Vasilis Pappas, ΜSc

PHOTO

PhD candidate:

«Effect of aerosols on radiation budget using satellite data of vertical resolution.»

Career

· 2009-σήμερα PhD student at the Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, Greece. Supervisor: Dr. Nikos Hatzianastasiou.

· 2008-2009: Research Assistant at the Department of Greenhouse Farming and Floriculture, TEI Mesologgiou, Greece.

· 2007-2008: Research Assistant at the Department of Ecology and Environment, TEI Ionian Islands, Greece.

· 2006-2007: Research Assistant, Geography Department, King’s College London, UK. Supervisor: Prof. Sue Grimmond

Qualifications

· 2004-2005: MSc in Applied Meteorology, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, UK

· 1997-2003: BSc in Physics, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, Greece

Research

The focus of my research is the effect of atmospheric aerosols on radiation. Aerosols have an either natural origin (desert dust, volcano ash, flower pollen, sea salt spray) or anthropogenic origin (biomass burning, pollutants from carbohydrates burning in factories, vehicles, airplanes). Aerosols have a direct impact on solar radiation through reflection and diffraction, and an indirect effect through the modification of cloud microphysical properties.

The aim of the target is to use latest generation satellites (CALIPSO, CloudSat), who are able to provide information on the exact position of aerosols and clouds within the atmosphere. The exact location of those two ‘obstacles’ is significant to the amount of radiation that reaches Earth’s surface and ultimately to the magnitude of climate change. The whole tropospheric column has been divided into 160 levels of 100m thickness each. This high vertical resolution will be implemented into a spectral radiation transfer model.

The use of satellite products definitely has inaccuracies and uncertainties. However, it is nowadays the most suggested solution for studying global climatic and environmental parameters.

Awards-Scholarships

· 01/2007 KCL/Monash Travel award (€2400) in order to spend one month in Monash University of Melbourne, Australia at the Department of Civil Engineering, working on a project on Urban Irrigation Demand.

Publications

• Pappas V., Hatzianastassiou N., Papadimas C., Matsoukas C., Kinne S., Vardavas I,“Spatial and temporal variability of the vertical distribution of aerosols and its direct effect on solar radiation for the Mediterranean basin”. 10^th COMECAP 2010, Patras, Greece, 25-28/5/2010.
• Pappas V., Grimmond C.S.B., Mitchell V.G., Cleugh H.A.,“Impact of Climate Variability and Change on Irrigation Demand in Melbourne, Australia“. Water Management Challenges in Global Change, Leicester, UK, 3-5 September, 2007.
• Pappas V., Grimmond C.S.B., Mitchell V.G., Cleugh H.A., “Impact of Spatial Variability of Rainfall on Predicted Irrigation Demand: Case Study of Melbourne”. Rainwater & Urban Design 2007, Sydney, Australia, 21-23 August, 2007.

Other activities

• Royal Meteorological Society, Associate Fellow, Spring 2007-present