SAFIRE-A

SAFIRE-A (Spectroscopy of the Atmosphere by using Far InfraRed Emission - Airborne) is a high resolution far-infrared Fourier transform spectrometer designed and developed by IFAC-CNR and deployed onboard the high altitude research aircraft M-55 Geophysica for the investigation of upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric chemistry and transport.

Different national ann international projects supported the SAFIRE-A research activities:

SAFIRE-A (1993-1994) - Research project for the design and development of the instrument, supported by an international collaboration involving groups in Italy, France, UK and USA and funded by CEC Environmental and Climate Program (Contract N° E5V5-CT94-0359).

SAFIRE-A for APE (1996-1998) - Research project aimed at the optmisation and flight qualification of the SAFIRE-A instrument for the Airborne Polar Experiment. The project, coordinated by IFAC in collaboration with other groups in Italy, France, UK and USA, was funded by CEC Environmental and Climate Program, Framework IV (Contract N° ENV4-CT95-0045).

APE-POLECAT (1996-1997) - Measurement campaign for the investigation of microphysics and chemistry of Polar Stratospheric Clouds in the Arctic region (Rovaniemi, Finland).

APE-GAIA (1999) - Measurement campaign for the investigation of stratospheric chemistry and transport during the ozone depletion and recovery phases in the Antarctic region (Ushuaia, Argentina).

ENVISAT Validation (2002-2003) - Measurement campaigns for validation of the chemistry payload of the ENVISAT mission carried out at mid-latitude (Forlì, Italy) and in the Arctic region (Kiruna, Sweden).

The deployment and upgrading of the SAFIRE-A instrument was supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and by the Italian Programme for Antarctic Research (PNRA).

Further information on the SAFIRE-A programme can be found in the web site http://safire.ifac.cnr.it/.