In this paper, we present the new research infrastructure of the ERATOSTHENES CoE for aerosol and cloud remote sensing observations and its capabilities to participate in cal/val activities. The research facility is installed less than 2 km from the coastline of Limassol, Cyprus. The multiplatform for atmospheric research consists of a multiwavelength lidar, 35 GHz cloud radar, a microwave radiometer, and ancillary instruments to become a fully ACTRIS cloud and aerosol remote sensing station. Measurements performed at Limassol’s station were already utilized for the validation of the aerosol products of Sentinel 5P and AEOLUS and will be used for the validation of the EarthCARE mission.

This paper explores how the Eratosthenes CoE that has been established in Cyprus through the EXCELSIOR H2020 Teaming project can be a hub for Earth Observation activities in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region. Due to its geographical proximity, EXCELSIOR can become a hub for partners in Middle Eastern and Northern African countries. Cyprus' unique geostrategic position can support Earth Observation from satellite programmes in three continents and provide valuable services in the processes of satellite calibration and validation. Finally, the distinct needs and opportunities that motivate the establishment of an Earth Observation Centre of Excellence in Cyprus are presented in this paper.

The EarthCARE mission of ESA & JAXA will be launched in May 2024. The mission will provide observations of aerosols, clouds, precipitation, and solar and thermal radiative flux measurements on a global scale, with a goal to constrain the uncertainties in aerosol, cloud, radiation, and their interactions. Before the utilization of the mission’s observations on science studies, calibration/validation activities are necessary to evaluate the uncertainties of its products. To support the timely and maximum exploitation of EarthCARE products, the ACROSS Mediterranean experiment will be implemented in 2024, 2025, and 2026. ACROSS is a joint effort of several institutes and universities in Europe, which will deploy advanced state-of-the-art instruments tailored for the mission’s validation requirements in three Mediterranean supersites (Potenza-Italy, Antikythera-Greece, Cyprus). The ground-based remote sensing measurements will be enhanced with airborne measurements on board UAVs, light aircraft, and large airborne platforms which will perform measurements in the Mediterranean region. The synergistic dataset will be exploited for a thorough validation of the EarthCARE mission, but also for the science studies including aerosol-cloud-radiation interaction studies and numerical weather prediction optimizations for the region.

The rapid growth of Earth Observation (EO) and Remote Sensing (RS) data has underscored the critical need for identifying optimal solutions to effectively manage EO Big Data. This entails simplifying data sharing and facilitating adaptation across multidisciplinary applications to better serve the research community. Various architectures and structures have been developed to manage and deploy these data in an analysis-ready format. In this study, we provide a concise overview of an advanced EO Big Data infrastructure located in Limassol, Cyprus, comprising diverse data sources acquired from an acquisition station, an atmospheric ground base station, and various living labs. Additionally, we present the EO data ecosystem of Cyprus that is specifically designed to efficiently store the aforementioned data.

Wildfires can be considered as a natural part of many ecosystems, but their frequency and heightened risk have been notably influenced by climate change. This amplified threat poses a significant concern that necessitates further study on the properties and behavior of smoke particles. The 2023 was a year of intense wildfires worldwide with Greece experiencing the largest wildfire in European history. A record-breaking forest fire activity was spotted in the Evros region, of northeastern Greece during August. The smoke plume reached different regions leading to an international concern. In this work, we focus on the study of optical properties related to the smoke particles observed in the atmosphere of Limassol, Cyprus, during the recent forest fires as retrieved by the PollyXT of the ERATOSTHENES CoE. In addition, measurements provided by the THELISYS lidar system in Thessaloniki are used synergistically to confirm the transport of smoke above the Limassol region.

The paper was generated by the identified needs for improved conservation strategy and long life professional training, particularly for science conservators, art historians, restorers and conservators, and equally contributes to: i) new education instruments for on-line access to advances research infrastructure; ii) real-time monitoring of in situ restoration intervention via advanced on-line platforms; iii) harmonized and cost effective protocols for investigations and interventions, which have to exclude unjustified overlapped analysis; iv) professional support in case of experimental data interpretation from experimented groups and called specialists.The most important reported result is a polyvalent open mobile laboratory, available online, that includes several optoelectronical techniques (laser spectroscopy methods, thermovision, 3D laser scanning, laser Doppler vibrometry, multispectral imaging, penetrating radar etc.). A case study of a tele-operated LIFS equipment is presented for exemplification. A server / client architecture, using an embedded HTML web-page on LIFS equipment side, allows for communication between the scanning head and a remote client.Interactive access to instruments and specialized large infrastructure, also a polyvalent restoration open workshop (as mobile laboratory operating on site) are already tested since March 2010. The first laser induced fluorescent image have been generated to the Roman Edifice with Mosaic from Contanta -- Black Sea coast- and data have been collected to National History and Archaeology Museum from Constanta.Concomitantly, these project links advanced scientific facilities, interested specialists for advanced instruction, and invited specialists to support proper experimental condition setup.