ICOS Greece

The Finokalia environmental research station, located on the north coast of Crete Island, has been continuously operated by the University of Crete since 1993 with aerosol characterisation measurements. Its unique location in the Eastern Mediterranean far from any big city offers the unique opportunity to sample air masses which are not influenced by local sources, therefore providing a picture representative of the background conditions of the eastern Mediterranean.

Pertouli Ecosystem Station is in Pertouli University Forest to the north of Greece. The station was built in 2021 according to the ICOS Ecosystem Thematic Center protocols, collecting measurements of greenhouse gases such as CH4, and CO2 over the canopy of a naturally regenerated forest. Greece’s other 2 Ecosystem stations are both located in Heraklion - Heraklion City Center Station (HECKOR), and Heraklion Residential Area Station (HECMAS). Both stations are equipped with an Open Path Eddy Covariance system (CO2, H2O fluxes) and a 4-component net radiometer. HECKOR’s measurements provide very characteristic urban diurnal and seasonal patterns, indicative of the emissions from traffic and commercial activities in the northern part of the surrounding area, and from the residential activities in the southern part of the area. HECMAS’s CO2 flux measurements also provide characteristic urban diurnal and seasonal patterns, indicative of the emissions from the residential activities of the surrounding area.

The ICOS Greece network consists of the University of Crete (UoC) and the Foundation for research and technology – Hellas (FORTH). 

Greece Station Network

ICOS Greece stations in the map. Hover over the stations for more details.

Contact ICOS Greece

ICOS Greece Focal Point
Ioannis Gitas, Head of Unit, Professor 
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
igitas@for.auth.gr