, nutrient availability and primary productivity. Overall, proxies analyzed in sediments can be grouped into three main categories: sedimentological, geochemical and ecological parameters. Sedimentological proxies typically provide information about the paleo-depositional environment that changes over different climate conditions. Geochemical proxies embrace a wide number of organic molecules and inorganic elements including their isotopes and reflect an extensive range of biotic and abiotic processes all driven by climate. Finally, ecological proxies are mostly fossils (e.g. diatoms, foraminifera) whose original community structure varies as a function of the paleo-climate conditions.

Corals

Cold-water corals (CWC) are widely distributed to great depths (from the intertidal to more than 4000 m) in all ocean basins, and occur as massif coral reefs, coral carbonate mounds, or coral patches. CWC are one of the few organisms that can calcify within corrosive undersaturated environments, common to the very cold depths of the high latitudes in the Southern Ocean waters (including Antarctica) and North Atlantic. CWC have unique advantages compared to other established sedimentary archives: 1) they can be radiometrically dated using both 14C and U-series and techniques; the latter to better than 1% accuracy, 2) they incorporate trace elements, stable and radiogenic isotopes reflecting seawater temperature, nutrient content, pH and dissolved inorganic carbon, ventilation age and water mass provenance and 3) their relatively massive size allows multiple proxies to be applied within a single individual specimen. Furthermore, their slow growth rate (~ 0.1 mm/yr) and long life spans (~ 100-200 yr) enable quantifying sub-decadal scale oceanic variability at a range of depths in the subsurface ocean for century-long time slices through much of the last glacial period and deglaciation. Therefore, CWC has the potential to reconstruct key physico-chemical parameters of the high latitude North Atlantic and Southern Ocean and reveal critical aspects of the recent warming in the Arctic and Antarctica in relation to the climate-ocean dynamics (e.g. changes of AMOC and ACC) and the major modes of atmospheric variability at decadal timescale.

Speleothems

Speleothems, and in particular stalagmites, are a widely used paleoclimate archive given that they can grow continuously for thousands of years, resist alteration, be precisely dated, and provide high resolution paleoenvironmental information. Karstic cave environments are present worldwide at all latitudes and can thus provide complementary records to marine sediments and ice cores, at comparable resolutions and times scales (>500 kyr BP), and with an ability to preserve multiple independent climate proxies of local to regional processes at orbital to seasonal scale. The chemical composition of speleothems is determined by the composition of cave drip water, which in turn is influenced by temperature, precipitation, vegetation composition, and environmental changes occurring over the cave. Stable isotopes of oxygen and carbon, along with trace elements, are the primary well-established chemical markers used in speleothems for the reconstruction of long-term changes and patterns of periodic and abrupt climate oscillations affecting atmospheric and oceanic circulation. In addition, a newly developing field of research is showing the potential of trace organic compounds in speleothems for high-resolution reconstruction of fine-scale features such as paleofire frequency.

Glacier geomorphology

Glaciers release a vast set of geomorphological features able to maintain the memory of past glaciations and colder climate periods. As such, they are a useful paleoclimate proxy of past cold phases when conditions were more favorable to glaciation. Reconstructing the extent of paleoglaciers allows calculations on past glacier geometry, ice volume and thus the climate. In fact, the existence and dimensions of terrestrially terminating glaciers is controlled, to a first order, by climate, through variations in temperature and precipitation. When the geometry of a paleo glacier is inferred from geomorphological evidence, the ratio between the glacier accumulation area and the entire area of the glacier, which is called Accumulation Area Ratio (AAR) and is somewhat well known for different types of glaciers around the globe, allows calculation of the effective Equilibrium Line Altitude (effELA) of that glacier. The ELA joins points on a glacier where annual accumulation exactly balance annual ablation and therefore the sector of the glacier where the annual mass balance equal to zero. From this information, using empirical models and environmental lapse rate, is possible to infer the climatic conditions when that particular glacier was in equilibrium with the climate. The ELA can be modeled following an inverse approach based on bias corrected annual precipitation and summer temperature, considering the glacier at a steady-state during the simulation. The so-calculated ELA is defined as the Environmentla ELA (envELA and represents the lowest boundary of the climatic glaciation. Eventually, areas where the envELA is lower than the topography indicate conditions supporting the existence of glaciers, supporting geological and geomorphological evidence on the ground. Such a procedure is useful for both paleoglaciers extension and future scenarios.

Thematic Area 3 - CHANGES in POLAR SYSTEMS

Changes and evolution of polar systems: processes, feedback mechanisms and interactions on a global scale

The Earth system is highly interconnected. In this thematic area research activities are aimed at deepening our understanding of the processes and interactions among the different components of the climate system and assessing its responses to global changes. A more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the polar system is needed to guide future climate policy decisions. The knowledge of the characteristics of the polar atmosphere is crucial for studying the biogeochemical cycles of natural chemical species, the long-range transport processes of pollutants and climate-altering compounds and the feedback mechanisms triggered by the atmospheric warming and the interaction of the atmosphere with the cryosphere and oceans.
The cryosphere constitutes a very fragile portion of the Earth system, made even more vulnerable by climate change. Through multidisciplinary and interconnected research activities, the study of snow and ice, their chemical composition and their main physical parameters, the evolution of the permafrost and the increased melting impact on the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere at both regional and global levels is being pursued.
The hydrosphere consists largely of the oceans, which influence the Earth system in all its spheres by storing and redistributing fresh water, heat, climate-altering gases, and other particulate and dissolved substances. Oceanographic research supports more accurate predictions of global changes by studying the chemical and physical properties of seas and oceans, their movements, energy exchanges with the atmosphere, the organisms that inhabit them, and the geological structure of ocean basins. Polar limnological environments are studied as both sentinels of climate change and to investigate the responses of their short trophic net to these changes, including anthropogenic perturbations.
Polar ecosystems are an important reservoir of natural resources and can partly mitigate the effects of climate change from which they are threatened today. The study of biodiversity and resilience to global changes with an ecosystem approach, integrating the influence of environmental factors, community-level interspecific relationships, and socio-economic aspects is a challenge for effective and sustainable management of natural resources.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8 - Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
• PE4 - Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences
• PE10 - Earth System Science
• SH2 - Institutions, Values, Environment and Space
• SH7 - Human Mobility, Environment, and Space

Referentes: Nicoletta Ademollo, Maurizio Azzaro, Fabiana Corami, Federico Giglio, Stefania Gilardoni

Contact: info-polarchanges AT isp.cnr.it

Sub-themes

Atmosphere

The atmosphere as an environmental matrix proves to be a medium of rapid global dispersion of climate-altering compounds and pollutants. Various compounds characterize the atmosphere; among these, climate-altering compounds, i.e., greenhouse gases that affect the Earth's energy and heat balance, and atmospheric aerosols, are of relevant interest. Due to its characteristics of stability and thermal inversion and the presence of the polar vortex, the polar atmosphere is an ideal observatory to be able to assess the energy exchanges and interactions of various phenomena with atmospheric circulation, including at different spatiotemporal scales, transport to high latitudes, aerosol composition, and biogeochemical cycles of the natural chemical species and pollutants present. Atmospheric aerosols play a key role in human-induced climate change because they influence the planet's radiative budget (absorption and scattering of solar radiation and surface albedo), cloud formation, and properties. In particular, atmospheric aerosols influence and amplify climate change. Atmospheric particulate matter consists of particles of natural origin (volcanic eruptions, fires, ocean emissions, resuspension of soil dust) and particles of anthropogenic origin (industrial emissions, combustion processes, micro- and nanoplastics). It is critical, thus, to identify chemical, biochemical, and biological tracers to study the origin and composition of polar aerosols and understand their climatic feedback. Although present in trace amounts, organic compounds, black carbon, sea salt, and microplastics (< 100 µm) may act as cloud condensation nuclei, thereby affecting albedo and precipitation, as well as radiation budget and climate. Black carbon, microplastics, and dust could also act as ice-nucleating particles. The presence of these particles in the atmosphere and sea ice impacts albedo and can alter sea ice permeability and solar radiation absorption with feedback on sea ice melt. In a rapidly changing polar area like the Arctic, microplastic pollution adds to the effects of climate change in terms of sources, transport processes, feedback, and ecological consequences. Other stressors present in atmospheric aerosols may include medium volatile organic compounds, water-soluble compounds, phenolic compounds, and trace elements. The presence of chemical stressors affects the physical dynamics of the atmosphere, mainly through interaction with both solar and terrestrial radiation, helping to amplify the increase in air temperature, which in turn impacts sea ice melting, humidity, cloudiness, and precipitation, significantly affecting the climate system. Monitoring the physical parameters and processes and the dynamics of the atmosphere through the use of various measurement methodologies (including remote sensing) is essential for the in-depth understanding of the synergies between the various components and for developing increasingly efficient weather-climate forecasting models. It is necessary to study in depth all the processes that characterize the atmospheric boundary layer to improve the quality of the results of weather and climate forecasting models.

Biosphere

Global changes are the effects of the interactions between different phenomena and changes that are occurring on a planetary scale; from global warming to climate changes, from increasing carbon dioxide to rainfall and oceans acidification, from melting and retreating glaciers, thawing permafrost, rising sea levels and changes in marine and ocean circulation, and extreme weather events. In addition, residues from anthropogenic contamination and pollution activities accelerate destructive processes. These mutual interactions affect both Polar Regions by leading to dramatic changes in the behavior and physiology of species, ecosystems and biodiversity. The Polar Regions have enormous natural resources and provide, for example, some of the most productive fisheries on the planet. However, polar environments and ecosystems are fragile and vulnerable. Our research focuses on understanding the effects of change on ecosystems with a holistic view: from microbial communities to higher organisms with both a local and circumpolar view.
In this thematic area, with a strongly multidisciplinary approach, we consider different aspects of polar ecosystems (both Arctic and Antarctic) and the services they provide: from the impact of natural and anthropogenic pressures on both marine and terrestrial polar ecosystems, to the ability of species and ecosystems to respond to these changes.
Understanding polar ecosystems through the study of biodiversity and resilience to environmental change is critical to developing ecosystem-centered conservation and management strategies. Specifically, the topics covered are:
• structure and functioning of polar ecosystems.
• Ecosystems responses to natural and anthropogenic drivers.
• Influence of climate change on pollutant levels in biota and trophic nets.
• Ecosystems modelling also in light of future changes.
• Role of protected areas in polar areas.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8 - Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
• PE4 - Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences
• PE10 - Earth System Science

Cryosphere

The melting of ice caps and glaciers in general, the consequent change in sea level, the acclaimed collapse of the glacial shelves highlight how this part of the cryosphere is a fragile portion of the Earth system. Glaciers are unique climatic archives. Ice cores, both from polar areas and from glaciers at medium latitudes make it possible to study climatic and palaeoclimatic events that have occurred over time in order to evaluate the impacts on the climatic evolution of our planet produced by forcers such as volcanic and fire emissions, as well as sea ice, oceanic productivity and anthropic pressure. The response of glaciers, and in particular those of the alpine type and not connected to large caps, depends on the evolution of the Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA). In addition to local factors, the ELA mainly depends on climatic parameters and modulates the areal variations of the glacial and nival accumulation basins. As such, ELA represents a very powerful tool for the reconstruction of glacial masses both from a palaeoclimate point of view and for future projections. Further diagnostic elements are provided by the marine climatic archives, which allow the reconstructions of the climate and of specific components of the earth system.
Snow affects the mass balance of glaciers and polar caps, reflects the chemical composition of the atmosphere and interacts dynamically with all the other environmental components of the Polar Regions. It represents an extremely reactive portion of the cryosphere where multiple post-depositional processes can take place. The study of the snowpack in these regions therefore becomes fundamental for understanding the processes, interactions and changes due to the ongoing climate change, and for evaluating the effects on the global system. It is also fundamental for understanding the mechanisms of re-emission of compounds accumulated during the polar night and the relevant impact that such release can have on polar bio-geochemical cycles. Snow dynamics can also be impacted by the presence of light absorbing particles deposited from the atmosphere, or re-emerged by seasonal melting. This process has a direct effect on the reflectivity of snow and has an impact on the surface hydrology of areas covered by snow and ice.
Permafrost stores large quantities of organic carbon (OC) and greenhouse gases. The temperature increase due to climate changes causes the degradation of significant portions of permafrost, as highlighted by the deepening of the surface active layer, making the stored OC content available for microbial decomposition. The metabolic processes and the degradation of frozen soils can therefore release significant quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, leading to further atmospheric warming. The extent, the speed of thawing, the spatial variability of these processes are still poorly understood and represent one of the main unknown factors in the prediction of climate feedback. In addition, viruses and bacteria segregated in the permafrost could be reactivated and circulated in food webs. The risks associated with the degradation of rock permafrost in mountain environments, both alpine and polar, as well as those deriving from the growing contraction of the underground cryosphere, represent new challenges to be faced in the near future. Furthermore, underwater permafrost, formed during the last ice age, represents a very important factor for the stability/instability of coastal areas and structures founded on the seabed.
The Institute of Polar Sciences research investigates snow and ice, their chemical composition as well as the main physical parameters, the evolution of permafrost and the impact that permafrost degradation has on the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere, both regionally and globally.

Hydrosphere

Most of the water in the hydrosphere is contained in the oceans, and marine currents are the most efficient system for heat distributing around the world. In this sense, the oceans and the movements of water masses are one of the main factors in controlling the global climate. In the polar areas occur the most important processes for ocean-atmosphere heat exchange, this is the reason because studies of the hydrosphere in high-latitude areas assume extraordinary importance in understanding global change. The southward retreat of the great chemical-physical Fronts (i.e. Polar Front, sub Antarctic front, etc.) identified by the convergence of different water masses in Antarctica and the significant increase in the Arctic phenomenon named Atlantification are some examples of processes that best describe how global warming is acting on Polar marine environments.
Ocean currents in controlling Terrestrial climate dynamics act both by means global mechanisms mainly related, as already described, to the efficiency of heat transport from equatorial areas to other latitudes, but also through regional processes with locally very strong impacts. To the oceanic water masses have been attributed an important role in the great polar glaciers melting and, in particular, in accelerating the process of melting of the great Arctic and Antarctic ice caps. The stability of these caps remains, to this day, one of the fundamental requirements in order to maintaining the Earth's thermal state in an acceptable equilibrium.
Sea currents transport not only energy, in terms of heat, but also dissolved substances, gases and marine particles that significantly influence the very composition of the waters and, ultimately, the Earth's climate. The study of the geochemistry of polar water masses, in particular by the acquisition of long time series of data, allowed to assess the relationships between the different water masses (recently formed and/or "old" water from lower latitudes), to understand the processes currently in progress and to provide the necessary data for models formulation and implementation, useful to understand the interaction of the different water masses and, more generally, the evolution of the Earth's climate system. Ocean currents carry in their Particles suspended loading, not yet fully quantified, of pollutants and microplastics that have a significant impact on polar ecosystems.
Changes in the composition of polar waters that are rapidly occurring, as result of global change processes also have a strong impact on the biotic compartment in the sea water. Changes in the composition of water masses also lead to changes in oxygen and nutrient inputs, thereby influencing marine biological components. The long polar night strongly affects organic production under the seasonal sea ice, especially in terms of the flow of matter available to the marine trophic network. Marine basins are also ultimate receptors of all detrital and organic particulate matter washed from the continent. A stream of continental-derived material along with residual organic matter originating from primary productivity from the photic layer precipitates continuously along the water column.
The portion of free (runoff) fresh water that is part of the hydrosphere is a minimal but fundamental amount for the development of vegetation in the soil and thus favours the transfer of carbon along the trophic network. Current climate changes, progressively favour its circulation in the active permafrost layer. In addition to this water, rivers in the Arctic are important vehicles of biotic and abiotic substances to the sea, including pollutants. Polar lakes are terrestrial boundary sites for aquatic species, whose blooming is generally inversely proportional to their height above sea level and closeness to glaciers, where bird species are important for nutrient input.

Lithosphere

The portions of the lithosphere most subject to changes in relatively rapid times are the more superficial portions of the continental and oceanic crust in its most coastal part. In these areas, also defined as "Critical Zones", the main processes of interaction with all the other environmental compartments take place. Terrestrial dynamics are expressed through the two main processes of erosion and sedimentation. In the polar areas, and in particular in the Arctic, these processes are particularly relevant given that the retreat of the glaciers and the warming of the soil favor the erosive action of the rains with consequent washout of large quantities of eroded soil towards the sea. Much of this particulate matter, whose composition is directly linked to the characteristics of the surrounding environment, settles on the sea bed in continuous layers over thousands or millions of years. For this reason, the marine sediment cores taken in the polar seas are a very important environmental archive, in which the main recent climatic events and those of the geological past are recorded. Through the study of these archives it is possible to evaluate the impact that natural forces have had and may have on the climatic evolution of our planet.
Another important phenomenon is the degradation of the permafrost due to global warming and the consequent release of large quantities of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. The importance of this phenomenon is due to the immense quantity of climate-altering gases stored in the soil whose degradation would release concentrations of greenhouse gases that would have no equal in the recent era of the Earth's history. This release of such a large quantity of greenhouse gases inevitably impacts with negative feedbacks towards the other spheres of the Earth System and with catastrophic repercussions in particular on the fragile balance of the biosphere. In this context, the study of the key processes taking place in the Critical Zone are fundamental to understanding the evolution of the changes to which the polar areas are subject. Furthermore, the reduction of the permafrost on the one hand leads to the enlargement of the thickness of the active layer and on the other it could bring old microorganisms that were previously segregated. Such a biological resource is a genetic reserve to be studied also for biotechnological purposes, but it is also a potential reservoir of hitherto unknown pathogens.
The modifications of the lithosphere caused by climate change can influence the transport of pollutants towards the deeper layers of polar soils. In the portion of the lithosphere related to Plasticene, the plastic particles could favor the thaw of ever deeper portions of the permafrost, varying the dynamics of the environmental fate of the pollutants. As far as the deeper portions of the lithosphere are concerned, the research activities are focused more on the more superficial effects highlighted by the presence of hydrothermal vents in the sea and/or other geothermal phenomena present in the lithosphere in polar areas.

Thematic Area 4 - EARTH OBSERVATION and MODELS

The main activities of the thematic area Earth Observation (EO) and Polar Ecosystem Modeling include remote and proximal sensing, spatial analysis, thematic mapping, and geographic and environmental knowledge organization. The activity focuses on three main methodological pillars: remote and in situ observations, information organization, and representation by numerical and conceptual models. The research of this thematic area focuses on the responses of polar ecosystems to changes in air and sea temperature, in polar ice caps, in sea level height, and in persistence and thickness of snowpack and ice, also through the comparisons of climate belts. Analyses also cover permafrost evolution, coastal erosion, accretion processes, release and segregation of climate-altering gases, biogeochemical cycles, and biodiversity. The observational methodologies aim to detect environmental and climate dynamics at different spatial and temporal scales by identifying and studying multiple essential variables and their biological and geophysical interactions by integrating information from different platforms. The continuous comparison allows the combination of spatial and ecological models with observations.

The team has a group dedicated to organizing multilingual terminological knowledge, thesauri, and metadata to support data description and environmental information, focusing on polar environments. The subject area develops, by Findable Accessible Interoperable Reusable (FAIR) principles, data chains and products to support the study of terrestrial, aquatic, and cryosphere systems and the development of interoperable GIS, thematic mapping, and operational services. Figure 1: the Spegazzini Glacier (Los Glaciares National Park, Santa Cruz, Argentina, January 2010), together with the Upsala and the Perito Moreno Glaciers, feeds the Lago Argentino in the Los Glaciares National Park, in this photo, the calving-type glacier front is visible, characterized by abundant seracs, which can reach 135 m in height.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8 - Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
• PE10 - Earth System Science
• SH7 - Human Mobility, Environment, and Space
• SH2 - Institutions, Values, Environment and Space

Referents: Francesco De Biasio, Francesco Filiciotto, Emiliana Valentini, Matteo Zucchetta

Contacts: info-observation AT isp.cnr.it

Sub-Theme

Atmosphere

Characterization of the atmospheric column by remote sensing techniques and study of aerosol at the interface with the ground, use of EO data and their validation with ground-based measurements. Atmospheric chemistry, microchemistry, and climate-altering microphysics (use of thematic products of fire emissions and air pollution); physics of the atmosphere by point measurements at permanent observatories in polar and high-altitude areas, both fixed and mobile (ships); bioaerosol and its quantitative and qualitative composition. Study of the spatial structure of wind over the sea at various resolutions (from tens of km to 500 m) obtained through radar echo detections from the sea surface and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite images, integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in a continuous comparison with ground truth and numerical modeling.

Hydrosphere

Geospatial data management for marine and maritime domains, dynamics of marine ecosystems in the Svalbard area through analysis of existing thematic products (e.g., Copernicus). Management of the IT17 macro-site in Antarctica as part of the Italian Network for Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER-Italy). Characterization and description of the soundscape of polar and mid-latitude marine areas from permanent autonomous observatories for detecting biological, anthropogenic, and geophysical components. Noise analysis and assessment of ecological dynamics of marine mammals. Distribution and density analysis of maritime traffic and interaction with large mammals. Marine traffic, detection of large mammals, and correlation with sea ice. Coastal meteorology using SAR satellite data, wind from SAR and subsequent ice identification, and AI algorithms (local filters). Techniques for detecting, through the integration of remote and in situ sensors, sea level change trends at regional scales and their connection with subsidence phenomena. Chemical-physical and biological observations by sensing and point measurements in limnological environments in polar areas.

Figure 1 - Atlantic walrus acoustic signals: Spectrogram of the sounds (series of clicks or "knocks") produced by the Atlantic walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, underwater. The graph, produced in MATLAB(c), has a temporal resolution of 0.003 s and a frequency resolution of 0.128 Hz. The acoustic recording was performed by an underwater bottom recorder positioned within Kongsfjorden - Svalbard Islands.
Listen:

Figure 2 - Sentinel 3: In the image acquired by the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) sensor of the Sentinel 3A satellite on Aug. 28, 2021, the Svalbard Islands archipelago (79 N, 17 E) can be seen as RGB (bands 4, 6, 8, 9, and 14 combined by enhanced true color visualization. Several perennial glaciers are visible, almost uniformly covering the tops of the islands in the archipelago. Cloud formations obscure the sea view to the north and west of the image. Ny-Ålesund, on the north-western edge of the archipelago's largest island, Spitsbergen, is home to the permanent base "Dirigibile Italia", CNR"s multidisciplinary research station in the Arctic.

Pedosphere

Biological and geological responses of soils and vegetation cover in the Arctic region to global warming; study of cause-and-effect relationships of permafrost greening and thawing processes and the carbon cycle using EO data, field radiometry, and geospatial models; analysis of the ecosystem dynamics of polar regions at different spatial and temporal scales, including extreme environments and modeling of alpine glaciers.

Figure 1 - PRISMA’s hyperspectral satellite sensor acquired this image in July 2020. It is a false colors composite: RGB = VNIR-42,22,15 on Barentsburg (Svalbard, 78.065041° N, 14.214635° E). The red color represents the vegetation coverage, and the light blue-to-white color gradient is related to the snow and ice presence. The plumes near the coastline are determined by sediments that reach the sea through the inland waters network. Credits: The color composite image is provided by the Institute of Polar Sciences (CNR-ISP) and the School of Advanced Studies (IUSS) under an ASI License to Use; Original PRISMA Product - © ASI - (2020). All rights reserved. Crediti: CNR-ISP; IUSS, Original PRISMA Product - © ASI - (2020).

Figure 2 - On the left: Image acquired by the active sensor of the satellite Sentinel 1 on April 17, 2023, visualized in RGB composite =VV+VH+VV. The Yukon Delta (Alaska) is covered by snow, highlighting the contrast between the icy delta branches and the sea ice (violet and blue). On the right: Image acquired by the passive sensor of the satellite Sentinel2 on June 9, 2022, visualized in RGB composite = 9-3-2. The Yukon Delta is totally greened by the arctic tundra (red) the characteristic wetlands appear as dark patches and a coastal plume of sedimentary origin contours the delta.

Cryosphere

Monitoring of snow cover characteristics, radiometry, and field measurements on ice and seasonal snow, by composing thematic maps from satellite data and developing operational services. Study of absorbing particles such as black carbon and organic carbon on snow cover, algal occurrence in glacial areas, and processes at the cryosphere-atmosphere interface. Paleoclimate and environmental processes analysis using long point data sets. Calibration and validation of EO data.

Figure 1 - Extract from the CNR Spectral Library "Sispec" which highlights the spectral behavior, detected in the field, of a snow surface and its snowy characteristics (shape and size of the grains)

Figure 2 - Image acquired by the hyperspectral sensor of the PRISMA satellite on August 7, 2020, visualized in pan RGB (VNIR) composite= 30-20-9. The extension of one of the glacial tongues located on the northern coast of Greenland can be seen, (81°14'36.57"N,52°10'29.56"W), and fragments of ice and the flow lines can be observed. © CNR-ISP, Original PRISMA Product © ASI(2020)

Thematic Area 5 - BIOSCIENCES

The Biosciences thematic area deals with the study of the biosphere in polar areas at different levels of biological complexity, from molecules to ecosystems and up to biomes. In particular, the attention is focused on the description and quantification of the biodiversity of the organisms that inhabit polar environments, to evaluate their structural and functional complexity. In this regard, scenarios of population shifts, changes in biodiversity and biogeochemical processes deriving from climate change and human impact are evaluated. The main interest is focused on the interactions between biological and ecological aspects, together with abiotic processes and effects on the carbon cycle and energy flows in the polar regions. Further fields of investigation concern the research of biomolecules of microbial origin, the ability of polar microorganisms to degrade organic contaminants and astrobiological aspects linked to life in extreme environments.
The central themes of the research carried out within the Biosciences Thematic Area are (1) structural and functional organization of polar ecosystems and dynamics of populations and communities; (2) response of individuals, populations and communities to external influences of climatic and anthropogenic origin (including loss and fragmentation of habitat, withdrawal, extraction, pollution, etc.); (3) biotechnological implications deriving from adaptation to low temperatures and/or other physical-chemical factors.
Research objectives include:
• the study of structural and functional diversity and the ecophysiology of polar organisms, to shed light on the limits of adaptation, also in relation to climate change and human impacts;
• the study of biogeochemistry and ecology in marine and terrestrial habitats at the Poles, including the environmental factors controlling biological interactions;
• the estimation of the biotechnological potential of organisms adapted to life at low temperatures and/or other physical-chemical factors;
• the exploration of behavior and evolution of polar ecosystems, through spatial-temporal analyses of ecological processes;
• the management and conservation of polar marine resources;
• comparison between trends observed in polar areas and middle latitudes. The Thematic Area Biosciences is organized into the 4 sections, i.e. Biodiversity and adaptation, Biogeochemistry, Biotechnology and Astrobiology.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8 - Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
• LS9 - Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
• PE10 - Earth System Science

Referents: Angelina Lo Giudice, Mario La Mesa, Cairns Warren Raymond Lee

Contact: info-biosciences AT isp.cnr.it

Sub-themes

Biodiversity and adaptations

Polar biological communities are generally subjected to the influence of various factors concomitant with low temperatures, such as dehydration, ice cover, low nutrient availability, exposure to harmful solar radiation (e.g. UV-B radiation), highly variable light periods and, in specific cases, high salinity and osmotic stress. Biodiversity guarantees the functioning of all ecosystems, so studying the properties and temporal evolution of polar ecosystems is a tool of fundamental importance for improving our knowledge on their current state and for making future predictions in relation to climatic change. The analysis and monitoring of the biodiversity of biological communities and their ecological dynamics constitute the focal point of this research topic. Of particular interest is the study of morphological-functional adaptation mechanisms adopted by polar organisms for survival in extreme conditions. Temporal processes and spatial patterns of greening are also considered through remote sensing technologies, especially as a response to the deepening of the active layer of the Arctic permafrost.
The growing human footprint in the polar regions, already made vulnerable by ongoing climate change, can have negative effects through pollution, habitat destruction, introduction and proliferation of invasive/alien species and overexploitation of resources. The study of the levels of contamination and of the potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the food web makes it possible to provide integrated information on the ecosystem by identifying the hotspots in which species may be more vulnerable and sensitive to climate variability. Of interest is also the study of the colonization processes of plastic polymers, with structural and functional analysis of microbial biofilms (plastisphere) and their response to anthropic/natural forces.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8_1 - Ecosystem and community ecology, macroecology
• LS8_2 - Biodiversity
• LS8_5 - Biological aspects of environmental change, including climate change
• LS8_12 - Microbial ecology and evolution
• LS8_13 - Marine biology and ecology
• PE10-1 - Atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric composition, air pollution
• PE10_17 - Hydrology, hydrogeology, engineering and environmental geology, water and soil pollution

Biogeochemistry

The research activities concern the study of marine and terrestrial biological processes that modulate and influence the chemical characteristics of polar environments and the related cycles of matter and energy, and changes in their relationships driven by climate. Particular attention is paid to the evaluation of the role of microorganisms in the global carbon cycle and in the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus) of marine and limnological environments (lakes and rivers), through the study of both productive and degradative processes. Among these, the activities involved in the production, decomposition and mineralization of organic polymers, through estimation of microbial activity rates (enzymatic and respiratory). Analyses are also carried out on bacterial strains isolated from environmental matrices or associated with organisms, to characterize their biochemical profiles and potential in decomposition and mineralization processes of organic matter. The data obtained constitute an indispensable tool for understanding the response of microbial communities to environmental variations and potential impacts on the functioning of the polar ecosystem. The biogeochemical processes mediated by the microbial component are also being studied in the cryosphere to understand the ecological significance of microbes in snow and the permafrost, and their ability to maintain an active metabolism under extreme living conditions.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS8_10 - Ecology and evolution of species interactions
• LS8_12 - Microbial ecology and evolution
• PE10_9 - Biogeochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, environmental chemistry

Biotechnologies

Increased understanding of biological processes and recent advances in biotechnology enable the natural world to be used to drive advances in various industries, such as the development of drugs and food additives. In general, the term bioprospecting is used to indicate the exploration of living things and biological materials to search for biomolecules that may be useful for humankind. In this context, poorly known and poorly described genetic resources have a high potential for the discovery of new and valuable natural products. Therefore, polar organisms, given their peculiar metabolic capacities and physiological adaptations to extreme environmental conditions, are well suited to this purpose.
Furthermore, the development of new biotechnologies capable of carrying out bioremediation and bio-mitigation works on environmental matrices impacted by different types of pollutants (organic and inorganic) directly in-situ is not overlooked. This is done by stimulating the indigenous microbial communities, (aerobic, microaerophilic or anaerobic), including fungi and algae, to develop new bioremediation strategies (e.g. bioaugmentation, biostimulation, phytoremediation).
Psychrophilic bacteria, as a biological element, are used for the development of new biosensors for real-time monitoring, operating at low temperatures. Biosensors based on bacterial cells offer the advantage of having a high specificity towards the substrate and an immediate response mechanism, becoming a valid early-warning system to the presence (bioavailability) of a pollutant and its effect on living systems.

Main ERC Panels:
• LS9_4 - Microbial biotechnology and bioengineering
• PE10_17 - Hydrology, hydrogeology, engineering and environmental geology, water and soil pollution

Astrobiology

Extreme environments can be exploited as terrestrial analogues for the search for answers related to the origin, evolution, and distribution of life forms in the universe. Their geological and environmental parameters do not fully replicate, but certainly mimic those found for example on Mars and Venus, and the moons of Jupiter (for example Europa) and Saturn (Titan and Enceladus). In this context, to establish whether the physical/chemical conditions of a given celestial body can support life as we know it on Earth, some polar habitats are the object of investigations into galactic habitability. In fact, recent scientific evidence has shown that Antarctic hyper-saline lakes, sub-glacial lakes and even sub-glacial volcanoes have very strong similarities with possible life hot spots in extra-terrestrial contexts such as the Martian poles and the thick blankets of ice and the underlying oceans of Europa and Enceladus. These environments are suitable for testing methodologies, protocols, and technologies, for the search for possible traces of life in future space missions., For establishing the physical and chemical processes or the survival mechanisms and adaptation strategies of organisms to these extreme conditions. The information obtained through these studies are essential to improving our understanding of the metabolic capacities of polyextremophile organisms, in view of their possible use for biotechnological bioprospecting, and to broaden our knowledge on the environmental limits to which life is/was able to adapt, both in the present and in the geological past. Current frontier themes are the production of food and/or energy by microorganisms. These studies in the coming decades will be the basis for the next challenges in conquering new worlds.

Main ERC Panels:
• PE9_4 - Astrobiology

Thematic Areas

ISP's research activities take place, mainly though not exclusively, in Antarctica and the Arctic, where snow and ice are the dominant aspect of the landscape. These regions, more than others, are affected by climate change. Understanding the history of our planet, and how human activities, from the origins of the first civilizations to the present day, have influenced ecosystems, by interacting and modifying the delicate balances that govern the earth's climate system, is the challenge we face. The history enclosed and preserved in ice and, going even further back in time, in sediments, even in times before the appearance of man, is an important topic addressed by ISP researchers.

Mute witnesses of these changes are the polar biological communities: on them the anthropic impact can be devastating. It is essential to improve our knowledge of their current state, to understand their evolution, with a view to future research missions in space. In fact, some polar habitats represent important terrestrial laboratories for astrobiological studies.

All these activities, and many others, are deepened in the thematic areas that characterize the institute.

Third party service

The Institute can provide paid services, in compliance with the current Regulations for the Generation, Management and Enhancement of Intellectual Property on the results of CNR research, for services on behalf of third parties (Contractual research).

The laboratories of the Institute of Polar Sciences carry out chemical, chemical-physical, microbiological analyzes on various environmental matrices, issuing the relevant certificate or technical / scientific reports.

The analyzes are performed ONLY UPON REQUEST sent by email to the address of the Laboratory / Instrumentation Contact and in cc to the Director of the Institute (direttore.isp AT cnr.it) for the Venice headquarters and the secondary site of Padua or to Head of branches (responsabile_bo AT cnr.it; responsabile_me AT cnr.it; responsabile_rm AT cnr.it) for the secondary sites of Bologna, Messina and Rome, containing the name, address and signature of the Applicant. The analyzes to be carried out, the number of samples and everything else to be requested must be listed.

By the mere fact of submitting the request, the rules and consequent charges are understood to be known and accepted by the Applicant. After receiving the request, the Contact Person, having obtained the clearance from the Director / Head of the branches, will send a cost quotation and indicate an expected date of delivery of the results.

The samples to be analyzed must be sent, free of all charges, to the branches of the contact person according to the methods indicated in the quotation. The rates that will be communicated are net of VAT and include the execution of the analyzes and the sending of a form containing the related results. No interpretation and / or evaluation of the analysis results will be made by the laboratory involved.

	Servizio erogato	Laboratorio	Sede ISP
1	Servizi Base per analisi microbiologiche	EcoBiM	Messina
2	Rivitalizzazione/isolamento di ceppi batterici	EcoBiM	Messina
3	Caratterizzazione ceppi microbici	EcoBiM	Messina
4	Analisi della comunità microbica mediante fingerprinting molecolare	MAMB	Messina
5	Analisi del genoma microbico	EcoBiM	Messina
6	Analisi metagenomiche	EcoBiM	Messina
7	Analisi del trascrittoma	EcoBiM	Messina
8	Determinazione della biomassa procariotica	MAMB	Messina
9	Quantificazione di cellule con attività respiratoria	MAMB	Messina
10	Quantificazione di cellule vitali con membrane integre	MAMB	Messina
11	Determinazione dell’attività respiratoria microbica	BiogeM	Messina
12	Tassi di attività enzimatica extracellulare microbica	BiogeM	Messina
13	Determinazione del contenuto in pigmenti clorofilliani	BiogeM	Messina
14	Analisi dei nutrienti, pH e O2	HydroChem	Messina
15	Sviluppo di metodi IC-MS		Venezia
16	Sviluppo di metodi LC-MS		Venezia
17	Interpretazione dei tracciati SPME/GC/MS		Padova
18	Analisi di Mercurio Totale		Venezia
19	Analisi di Carbonio totale (TC), Azoto totale (TN), Carbonio organico (OC)	SpeM	Venezia
20	Analisi elementare (a livello di ultra-tracce) di campioni ambientali	SpeM	Venezia
21	Analisi quantitativa ed identificazione di microplastiche	MiP	Venezia

Tosco Monica

Tosco Monica PhD student in polar sciences at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Bachelor graduated in Physics at University of Torino and master graduated in Physics of Meteoclimatic System at University of Torino. The master thesis was based on an analysis of the Apollo cyclone and its possible transition to MEDIterranean hurricane (MEDICANE) during the 26-29th October 2021 using the WRF meteorological model.

Now she is working on remote sensing analysis of polar regions especially on the comparison of land and satellite measures near the Thule High Arctic Atmospheric Observatory (THAAO) in Greenland.

Traversa Giacomo

Traversa Giacomo Master’s degree in Natural Sciences (University of Milano), PhD Candidate in Environmental, Geological and Polar Sciences and Technologies (University of Siena) co-financed by the Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA). Current position: research fellow at the Institute of Polar Sciences of the CNR (CNR-ISP) in Milano.
Currently the research concerns the use of satellite images for the estimation of optical and thermal properties of glaciers at the margins of the Antarctic Ice Sheet as a part of the PNRA18 Project Bio-Geo Albedo feedback at Antarctic Ice-Sheet margins. Previously the research concerned the analysis by remote sensing of ablation areas in Antarctica, i.e., wind crust and blue ice, with particular attention to the snow megadune fields on the Antarctic plateau. He attended two PhD courses at The University Centre in Svalbard (NO), with which took part in a campaign in Nordaustlandet Island. As a visiting PhD student, he spent a period at the Finnish Meteorological Institute of Helsinki (FIN) and taught as a tutor for master’s and bachelor laboratories of Cartography and Geographic Information System at the University of Milan. Author of seven scientific publications in international journals.

Turetta Clara

Turetta Clara Degree M.Sc. Geology (University of Padua).
Current position: Researcher at Institute of Polar Sciences-CNR, Venezia; permanent position.
Previously: Researcher at the Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes – CNR; scholarship at Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia (Italy); fellowship at Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia (Italy); research assistant at Institut de Biogeochimie Marine - ENS – CNRS, France.
Fields of interest: trace elements in real matrices (waters, particulate, microlayer, sediments, snow and ice) using ICP-mass spectrometry. Stable isotopes (δD, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O) in water, snow and ice by means of IR-mass spectrometry. Geochemical characterization of oceanic water masses. Rare earth elements as geochemical tracer in natural water systems: in snow and ice for paleoclimatic reconstruction, in aerosol as tracer of source area. Characterization of natural systems (seawater, particulate, sediments) via chemometrics tools.
Recent Research Projects - H2020: Beyond Epica (2019-2025) - Beyond EPICA Oldest Ice Core: 1,5 Myr of greenhouse gas – climate feedbacks – Researcher and member of the Management Support Team; PNRA project (2017-2019): EvASIon - Mercer and Whillans lakes: Evolution of hydrologically Active Subglacial environments – Project Leader; PNRA project (202-2014): CaBiLA- Geochemical characterization of Antarctic subglacial lakes) – Project Leader.; Progetto Premiale ARCA: Arctic - present Climatic change and pAst extreme events; Regione Veneto: Q-ALiVe - Quality of Venetian Littoral Environment – Project Leader; PRIN15 (2017-2020): RESACC - Responses of sensitive alpine ecosystems to climate change; PRIN09 – Arctica, Referent for WP4. Researcher under Antarctic campaigns on-board Italica vessel (2001 and 2005-2006 as project referent). Her research activity is testified by more than 60 research articles in international journal with peer review and 160 abstracts for communication/poster presentation in congresses. Present Hirsch Index: 20.

CNR People
Scopus - Author ID: 6602486850 ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3130-2901 WoS Researcher ID: O-2849-2015 Research Gate: Clara Turetta

Valentini Emiliana

Valentini Emiliana Graduated in Biological Sciences (2006) at Sapienza University, Rome and PhD in Ecology and Natural Resources Management (2013),Tuscia, University, Viterbo. She recently joined as researcher the CNR, Institute of Polar Sciences (2020) in Rome (Montelibretti) and she is lecturer in Remote Sensing and GIS for the Master Degree Course in Ecobiology at Sapienza, University, Rome.
Her scientific activities started with studies on the anthropogenic impacts in marine and coastal environments and in 2011 she joined the team of technical research collaborators at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research as an expert in ecology and geospatial application to environmental monitoring with a permanent position.
Her research spans from terrestrial to aquatic sphere and includes the use of remote sensing principles and methods in the field of ecology, geography and environmental sciences. She develops integrated models for ecosystem services assessment, natural capital estimation and natural resources monitoring, considering bio-geosphere cross scales interaction and addressing landscape spatial patterns and temporal process. She has experience in national and international research and capacity building projects, publications and dissemination in scientific contexts. She actively participates in the GEOBON Ecosystem Structure working group and in the technical roundtables supporting the European Copernicus and National Space Economy programs.

More...

Vardè Massimiliano

Vardè Massimiliano Born in Vibo Valentia. Currently, he is Researcher (permanent position) at the Institute of Polar Sciences – CNR, since June 2019.
   - Degree (MS) in Chemistry (University of Rome “La Sapienza”);
   - Master's Diploma at the Department of Chemical Engineering (University of Rome “La Sapienza”);
   - Doctoral school in Chemical, Environmental and Safety Engineering (University of Rome “La Sapienza”), and Doctoral school in Chemical Sciences (University of Ferrara) where He obtained his PhD. Previously.

He carried out research activities at the:
   - Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes (CNR-IDPA) in Venice,
   - Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA) in Montelibretti (Rome), and afterwards in Rende (Cosenza),
   - Institute of Hygiene “G. Sanarelli“/Department of Public Health (University of Rome “La Sapienza”).

He taught General and Inorganic Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry at the University of Rome "La Sapienza" as Adjunct Professor (Professore a contratto) (2008-2019). He collaborated with several research groups, developing and optimizing active and passive sampling strategies and chemical analytical methods for organic and inorganic micro pollutants (PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs, PAHs, COVs, and heavy metals) as well as major ions. He applied chromatographic methods, in particular, gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry, to matrices such as ambient air, atmospheric particulate matter, atmospheric deposition and natural waters. His interests have been focused on quantifying levels of contaminants, studying their transport, dynamics, fate and environmental impacts, in urban, rural and remote areas. In recent years he has been focusing on the determination of mercury at ultra-trace levels by using atomic fluorescence techniques, in air and atmospheric deposition, as well as in potable waters. He has substantially improved some analytical aspects by eliminating the operational criticalities associated with Hg detection. In the framework of the Global Mercury Observation System (GMOS) project, coordinated by the Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA). He was responsible for analytical mercury measurements in bulk and wet-only deposition samples from different remote sites at the CNR-ISP.

He is member of the research group carrying out measurements at the high-altitude Observatory of Col Margherita (MRG) in the Eastern Alps (Belluno Dolomites). This activity is within the scope of the iGOSP (Integrated Global Observing Systems for Persistent Pollutants, strand 3 - Global Change and Environmental Treaties) of the European ERA-PLANET project (2017-2020). He has been involved in several measurement campaigns, in an oceanographic campaign in the Mediterranean Sea on board the research vessel R/V “Urania” as Chief-Scientist, and in research activities (e.g. Integrative and Comprehensive Understanding on Polar Environments- iCUPE and Microtracer projects) at the CNR Arctic Station “Dirigibile Italia” as “Acting Station Leader” and “Field Scientist” in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard Islands, Norway (Four expedition, 2018-2022). In 2022, he was appointed as RSU (Trade-Union Representative) and as RLS (Workers Safety Representative) for the CNR Research Institutes of the Venice area.

Publications Google Scholar Research gate

Venier Chiara

Venier Chiara BSc and MSc Degree in Environmental Sciences (Ca 'Foscari University of Venice), PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences (University of Padua). Current position: Technologist at the Institute of Polar Sciences of CNR.
Formerly: Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Technologist (Institute of Marine Sciences of the CNR -Venice 2014-2019); Short Term Mobility Grant (Center of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia 2016); courses and master in European project design 2012-2014; Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Ca 'Foscari University Venice 2012-2014); collaboration contract (ARPAV Water Sector, Padua, 2011); "user" researcher for experimental activities at the Total Environment Simulator Facility (University of Hull, UK, 2009); collaboration contract ( International Center of Hydrology "Dino Tonini", University of Padua 2006-2007); Internship Grants at Portland State University (Portland, Oregon, US) 2006 and at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (San Diego, California, US) 2005.
Currently involved, as project manager, in the European project H2020 Beyond EPICA Oldest Ice Core: 1,5 Myr of greenhouse gas –climate feedbacks. Research activity on the ice sheet mass balance topic, including Earth Observation data analyses. Formerly, research and research support activities on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) topic, working on geospatial data management and analysis, developing interoperable spatial data infrastructure. Specific expertise on the application of Marxan decision support tool for multi-objective spatial prioritization. Also, expertise on aquaculture site selection through geospatial analysis, ecosystem services for the MSP, cumulative impact and conflict of use analyses. Supporting coordination activities in the framework of several national and international projects, with interest also to the science to policy aspects.

Scopus - Author ID: 54928529600 ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6880-2745

Verazzo Giulio

Verazzo Giulio He obtained a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin. He serves as a data manager and system administrator for the IT infrastructures of the projects NADC (National Antarctic Data Center) and IADC (Italian Arctic Data Center); he is also involved in the development of software solutions for European research projects such as: POLARIN, ITINERIS, ARICE (Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium), ENVRI-FAIR, and Beyond EPICA. He manages the institutional websites of the Institute and the Italian Arctic Base "Diribile Italia". He is part of international working groups for the development of the SIOS Data Management System and the INTERACT Data Portal. Thanks to his experience in data management, he helps researchers publish and share the data collected from research, making it compatible with modern standards and adhering to the principles of data FAIRness and Open Science. In 2021, he won the SCADM (Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management) award for his work at the Polar Data Forum IV.

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2985-6202

Viglezio Tessa Bianca Sonya

Viglezio Tessa Bianca Sonya Bachelor in Biology at the Neuchâtel University, Switzerland, and Master of Science in Ecology and Conservation at the University of Groningen, Netherlands. Currently working for the CNR – Institute of Polar Sciences (CNR – ISP) in Venezia Mestre. She is Station Leader of the Italian Arctic station Dirigibile Italia in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. As Station Leader, she works daily on the field and in the lab, besides taking care of some parts of the station’s administration.

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Ministero dell'Universita e Ricerca
Programma Ricerche Artico
Programma Nazionale di Ricerca in Antartide

Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale
L'Italia e l’Artico
L’Italia e l’Antartide

   CNR-ISP
   National Research Council
   Institute of Polar Sciences
   c/o Scientific Campus - Ca' Foscari University Venice - Via Torino, 155 - 30172 VENEZIA MESTRE (VE)
   Phone: +39 041 2348547 - E-mail: protocollo.isp AT pec.cnr.it
   Fax: +39 041 2348 549 - Codice Fiscale: 80054330586 - P.I.:02118311006

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