BrainMap

Mr. Cristian Marian Radu

CS

Scientific Researcher - INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD

Curriculum Vitae (04/09/2019)

Expertise & keywords

Aerosol properties retrieval from remote sensing spectroscopic measurements Call name:
STAR/Project No.162/2017, 2017 - 2019

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Project website:

Abstract:

AiRFRAME (Aerosol properties retrieval from remote sensing spectroscopic measurements) represents the Romanian contribution to international efforts in setting up a ground-based network of monitoring stations which will be used for the calibration and validation of different product regarding the atmosphere during the commissioning and operational phase of existing and future ESA space missions.

Understanding climate change includes the understanding of the chemistry related to climate and the chemistry–climate interactions on regional scale as well as for the entire System Earth on the global scale which is one of the great challenges in atmospheric science today and still a strongly developing field in climate modelling. Satellites provide the primary resources of obtaining a global perspective and comparing different parts of the globe. But long-term ground-based observational databases are essential to validate their products.

Even when the satellites will be fully operational, the Contributing Missions will continue to be essential, delivering complementary data to ensure that a broad range of observational requirements is satisfied. Information on atmospheric variables could be provided in support of European policies. Services could include the monitoring of air quality, water vapour, aerosols and solar radiation as part of climate monitoring.

This initiative is targeting mostly the calibration-validation activities of Sentinel 5 Precursor (TROPOMI instrument), referring specifically to the NO2 and aerosol products, but also are expected important contributions to ADM-Aeolus, EarthCARE, Sentinel 4, Sentinel 5 precursor and Sentinel 5 missions. AiRFRAME’s objectives are twofold: on one hand, to improve the state-of-the-art monitoring station in Romania, based on existing capacities and upgrades; on the other hand, to extend the number of parameters available from Pandora-2S systems and to increase the potential of calibration/validation activities of ESA space missions. Subsequent scientific objectives referring to the study of horizontal and vertical gradients in a highly polluted area, correlation with meteorology and sources, will be also addressed.

The general objective of the AiRFRAME’s project is to improve the capability of ESA mission’s calibration/validation activities using ground based differential optical absorption spectrometric measurements. A software prototype will be developed during the project implementation, dedicated to Pandora systems retrievals of aerosols properties.

The project is targeting the aerosol retrieval from Pandora system, which is on highly interest in the scientific community, but not yet developed by the network. The number of parameters available in the Pandonia network will be then increased, with aerosol properties. The software represents an original work worldwide from which can benefit all Pandora network systems and other differential absorption spectrometric measurements. Part of the technology proposed to be included here have been already proposed in the literature for other DOAS systems, but now will be extended to other kind of instruments and spectrometric bands.

The consortium operates a large variety of in situ and remote sensing instruments to measure gases and particulates in the atmosphere. Between these an direct-sun DOAS is in use, which is the most accurate technique for deriving column NO2 (C(NO2)) from ground-based instruments conform to the recent studies. Diurnal and seasonal variability will be studied both for the NO2 (with the PANDORA system) and aerosols (with the aerosol lidar).

The Pandora system is part of Pandora network, which ensure a proper utilization of the instruments and larger coverage. The NO2 ground-based monitoring will follow the rules of the existing community, in order to ensure a proper implementation of the measurement and data handling procedures.

The vertical and horizontal variability of the NO2 and aerosols fields in the area of Bucharest will be investigated, as a possible source of error to be included in the TROPOMI’s level 2 products. Complex situations within a satellite pixel area such as: partly clouds, spatial gradients, inhomogeneous terrain, high aerosol loadings, lead to more challenges to the TROPOMI’s Level-2 retrieval algorithms. Bucharest is, from this point of view, a perfect site to test the accuracy and the sensitivity of the retrievals, because of the density of the sources, considerable aerosol loads and changing weather patterns.

Romanian Cluster for Earth Observation Call name:
ROSA-STAR-C3, 109/2016 2016 - 2019

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO); TERRASIGNA SRL (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA PAMANTULUI - INCDFP RA (RO); INSTITUTUL NAŢIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE MARINĂ "GRIGORE ANTIPA"-I.N.C.D.M. CONSTANŢA (RO); INSTITUTUL NAŢIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE ÎN SILVICULTURĂ "MARIN DRĂCEA" (RO); INSTITUTUL DE STIINTE SPATIALE-FILIALA INFLPR (RO); UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO); TEAMNET SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL SRL (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Project website: https://ro-ceo.ro/

Abstract:

The overall scope of RO-CEO is to increase the capacity of Romanian organizations to contribute to ESA’s EO programmes and projects, by setting-up the Romanian Cluster for Earth Observation, a formal association of organizations, with its own statute and agenda. The main roles of the cluster are: a) to promote (to ESA and other space-relevant organizations) the specific interests and relevant capacities at national level, and attract more investments and contracts for the Romanian institutions; b) to improve the provision of services to end-users by joining complementary skills and expertise; c) to ensure the sustainability of the EO sector in Romania by enabling EO market development.

SaTellite pRoducts vAlidaTion USing ground based lidar stations Call name:
ROSA STAR CDI 152/2017 -

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD

Project partners:

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Abstract:

The STRATUS project is designed to meet EU efforts to calibrate and validate ESA earth observation programs by providing the backbone to understand and study new satellite products and to make the first steps to perform complementary measurements for validation and calibration purposes. The main goal of the project is to offer the means to validate and calibrate satellite observations by offering a wide range of ground based unbiased atmospheric products over extended time scales and monitor the stability of satellite products over the envisaged locations. The implementation of the project will help strengthening the know how in satellite validation and help build the required infrastructure to further participate to cal/val activities lead by ESA or the EU.

Atmospheric studies in support of ESA's sentinel 4 and 5 products Call name:
ROSA-STAR-C3 2016, ID 505 2017 - 2019

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE AEROSPATIALA "ELIE CARAFOLI" - I.N.C.A.S. BUCURESTI

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE AEROSPATIALA "ELIE CARAFOLI" - I.N.C.A.S. BUCURESTI (); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (); UNIVERSITATEA "DUNAREA DE JOS" ()

Affiliation:

Project website:

Abstract:

In the context of validation-calibration activities of the satellite data obtained from ESA’s Sentinel 4, 5 and 5P,

the present project proposal aims to develop an integrated scientific platform in which both airborne remote sensing and ground-based facilities will be involved. The main goal is to develop scientific missions for atmospheric research validation of the satellite products and to improve ESA’s Sentinel 4, 5 and 5P data accuracy and long term stability of their related products. In order to achieve the proposed objective of this project, the activities will start with the analysis of state of the art facilities and technologies, continuing with the integration of airborne and ground-based instruments into a complex research platform. Then, a measurement campaign for testing, optimizing and defining the appropriate procedures for using the research platform in Cal/Val and scientific national missions/campaigns will be accomplished. The last step of the project consists in performing a measurement campaign for validation-calibration of ESA’s Sentinel 4, 5 and 5P. All data and results obtained during the measurement campaigns will be integrated in a new developed database, available for scientific community.

Intelligent Software for Aerosol typing Based on Earth observation products, remote sensing measurements and transport modelLing Call name:
ROSA STAR CDI 183/2017 -

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI

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Abstract:

The purpose of the project is to develop a state of the art aerosol-typing software prototype based on the classification intelligent algorithms using data from active and passive remote sensing instruments together with satellite imagery and in situ data. The aerosols transport modelling will be also used to develop this software. Using remote sensing data, the dependence of the relative humidity of the aerosol size and density will be analysed and the in order to improve observations of aerosol optical and hygroscopic properties, hence, providing more accurate information on the type of aerosol in each aerosol layer from atmosphere. Combining numerical modelling with the remote sensing measurements the relationship between sources and receptors will be analysed in order to make a correlation between aerosol types and their sources, information important to aerosols classification.

Science Centers Network Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1095 2014 - 2017

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL DE FIZICA ATOMICA

Project partners: INSTITUTUL DE FIZICA ATOMICA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA LASERILOR, PLASMEI SI RADIATIEI - INFLPR RA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA SI INGINERIE NUCLEARA " HORIA HULUBEI " - IFIN - HH (RO); P.M. CONCEPT CONSULTING SRL (RO); SIVECO ROMANIA SA (RO); MEDNET RESEARCH SRL (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Project website: http:// www.scinet.ro

Abstract:

Education and research represents the means by which a society have to build knowledge which will lead to prosperity, sustainability and personal development for every citizen.

In the current period, as shown in international studies there are some concerns relating to poor performance of students in basic skills. To understand the importance of good science education, we should think how science contribute to our everyday lives. The benefits and results from a scientist's work have an impact on our daily activities.It is confirmed that hands-on practicals in laboratories, visits outside school and non-formal learning environments are the most enjoyable aspects of studying the sciences. It is often argued that practical work is central to teaching and learning in science and that good quality practical work helps develop pupils’ understanding of scientific processes and concepts.

Generally, science centers aim is to connect the general public to science, giving them the opportunity to explore scientific and technical worlds and ask questions. There are many roles that can be assigned to a science center from firsthand experience to encouraging curiosity. Practical work undertaken inside the Science Centers like hand-on experiments, demonstrations and more other alike activities are important ingredients in learning science and in the same time can increase students sense of ownership and motivation. This experiential learning under scientists guiding will lead for sure to a comprehensive practical knowledge of learners.

The present project proposal focuses on creating an innovative model for out of school science learning combined with an interactive digital platform - eScience Center. This goal will be accomplished by developing the Science Center Network SCINET which will gather four major physics institutes (IFA, INOE, INFLPR, IFIN HH) and three companies (PMCC, SIVECO Romania, MEDNET RESEARCH). The three main objectives that will lead to SCINET existence are: Creation, organization and operationalization of SCINET; Development of creative and experiential capacities of highschool students to stimulate the interest in scientific research and innovation by creating two models (I model - Innovative Model for Science Learning INSCI; II model - Digital platform eScience Center); Promote the role of science among highschool students, transnational cooperation, exchange of experience and knowledge, network joining in order to increase visibility and to ensure long-term sustainability.

Fulfilling all these objectives will contribute to bridge the gap between formal and non-formal education and will promote science learning at pre-university level.

Unlike many other countries, Romania don't have a Science Center Network, SCINET being the first Science Center Network in Romania. Considering this, the two innovative models (INSCI and eScience Center) that will be created, tested and implemented represent a major need for the network to operate in a professional manner and to have the expected results.

SCINET will be a cooperative structure where partners will contribute with their respective strengths, at the same time receiving incentives for their own activities. The network will have an important role for today's world science and maybe to lay the fondation for future science careers.

The two models and their success criteria: The project will contribute directly, at national level, to the design and development educational models: I model (off campus) - Innovative Model for Nonformal Science Learning InSci and II model (online model) eScience Center - associated to science centers activities. At European level, the project will provide an inside view on the set-up and running of several science centers grown in connection to some major research institutes and, in the mean time, will offer information on the implementation of a national network of science centers.

Computational Model for Prediction of the Biomass Burning Emissions and their Impact Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1798 2014 - 2016

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE AEROSPATIALA "ELIE CARAFOLI" - I.N.C.A.S. BUCURESTI (RO); ADMINISTRATIA NATIONALA DE METEOROLOGIE RA (RO); ENVIROSCOPY SRL (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Project website: http://mobbe.inoe.ro

Abstract:

The pollution from biomass burning (including wildfires) combined with urban pollution from human activities, the main sources of primary aerosols (fine particles, respirable), can have a significant impact on human health and on climate at local, regional and global scale, through the emissions of high concentrations of aerosol particles containing organic and inorganic matter and black carbon. 40% of the global emission of black carbon comes from biomass burning. The aerosols emitted can became condensation nuclei in the process of cloud formation influencing cloud radiative properties. As of now, cloud formation processes and the influence of aerosols are not fully understood and lead therefore to significant uncertainties in weather forecasts and climate change scenarios.

The purpose of the project MOBBE (Computational Model for Prediction of the Biomass Burning Emissions and their Impact) is to quantify and to predict the effects of the aerosols from biomass burning and their impact on two major environmental issues: (a) air quality and (b) climate and meteorology at local, regional and global scale. The project aims to investigate the potential sources and the properties of aerosols from biomass burning, urban aerosols and long-range transport aerosols over Romania performing a first research case study in the Bucharest area, using improved inversion algorithms. The results (a new parametrization scheme of the physical processes of the biomass burning aerosols, sources and properties) will be implemented during the project in the FLEXPART aerosol dispersion model based on the Lagrangean particle dispersion mechanism. As meteorological input data, the model will use new data from COSMO model. Anthropogenic and natural emissions of biomass burning will be compared with the daily analysis and the fine mode aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 550 nm provided by the radio-spectrometer MODIS launched by NASA on the Aqua and Terra satellites, MAAC II, and with an independent dataset of AOD from the AERONET network. All the above information will be integrated in a “MOBBE Web Tool”.

The project will improve significantly the quantification of the present and future impact of biomass-burning emissions on the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere. This project will also provide relevant information concerning the aerosols radiative contribution in the context of climate change at global level. The data will be integrated in the ACTRIS-EBAS database.

The MOBBE research project is an interdisciplinary environmental research infrastructure based on continuous measurements, two intensive experimental field campaigns (summer and winter campaign) and eight flight hours of a research aircraft, that integrates in-situ monitors, ground-based and airborne observations, with a detailed analysis of satellite data and numerical modeling results. The satellite data are provided by the MODIS instruments from the satellites Terra and Aqua, by the Caliop lidar from the satellite CALIPSO and by EUMETCast.

MOBBE is a national consortium of two national institutes of research, National Institute of R&D for Optoelectronics (CO-RADO) and National Institute for Aerospace Research “Elie Carafoli” (P1-INCAS), the National Meteorological Administration (P2-NMA) and a service provider and instruments manufacturing company related to environmental monitoring (P3-ESYRO). All partners will join their expertise, infrastructure and efforts in order to develop an innovative methodology and a new powerful modelling tool “MOBBE Web Tool” for air monitoring, available for atmospheric and environmental research groups, as well as for environmental agencies, urban air quality agencies, industries, and decision makers.

Combined use of LIdar - RAdar for the evaluation of phenomena associated with cloud seeding for efficient prevention of hail Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-2074 2014 - 2016

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: ENVIROSCOPY SRL

Project partners: ENVIROSCOPY SRL (RO); ELECTROMECANICA PLOIESTI S.A. (RO); ADMINISTRATIA NATIONALA DE METEOROLOGIE RA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO); UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Project website: http://lira.inoe.ro

Abstract:

Hail events represent an important natural disaster associated with great economic losses, especially in agriculture. The most vulnerable regions in Romania are in Central – South, where there is a large probability that convective clouds are formed. Although hailstorms affect crop yield and/or quality dramatically, 40% of the total agricultural land is not protected against hail.

Anti-hail rockets program is based on dispersing pyrotechnical mixtures of silver-iodide. They act as condensation nuclei, creating a large number of small hail particles which melt and fall in form of drops. Nevertheless, it is extremely difficult to validate the effect of the seeding, due to superposition of strong natural atmospheric variations.

By combining different remote sensing instruments, a much better estimation of the microphysical cloud properties can be made, including the efficiency of the AgI dispersion and hail crystals modification.

The main goal of LIRA's project is to investigate cloud transformations as consequence of seeding, and determine best operational procedures to enhance efficiency and reduce side effects in case of hail suppression, using a smart combination of remote sensing techniques (passive and active): lidar, radar, microwave radiometry, satellite imagery. LIRA aims at: a) Design of an experimental model using radar, lidar and microwave radiometry to monitor ice formation inside clouds, before, during and after cloud seeding; b) Identification of application-driven suitable parameters for efficient cloud seeding, based on modeled and experimental data; c) Increasing visibility, protecting intellectual rights.

This project brings together research, operational and economical institutions to produce new knowledge and introduce new techniques and methods for early warning of the hailfall, objective selection of the seeding parameters and quantitative assessment of the intervention's efficiency. Our approach is to actually measure inside the cloud. We will use the synergy between radar, lidar and microwave radiometer, but we add the depolarization capability of the lidar, which will permit, by combination with radar, to monitor remotely the changes in the ice / liquid water content of the cloud. We will visualize the dispersion of the seeding agent inside the volume before activation, to look for correlations between seeding parameters (target location, rocket speed, time of spreading the agent, etc.) and efficiency in suppressing hail. Original work will be done for the design and upgrade of the depolarization lidar, but also for the development of data processing and analysis algorithms. The possibility of forecasting hail based on EUMETCAST data will also be analyzed. Several algorithms will be improved by direct validation with measurements (retrieval of wind speed from radar - validation with sodar, cloud height from EUMETCAST - validation from lidar, cloud particle depolarization from lidar - intervalidation with radar). Moreover, we will put our knowledge at the service of the society, by transferring experimental techniques to operational procedures.

Apart from the scientific knowledge which will be achieved during the experiment (subject of 6 communications at prestigious international conferences and 4 ISI papers), LIRA intends to elaborate 1 patent, related to the algorithm for combining radar and lidar data in order to extract the 3D map of the mixed clouds.

By combination of techniques, expertise and knowledge, LIRA will bring weather modification from empirically accepted to scientifically proved. Several noticeable results are envisaged: >>elaboration of a new technology to dynamically monitor cloud seeding effects; >>advances in understanding physical phenomena associated to cloud seeding; >>development of an experimental method for the objective assessment of cloud seeding efficiency; >>identification of opportunities to extend the methodology from hail suppression to rainfall generation.

Developing the emerging research potential of Romanian Lidar Centre Call name:
FP7-REGPOT-2008-1, project no.229907 2009 - 2012

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Project website: http://delice.inoe.ro/

Abstract:

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects