The Department operates in the field of physical oceanography. The main activities and research work are in the field of marine currents, wave generation and propagation, marine offshore meteorology, dynamics and fundamental physical processes at synoptic mesoscale and small scale. Particular studies were carried out in the Adriatic Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, Sicily Channel, Messina and Otranto straits. Research programmes are concerned with scientific studies as well as engineering characterization of marine environment for coastal zone management, offshore pipelines installation and drilling platforms operation. The methodological approach includes:

a) standard and special data collection procedures;

b) management and processing of measured data;

c) hydrodynamical numerical models for application to climate, biological and chemical studies;

d) data interpretation. The data held by Department are subject to different availability.

The data collected in the framework of scientific programmes can be exchanged on bilateral basis, or by special arrangement with the scientists involved in their original collection. Other data, particularly those collected on behalf of Oil Industries and private Companies, are of restricted availability awaiting final clearance by the clients (approximately 5 years from date of their collection). For several data sets collected in the past we are in a position to freely exchange under a clearance from the client.