Measurements of cloud and aerosol parameters in the framework of ENVISAT validation, by means of the high-altitude aircraft M55-Geophysica: An overview

Within the framework of the Envisat Stratospheric Aircraft and Ballon Campaign required to verify the consistency of geophysical parameters measured by Envisat three campaigns have been planned utilising the high altitude research aircraft M55-Geophysica. Two of them (midlatitudes) have already been succesfully conducted, while a third one (arctic) will take place in Kiruna, Sweden during January/March 2003. The scientific payload on board the M55-Geophysica permits measurements of a wide range of atmospheric chemical constituents as well as chracterisation of cloud and aerosol properties. The present paper gives an overview of the flights dedicated to the aerosol and cloud properties during the two midlatitude campaigns (July/October 2002, Forli, Italy), and serves as an introduction to an accompanied paper, that describes in more detail the flights plans and the aquired data of these