A pioneering research program at the CUT sends some detectors in the atmosphere, in order to identify in a time span the quality and the origin of the particles in the air. The dust from deserts can be transferred in a great distance, which is something that people in Cyprus are familiar with. During the spring time and the first months of autumn, dust in the atmosphere is a common phenomenon, which can affect people’s lives drastically.

The mechanism of dust transfer from Africa has been investigated, even though the answers are not always satisfactory enough, while there have been very few studies about the dust from deserts in the Middle East (September 2017). The experiments Cy-CARE (Cyprus Clouds Aerosols and Rain Experiment), which is running for the first time in Cyprus, but also in the Eastern Mediterranean in general, it is expected to provide some answers for the interpretation of these phenomena.

The experiment, which has been running since October 2016 and will conclude on February 2018, uses dome pioneering equipment, which can collect information on a vertical structure in the atmosphere on a height up to 12 km. The measuring is conducted with modern technology, such as laser, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The goal is for the researchers to eventually identify, the kind of the particles in the atmosphere, the way reached Cyprus and how they may be related to rainfall and the climate change. The program is meant to be funded by the EU with millions, due to its importance for the entire area, which showcases the strategic location of Cyprus.

The modern technology of the Leipzig Aerosol and Cloud Remote Observations System-LACROS) is a mobile unit, located at the Pole B of the CUT’s expansion. The main researchers participating in the program on behalf of the CUT are Dr. Rodanthi Mamouri and Dr. Argiro Nisantzi, while the researchers from TROPOS in Leipzig, Germany, are Dr. Albert Ansmann, Dr. Johannes Bühl, Dr. Patric Seifert and Dr. Ronny Engelmann.