CNR-IIA’s Climatic-Environmental Observatory on the Atmosphere on Mount Curcio is located in a remote and strategic position within the Sila National Park (Sila Grande). The park has been recognized by UNESCO as an Italian national biosphere reserve since June 2014. The site is characterized by the absence of local sources of contamination and is not directly accessible from common traffic roads. It is possible to get to the station via a cable car, the arrival point of which is 200 m from the station itself. Located at 1780 m. above sea level, the monitoring site is positioned on a peak of the southern Apennines, from which it is possible to enjoy a completely free horizon that allows for monitoring measures with a wide spatial representation. The observatory is also located in the center of the Mediterranean basin, approximately 30 and 60 km from the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas respectively.
Thanks to the altitude and position of the site, the observatory on Mount Curcio is able to intercept the plumes of Saharan sand as well as the volcanic dust and gases deriving from the nearby volcanoes Etna and Stromboli, respectively about c. 220 and 120 km away. The station is part of the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) program to assess the “health” of the atmosphere and to support sound environmental policies. At the station are measured the chemical composition of the atmosphere, trace and climate-altering gases and meteorological parameters.