Riviste Online SApienza - R.O.SA - 2 (Sapienza University of Rome)
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Historical-critical considerations on the role of garden culture in sustainable tourism
No full textTourism offers individual experiences as a contrast to daily life. It is a cultural practice shaped by the desire for emotional connectedness. Besides authenticity, sustainability and health as important new trends in tourism, gardening became fashionable in the Western world, notably among youngsters. Gardens reflect different aspects of the tourist experience and, in historical perspective, they show diverse cultural experiences, ranging from enclosure and the definition of identity to invitation and co-creation in gardens. The evolution of garden culture shows a wide range of touchpoints for possible new deals in tourism. A more sustainable tourism with focus not only on the conservation of nature, but also on social and mental health, education and liberty by using the historical experiences with gardening might reform the line und might also improve quality within the tourist experience
The impact of the crisis on poverty and socio-economic inequalities in Europe
Get PDFWe investigate the factors that have had an impact on poverty rates and inequalities in Europe and enquire about the possibility to reduce them in the future. After a period when some equality had been achieved, the financial crisis and the increase in unemployment that derived from it had a negative impact on poverty and socio-economic inequalities in almost all European countries. The contrasting evidence available for some of them is analysed first One can say that the very factor that sustained some equality before the crisis, i.e., a rather high rate of growth also in peripheral countries, caused the crisis by nourishing a kind of credit-led growth in these countries and produced a negative impact on poverty rates and equity there. Only the welfare state has succeeded in mitigating the negative impact of the crisis on poverty and equity, but at the cost of further burdening public finances, especially in peripheral countries. This casts a shadow on the ability of the welfare state to perform the same role in the future; unless the austerity regime derived from the institutional set-up of EMU and the deflationary policies imposed to tame the crisis are overcome.
 
Satellite a-dinsar monitoring of the Vittoriano monument (Rome, Italy): implications for heritage preservation
Get PDFThe “Vittoriano” monument, dedicated to king Vittorio Emanuele II, is one of the most famous cultural heritage landmarks in Rome (Italy), even because it hosts the Tomb of the unknown soldier, monument o the Italian fallen in wars. It was designed by the architect Giuseppe Sacconi at the end of 19th century and since the beginning of its construction, it has been affected by cracks and deformations. In the last years, such phenomena have become more evident, especially on the western side of the building. With the aim of understanding the causes of the deformation process and making a diagnosis of the oil-structure interaction of the Monument, a specific project has been undertaken between CERI Sapienza and the Lazio Museum Network. Satellite ADInSAR was performed to infer the recent deformational history of the main parts of the monument, by using medium and high-resolution SAR images acquired in double orbital geometry (ascending and descending) and covering the last two decades. Through the support of selected geological and lithotechnical data it was possible to interpret the deformational dynamics of the Vittoriano. The overall investigations allowed to better define the volume and the structures that have been involved in the deformation mechanisms, which is currently driving the overall process, in order to address effective mitigation measures. They are capable of backward analysing the deformational process, reconstructing the evolution of a phenomenon and above all capable of easily investigating large areas
Analysis of floods and storms: concurrent conditions
Get PDFThe geomorphological characteristics and the seismic, landslide and erosive dynamism of the Italian territory, meant studies on the hydrogeological risk were necessary. Floods and sea storms, combined with anthropic factors, are causes of instability. Under particular climatic, geographical and geomorphological conditions, these events occur simultaneously, increasing their effects. Reggio Calabria, a metropolitan city in the south of Italy, is located in a particularly complex context. The city is flanked by the Tyrrhenian Sea and by the Ionian Sea. The territory is exposed to the risk of intense sea storms. Moreover, the torrential nature of the rivers and intense rainfall favour the formation of floods. This paper analyse the conditions that favour the concurrence between floods and sea storms in the territory of Reggio Calabria. This analysis can be extended to other areas with characteristics that are similar to those of Reggio Calabria
Validation of a wave energy converter numerical model through small scale laboratory measurements
Get PDFIn the field of Engineering, research has conveniently exploited the fluids for energy production. The possibility to use marine renewable energy is still under development, in particular, among the wave energy converter devices the U-OWC systems are the most promising. The main objective of this work is to validate a numerical model with an experimental campaign that aims to simulate the flow field in front of the breakwater and inside the U-OWC. The tests were carried out to understand the hydrodynamic behaviour of the device in regular wave conditions, inside a flume with rectangular section, equipped by a piston-type wave-maker and a U-OWC device, reproducing the REWEC caisson installed in the Natural Ocean Engineering Laboratory (NOEL) of Reggio Calabria, with a 1:13.5 scale. Measurements of the water free surface were used exclusively to validate the 2D numerical model developed through the Ansys Fluent Computational FluidDynamics (CFD) Software. The numerical model solves the fluid flow field using the RANS equations, in which the air-water interaction governed by this set of partial difference equations is solved with the Finite Volume Method (FVM). In conclusion, results related to the energy efficiency of the caisson were extrapolated from the validated numerical model
The Geo-boxplot. A tool for spatial synthesis
No full textThe Boxplot is a statistical tool based on the fundamental characteristics of a distribution. Introduced by Tukey in 1969, it is widely used for its great strength of exemplification. As known, the graph shows a rectangle (Box) with limits placed on the first and third quartiles; deviations from the median and extreme values are also identified, to immediately display a summary of the shape of the distribution. Using geographic data, this brief note discusses the possibility of making a similar representation capable of exploiting the geographic element. This reasoning is based on the introduction of a cumulative function of the geographic data values calculated on the distance from a predetermined point. Once the cumulative frequency has been valued, it is possible to consider the concept of "deep average" introduced by Tukey himself for the Bagplot, which allows to divide the plane of the bivariate distribution into two equal parts. This tool can also be developed in an ArcGIS environment where, after defining a representative point of a geographical distribution - the median center – the tool allows to divide the observations into two equal parts according to their functional distance from this point. Such graphical representations allow to compare different phenomena occurring in the same places and summarise them using geographical concentration indicators
DNA barcoding unveils the first record of Andrena allosa for Italy and unexpected genetic diversity in Andrena praecox (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae)
Get PDFDNA barcoding is well-known to support morphological species identification and it can be helpful for unveiling unexpected populations divergence patterns, especially in the context of the impacts on species posed by global change. In this note, we provided the first Italian record of the alpine mining bee Andrena allosa Warncke, 1975, confirmed with DNA barcoding. In addition, genetic identification of a specimen of Andrena praecox (Scopoli 1753) from western Italy pointed to an unexpected intraspecific genetic structuring at COI DNA barcoding region, with sequences from the Italian and the western sector of its global distribution differing 2.22% (p-dist) from populations of the eastern sector. Given the relevance of these records and of the genetic identity of bee populations from Italy, we argue that implementing molecular surveys in bee monitoring would surely contribute to the conservation of these important pollinators
Hoverfly diversity in Mareschi alluvial alder forest (Piedmont, Italy), and “Syrph the Net” ecological analysis (Diptera: Syrphidae)
Get PDFThis paper presents the results of the one-year field research into the hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Mareschi, in Sant’Antonino di Susa municipality. The sampling activities were performed with Malaise trap, emerging trap, and entomological net. Monitoring was carried out from March to October 2018 in the over-mature alder forest, classified under the Natura 2000 Habitat code 91E0, considered as a priority in EU 92/43 Habitats Directive. Preliminary data from July to October 2017 are also included. Overall, 74 species were recorded, with the first records of 7 species for Piedmont. Some of the observed species in Mareschi are of primary conservation importance, such as Arctophila superbiens (Müller, 1776), Sphiximorpha subsessilis (Illiger in Rossi, 1807) and Temnostoma bombylans (Fabricius, 1805). The use of Syrph the Net analysis and the comparison with other woods in Po Plain confirm the high naturalistic value of the studied area
An Experimental setup for combined wave-current flow interacting at a right angle over a plane beach
Get PDFIn the present work an investigation on combined wave-current orthogonal flow over a planar beach is presented. A series of tests have been carried out in an experimental tank, in which a wavemaker coupled with a flow recirculation system allows the superposition of an oscillatory flow over an orthogonal steady current. Waves and current interact over a fixed smooth bed with a 1:25 sloping profile. Current only and wave plus current tests have been performed, during which surface elevation and velocity profiles measurements have been recovered. Velocity measurements have been carried out at different positions in the tank in order to investigate effects on the velocity profile determined by presence of the sloping bottom at different depths. Results of current only tests showed that a satisfactory steady current is achieved within the tank, although presence of a minor recirculation effect determines a mean flow to arise in the direction orthogonal to the current. Superposition of waves determines a mean momentum transfer on current, which results in an increased current velocity and a reduction of the recirculation effect
Wave induced hydrodynamics field around a long submerged groin: the case study of the Latina (Italy) nuclear power plant cooling system intake
Get PDFThis study aims to reproduce the hydrodynamics (waves, currents and sediment transport) in the area surrounding the submerged cooling system of the Latina nuclear power plant (Latium region, Italy) in order to investigate the morphodynamic origin of the observed submarine channel. The bathymetry survey of the area revealed the presence of a rip canyon on the east flank of the structure. This structure is made up of two submerged pipelines, 700 m long, covered by a submerged rubble mound and extends to the -6 m isobath. From a morphological point of view, it could be considered as a “long submerged groin”, being the local closure depth of about 8 m. The XBeach numerical model was applied to an idealized bathymetry with a submerged groin in order to confirm the formation of a rip current on the east flank of the structure, which causes loss of sediment seaward. Numerical simulations reveal that the nearshore circulation mainly depends on the incident wave angle and also demonstrate that the rip current occurs for a limited range of mean wave directions