The Unit of Environmental and Networking Technologies and Applications (ENTA), at ATHENA-RIC in Xanthi is dedicated to promoting fundamental and applied research in all aspects of the contemporary environmental and networking problems, such as climate change and space networking. More specifically, the applications promoted by ENTA intent to assist society, individual citizens and the local production sectors to achieve a better quality of life, increase productivity, product competitiveness and wealth.
Characteristic example is the primary agricultural production that in order to guarantee the quality of its produce or to certify its “biological” origin, requires the use of remote sensing, networking technologies, atmospheric pollution monitoring the monitoring of climate change and of meteorological and micrometeorological parameters.
Furthermore, ENTA can assist the local government in cases of local accidents or natural disasters, even in remote and not easily accessible areas. Regions of Greece like East Macedonia and Thrace that has limited road network and difficult to access areas, suffers from natural disasters that are difficult to respond to. In general, Greece with its numerous islands and mountainous mainland is in need of specialized equipment and technologies to improve its competitiveness, promote its products and counteract natural disasters. To this end, ENTA intends to combine technologies and knowhow from a number of scientific fields so as to assist in the progress that the region and the country requires.
The main thrust of ENTA is the research in, and the development of, new modern technologies of environmental actions, networking facilities, artificial intelligence and others, that aim at societal prosperity and the management of natural and anthropogenic disasters. These research fields can be the development of space networking protocols for inter satellite communications, communications with the earth in case of damage to the earth communication infrastructure and remote sensing. Also, the free access to networks in case of emergencies and generally free network access for every citizen. ENTA also intends to cooperate with the primary agricultural production sector for monitoring the atmospheric pollution, the change in climate of the region and also assist the sector with knowhow, in determining the energy and carbon footprint of its exporting produce. The proposed installation of a weather radar in the area , the networking and free access to the information that it will provide, and the use of the FAROS aircraft for hail protection emergencies, the local agricultural producers will be able to plan irrigation, protect their assets and produce against natural disasters.
The Unit may also provide research and development support to public bodies, private companies international organizations and local and international industry.
Personnel
- Prof. Dr. S. Rapsomanikis: Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and of Pollution Control Engineering of Democritus University of Thrace. The Laboratory also operates the Greenhouse Gases Flux Station VOCALS of the Geo-Carbon project of the WMO, to which it provides continuously all its data via the “flux data” portal (http://www.europe-fluxdata.eu/home/sites-list). ENTA also operates, via the European Consortium EUFAR, an aircraft for research concerning Atmospheric Pollution, Greenhouse Gases Fluxes and Climate Change Parameters: http://www.eufar.org/aircrafts/66
The team of Prof. S. Rapsomanikis is comprised by University staff members from DUTH and other Greek Universities.
- Dr. S. A. Lenas
- Dr. I Komnios
- Ph.D. student S. Diamantopoulos
- Ph.D. student C. Malliou
And supporting secretarial personnel : A. Papakonstantinou with experience in the handling the finances of large European projects.
Collaborations
As far as European and International collaboration is concerned the Unit interacts and collaborates mainly with the following institutions: Cambridge University U.K.; NASA /JPL, USA; UCL, U.K.; AFA systems, Italy; Copelabs Portugal; Senception, Spain; Tekever Portugal; Tecnalia, Spain; FON Technology, Spain; Bologna University, Italy; NASA/AERONET; EUFAR EU; Meteo-Frrance; Cranfield University, U.K.; Royal Meteorological Office, U.K.; KNMI and NLR both of the Netherlands, DLR Germany; WMO and many others.
Contact Details
ENTA: Athena RC - University Campus South Entrance, Kimmeria, P.O Box 159, Xanthi 67100, Greece