Professor Costas VAROTSOS

(f.Dean of the School of Science of NKUA)

My research involves the use of Remote Sensing, Climate Dynamics, Atmospheric Physics & Chemistry, Environmental Change and Non-linear Dynamics to study the processes that control the present state of the Earth’s climate system and its evolution. Unique instruments in the above research issues are incorporated into our group.

Current research activities include:

Stratospheric Observations and Modelling

The physics - chemistry and the dynamics - radiative transfer of the stratosphere are explored using both observations and numerical models. Particular problems such as ozone depletion at the polar spring (the so-called 'ozone hole') and the variability of the stratospheric thermal regime are being tackled.

Tropospheric Observations and Modelling; human health impacts

An important part of our research work includes involvement in field campaigns using our own instrumentation along with a range of models for studying the physics - chemistry of the lower atmosphere, such as the man-made pollution and the changing oxidizing capacity of the troposphere (its ability to cleanse itself of pollution). An important research theme that we are concerned with is the investigation of the adverse effects of qualitatively and quantitatively changing air pollution and other environmental factors on humanhealth

Climate variability

The variability of the Earth’s climate system has become an important research topic in recent decades. Assuming that climate system is a complex and complicated system we have developed a detailed package for the study of its spatio-temporal variability. We focus on climate components, such as the change in atmospheric composition (from the industrial revolution to the future) under the different scenarios of industrial emissions that are expected to lead to major public health problems.

Atmospheric composition measurements

We have established the following Laboratories in the Department of Environmental Physics of NKUA:

  • Laboratory of Remote Sensing Observations: e.g. columnar concentrations of various atmospheric constituents (eg, ozone), operating under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organisation. It includes among others, a Dobson Spectrophotometer - unique in the whole SE Europe- which has been in continuous operation since 1989.

  • Laboratory of Balloon Ascents: for observations of the vertical distribution of various atmospheric species content (e.g. ozone) and meteorological parameters, operating under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organisation, since 1989.

  • Laboratory of Materials Deterioration from Air Pollution: Its main activity is the experimental study of the corrosion and weathering effects on various materials due to their exposure to environmental conditions. It is operating under the auspices of United Nations since 2002.