School

Convective and Volcanic Clouds (CVC) detecting, monitoring and modeling
Vulcano, 23 September – 1 October 2025

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This training school is supported and organized by researchers of CIMA Foundation, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR). This edition of the school is funded by the European Geosciences Union (EGU), by the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) and by the Monitoring Earth’s Evolution and Tectonics (MEET) Programme.

Attending the school you will get an overview of the state of the art techniques and methods for detecting and monitoring the volcanic and convective clouds, you will know the different instruments and platforms allowing us to get the best performance in detecting such kind of clouds, you will be projected to the future learning about new missions planned for solving the main issues on these fields, you will be involved in real applications as early warming systems and modeling, you will directly analize the data.

The school topics will range from satellite instruments such as IR sensors or GPS radio occultations to aircraft measuremtents like lidar and radar, from study of ash and SO2 clouds to tropical cyclones, mediterranean hurricanes, land and maritime convection.

The purpose of the School is to train students with primary research interest in techniques allowing to detect, monitor, and model convective and volcanic clouds, to gain knowledge of the instruments and satellite missions (present and future) and to be able to support such kind of studies. The double aim is to create a school managed by young scientists already well established and recognized in their respective fields for young scientists willing to reinforce or develop their knowledge on atmospheric extreme events detection and monitoring for supporting policy makers, early warning systems and aviation safety.

The extreme atmospheric event cloud detection is a high multidisciplinary and challenging topic since the same techniques and instruments can be used for meteorology, volcanic monitoring, atmospheric physics and climate purposes. Within all these fields there are still many unsolved issues making this school fundamental for creating a new generation of scientists able to use the synergy of several different instruments and techniques. The air transportation became fundamental in the last decades for the world economy and social life, and volcanic or convective events can affect the regular management and operation creating large economic losses. This training school will support creating a new generation of scientists specialized in the detection and monitoring of atmospheric extreme events guaranteeing the safety of the citizens. Most of the young researchers are usually focused in a single subject (e.g. convection or volcanic eruption) and they are not in touch with final users to get their feedback, this school will be the occasion for broadening their horizons and for creating useful connections. We expect scientists and final users (such as pilots or early warning system technicians) to meet during this course for discussing about common goals and for teaching each other how to improve their work toward a proficient collaboration.

Each topic includes keynote plenary lectures with in-depth discussion. The school will consist of lectures combined with the practical application of the material covered in the lectures through introductory lab sessions and a set of research problems that will form the core of the School.

Through the introductory keynotes invited lectures, the students will be introduced to all the issues and challenges of the convective and volcanic cloud detection, monitoring and modeling, gaining an overview of the state of the art and the future development.

All the participants to the CVC 2025 are expected to give a short talk or to present a poster about their own research; the selection of the talks will be done through evaluation process as in a regular conference.

The students will leave the school with an increased understanding of the cutting-edge research questions and with the perspective of creating some future projects in this field also thanks to the network created during the school with the lecturers and other students.

Keynote Lecturers

Dorinel Visoiu (ROMATSA, Romania)
Marcello Miglietta (ISAC-CNR, Italy)

Lecturers

Riccardo Biondi (CIMA Foundation, Italy)
Tatjana Bolic (University of Westminster, UK)
Hugues Brenot (BIRA, Belgium)
Alejandro Cervantes (Universidad Internacional de la Rioja – UNIR, Spain)
Stefano Corradini (INGV, Italy)
Jochen Kerkmann (Germany)
Mario Montopoli (ISAC-CNR, Italy)
Nicolas Theys (BIRA, Belgium)
Cecilia Tirelli (IFAC-CNR, Italy)
Mark Woodhouse (University of Bristol, UK)

Organizing committee

Riccardo Biondi (CIMA Foundation, Italy)
Stefano Corradini (INGV, Italy)
Cecilia Tirelli (IFAC-CNR, Italy)

Dates
Registration deadline 30 May 2025

School fee
Registration fee 500€, including teaching material, accommodation in a **** Hotel from the 23 September to the 1 October, breakfasts, coffee breaks, lunches, and excursion.

Grants
The grant will cover the teaching material, accommodation in a **** Hotel from the 23 September to the 1 October, breakfasts, coffee breaks, lunches, and excursion.
The grant will not cover the dinners and the travel expenses to/from Vulcano.
The priority is given to scientists resident in least developed countries (https://www.worlddata.info/least-developed-countries.php) and, at a second stage, to the developing countries (https://www.worlddata.info/developing-countries.php)
The deadline for application is the 15th of March 2025
To apply you must register here and fill the last 2 sections: https://forms.gle/cMRQtvMo3hd3YMya8

Excursion in 2025
– To be decided.

School Location in 2025
Vulcano (Italy), is a small volcanic island located at the southernmost end of the seven Aeolian Islands. The island is known for its volcanic activity and contains several volcanic calderas, including one of the four active volcanoes in Italy. Vulcano is the island of the Aeolian archipelago closest to Sicily. Composed of four small volcanoes (Lentia, Piano, Vulcanello and Fossa), it is one of the least extensive among the Aeolian Islands. An experience not to be missed is a visit to the mud pool. The natural lake of thermal mud can be defined as a real open-air wellness centre, where body and soul benefit from the thermal waters and sulphurous vapours that arise spontaneously from the heart of the island’s volcanic land. Like all the Aeolian Islands, Vulcano is studded with marvellous beaches and rocky foreshortenings where you can reach by land or sea and take a dip in pristine waters. The volcanic origin of the island’s dark rocks creates a wonderful contrast to the cobalt blue sea. Among the most characteristic seaside areas of Vulcano are the Spiaggia delle Acque Calde, the Spiaggia delle Sabbie Nere and the Spiaggia del Gelso.

The **** Boutique Hotel Eros (https://www.eroshotel.it/en/) is the place where we have decided to organize the 10th edition of the school. The Eros Hotel is a magical place with sea view rooms, swimming pool with solarium and direct access to the beach, located just a few meters from the port and the centre. One of the peculiarities of Eros Hotel is its central position between two of the most famous beaches of Vulcano: the Spiaggia delle Sabbie Nere and the Spiaggia delle Acque Calde.
From the boutique hotel, you will have the possibility to directly access the Spiaggia delle Acque Calde of Vulcano, known among the beaches of the Aeolian Islands for some peculiar characteristics. The attribute “warm waters” derives from the fumarole: gas of volcanic origin which, rising from the rock faults, warms the temperature of the seawater.