PRESS RELEASE

[Rome-Capua, 15 June 2021]

The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) and the Italian Aerospace Research Center (CIRA) have signed a Scientific Collaboration Agreement focused on the topic of Earth Observation.

In this sharing of intent, INGV and CIRA, both engaged in research and technological development in the space and aerospace sectors, wanted to create a structural platform not only for the essential exchange of knowledge, but also to create a strong partnership in participation in national and international research projects on topics of common interest.

Furthermore, the institutions will collaborate on training and dissemination activities in their respective disciplinary sectors.

The President of INGV, prof. Carlo Doglioni, states “ This Agreement is part of the development plan for the study of the Earth which can no longer ignore satellite observations. The great technological potential of CIRA can help INGV in analyzing the structure and evolution of the planet. INGV has long been an actor in important partnerships with national and international bodies, but the new relationship with CIRA also adds strong value to the activities of the Earth Space Observations Center (COS), a structure created in 2020 by INGV and dedicated to the planning of research, monitoring and surveillance activities in the space sector and coordinated by Dr. Fabrizia Buongiorno, President of e-Geos” .

The President of CIRA, Eng. Giuseppe Morsillo, commented “The agreement just signed confirms CIRA’s commitment to creating synergies with primary national research bodies such as INGV with the aim of making scientific and technological research increasingly effective in sectors of strategic importance such as of Earth Observation with all its multiple applications. CIRA will make its contribution through the skills of its researchers, the cutting-edge facilities and the knowledge developed over the years on the subject of access to space, permanence in the stratosphere, environmental monitoring and telecommunications”.

Among the main themes on which the INGV-CIRA partnership will operate are:

• RESEARCH ON GEOPHYSICAL PHENOMENA AND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS
• THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF APPLICATIONS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD ALSO THROUGH THE USE OF SATELLITE DATA ACQUIRED BY OPTICAL SENSORS AND SAR
• THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS OF SPACE GEODESY, SATELLITE POSITIONING SYSTEM (GNSS), TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND EARTH OBSERVATION
• THE STUDY OF SUN-EARTH RELATIONS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF MONITORING IN THE CONTEXT OF SPACE WEATHER,
• THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW INSTRUMENTS FOR EARTH OBSERVATION SPACE MISSIONS,
• SUPPORT ACTIVITIES FOR THE CALIBRATION AND VALIDATION OF SATELLITE DATA IN THE GEOPHYSICAL FIELD

But these are just some of the numerous areas of collaboration on which the two bodies will be able to interact profitably.