OA Earth-prints Repository
Not a member yet
16457 research outputs found
Sort by
Drone-Based Photogrammetry and Morphological Characterization of the Salse del Dragone Mud Volcanoes: Integrating Multidisciplinary Data for Future Exploration
No full textThis study investigates the Salse del Dragone mud volcanoes, located in the Apennine region of Italy, using an integrated approach that combines drone-based Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry, morphological analysis, and the integration of diverse datasets. The primary focus is on high-resolution terrain mapping and characterization through SfM-derived data. The observations were made using point-to-reference primitive distance thematic maps to emphasize the main features of the distributions of the measured points on the ground. Detailed surface features, including active gas emission points and surrounding topography, are thoroughly analyzed. The research also incorporates additional subsurface data obtained from passive seismic measurements, gas emission records, and satellite imagery to develop a comprehensive understanding of the area’s dynamics. These efforts aim to estimate the extruded mass volume and assess the spatial distribution of the phenomenon, which appears to be more extensive than previously thought. The study reveals significant morphological anomalies, highlighting the need for further investigation, which will soon be extended to neighboring areas. This research is part of the PROMUD project, funded by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).PublishedJCR Journa
Application of the BNDVI index as proxy for burn severity assessment
No full textBurn severity assessment is of paramount importance to evaluate the likelihood of post-fire debris flows and landslides. These processes are more likely to occur in steep landscapes burned with high severity, where large amounts of white ash may result from the complete combustion of surface fuels. Ash type and cover (extent) are among the most important indicators to discriminate burn severity degrees, if timely and accurately mapped. In this work, the capability of the Blue Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (BNDVI) calculated from PlanetScope imagery is tested for the rapid mapping of white and black ash at fine spatial scale, and for using this information as proxy for burn severity assessment. The test is performed in Sicily, southern Italy, where a wildfire burned an area of about 1300 hectares on 25 July 2023. Four BNDVI maps are developed in the time span from 4 August 2023 to 17 February 2024. Two independent regression analyses are conducted to assess statistical relationships between the BNDVI index and burn severity represented by the widely used dNBR index. Results suggest a strong relationship between BNDVI and dNBR, as highlighted by Pearson correlation coefficients ranging between 0.76 and 0.88, p-value < 0.001, and a fair agreement between areas truly covered by white ash (i.e., low BNDVI) and those burned with high severity (i.e., high dNBR). In addition, the comparison of multi-temporal BNDVI maps reveals both spatial and temporal evolution of the ash cover and vegetation regrowth in the analyzed time interval.PublishedJCR Journa
AdriaArray temporary deployment in the Po Plain and Sardinia (Italy)
No full textWe present the deployment and performance of 17 temporary broadband seismic stations installed in Northern Italy and Sardinia as part of the AdriaArray project. These stations aim to densify the national seismic network, especially in areas with historically sparse coverage such as the Po Plain and Sardinia. We describe here the network design and site selection that follow high-quality standards developed during previous large-scale European seismic experiments. Despite challenging environmental and anthropogenic conditions, the stations recorded high-quality data, enabling both local and teleseismic event detection. We analyze the seismic noise characteristics across the network using probabilistic power spectral densities and observe that stations installed in sedimentary basins typically show higher noise levels at short periods, while stations in rock sites-especially in Sardinia-generally perform better. The use of different sensor types and installation methods also influences noise behavior, particularly in the long-period components. Despite the diverse conditions, the stations allow for the recording of both local and teleseismic events. The addition of the 4P stations improves the network's detection threshold by approximately 0.4 magnitude units in Sardinia and 0.2 in the North Italy. The open-access data from this deployment contribute to AdriaArray's broader goals of advancing seismic imaging and geodynamic interpretation in the Mediterranean region.PublishedOST1 Alla ricerca dei Motori GeodinamiciJCR Journa
El Niño and droughts in Southeast Asia: A stochastic-chaotic modeling approach
No full textHAL is a multidisciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.PublishedOSA2: Evoluzione climatica: effetti e loro mitigazioneJCR Journa
ProbShakemap: A Python toolbox propagating source uncertainty to ground motion prediction for urgent computing applications
No full textSeismic urgent computing enables early assessment of an earthquake’s impact by delivering rapid simulation-based ground-shaking forecasts. This information can be used by local authorities and disaster risk managers to inform decisions about rescue and mitigation activities in the affected areas. Uncertainty quantification for urgent computing applications stands as one of the most challenging tasks. Present-day practice accounts for the uncertainty stemming from Ground Motion Models (GMMs), but neglects the uncertainty originating from the source model, which, in the first minutes after an earthquake, is only known approximately. In principle, earthquake source uncertainty can be propagated to ground motion predictions with physics-based simulations of an ensemble of earthquake scenarios capturing source variability. However, full ensemble simulation is unfeasible under emergency conditions with strict time constraints. Here we present ProbShakemap, a Python toolbox that generates multi-scenario ensembles and delivers ensemble-based forecasts for urgent source uncertainty quantification. The toolbox implements GMMs to efficiently propagate source uncertainty from the ensemble of scenarios to ground motion predictions at a set of Points of Interest (POIs), while also accounting for model uncertainty (by accommodating multiple GMMs, if available) along with their intrinsic uncertainty. ProbShakemap incorporates functionalities from two open-source toolboxes routinely implemented in seismic hazard and risk analyses: the USGS ShakeMap software and the OpenQuake-engine. ShakeMap modules are implemented to automatically select the set and weights of GMMs available for the region struck by the earthquake, whereas the OpenQuake-engine libraries are used to compute ground shaking over a set of points by randomly sampling the available GMMs. ProbShakemap provides the user with a set of tools to explore, at each POI, the predictive distribution of ground motion values encompassing source uncertainty, model uncertainty and the inherent GMMs variability. Our proposed method is quantitatively tested against the 30 October 2016 Mw 6.5 Norcia, and the 6 February 2023 Mw 7.8 Pazarcik earthquakes. We also illustrate the differences between ProbShakemap and ShakeMap output.Published105748JCR Journa
Seismic noise characterization for the Buddusò–Ala dei Sardi wind park (Sardinia, Italy) and its impact on the Einstein Telescope candidate site
No full textWind turbines generate considerable seismic noise
and interfere with sensitive instruments, such as permanent
and temporary seismic sensors installed nearby, hampering
their detection capabilities. This study investigates the seis-
mic noise emission from one of Italy’s largest wind farms,
consisting of 69 turbines (2 MW each), located in northeast-
ern Sardinia. Characterizing the noise emission from this
wind farm is of particular importance due to its proximity
to the Italian candidate site for hosting the Einstein Tele-
scope (ET), the third-generation observatory for gravitational
waves. We run a passive seismic experiment, “Wind turbIne
Noise assEsSment in the Italian site candidate for Einstein
Telescope” (WINES), using a linear array of nine broadband
stations, installed at increasing distances from the wind farm.
Spectral analysis, based on the retrieval of spectrograms and power spectral densities at all stations, shows a significant in-
crease in noise amplitude when the wind farm is in operation.
The reconstruction of noise polarization points out that the
noise wavefield originates from a direction consistent with
the wind farm’s location. We recognize four dominant fixed
spectral peaks at 3.4, 5.0, 6.8, and 9.5 Hz, corresponding to
the modes of vibration of the wind turbine towers. While de-
creasing in amplitude with distance, the 3.4 Hz peak remains
detectable up to 13 km from the nearest turbine. Assuming an
amplitude decay model of the form r−α, where r is the dis-
tance, we estimate a damping factor of α∼2, which remains
rather constant for each of the four main peaks, an observa-
tion that we relate to the good geomechanical characteristics
of the local terrain, consisting of granitoid rocks. To better
evaluate the possible impact of the wind farm noise emission on the ET, we also analyze the seismic data from two per-
manent stations bordering the ET candidate site area, each
equipped with both a surface sensor and a borehole sensor at
approximately 250 m depth. Power spectral density analysis
for the surface and borehole sensors exhibits similar results
and very low noise levels. When the wind farm operates at
full capacity, the borehole sensors show an effective noise
suppression at depth in the frequency range of interest (1–
10 Hz). However, small residual spectral peaks at 3.4 Hz and
between 4–6 Hz remain detectable.PublishedJCR Journa
Pre-1500s earthquakes in Ferrara (NE Italy) and an overrated source: first results of a critical revision
No full textIn the frame of the PRIN 2020 NASA4SHA project, a revision of the seismic record of the Ferrara (NE Italy) area was started for the period prior to A.D. 1500. Eleven earthquakes dated from 1234 to 1495 A.D. were considered. Nine of them are listed by the latest Italian parametric catalogue, CPTI15 v. 4.0, with epicentral parameters mostly derived from decade-old reference studies. Other two earthquakes are listed only by the oldest Italian parametric catalogue and had never been studied at all. The evidence available was critically analysed and placed in its proper historical context, special care being paid to a single source that, alone, provides evidence on several earthquakes. Some earthquakes result to have been overestimated, others appear to be non-existent and should be deleted from the catalogue.PublishedJCR Journa
Unravelling late Quaternary coastal evolution through a multidisciplinary approach: A case study from southwestern Sicily (Italy).
No full textWe present new lithostratigraphic, micropaleontological, and chronological evidence for the Late Quaternary evolution of the Carboj River mouth along the southwestern Sicilian coastline. Field mapping, micropaleontological analysis, and luminescence dating reveal a narrow, elevated coastal landform, the Maragani relief, capped by a flat surface underlined by marine sands dated to ~77 ka (MIS 5a). This surface, perched at ~55 m a.s.l., overlies the Early Pleistocene Agrigento Formation, assigned to the middle Calabrian, establish-ing a vertical stratigraphy spanning nearly one and half million years.
Unlike the classic stepped terraces typical of the region, the Maragani relief lacks fluvial incision and shows no evidence of marine abrasion. Instead, its geometry, lithology, and tectonic context support interpretation as a relict wave-built mouth bar formed during a sea-level stillstand and later uplifted by regional deformation associated with the Sicilian Fold and Thrust Belt.
This study shows that even single localized coastal features can capture the combined effects of tectonic uplift and sea-level change. By focusing on the Maragani relief, we highlight how site-specific landforms, often overlooked, can offer valuable insight into Qua-ternary landscape evolution along the Mediterranean margins.PublishedOSA4: Ambiente marino, fascia costiera ed Oceanografia operativaOST1 Alla ricerca dei Motori GeodinamiciOST2 Deformazione e Hazard sismico e da maremotoN/A or not JC
Soil Radon time Series from the Italian Radon Monitoring Network (IRON)
No full textCondividiamo misurazioni continue e a lungo termine delle esalazioni di radon nel suolo in Italia, acquisite dalla Rete Italiana di Monitoraggio del Radon (IRON) dal 2009 al 2021. Le concentrazioni di radon sono state misurate in 62 stazioni e consistono con 621.720 singole misurazioni. I rivelatori impiegati sono sia prototipi interni (LUCAS) che dispositivi commerciali (AER di Algade©), opportunamente calibrati presso il laboratorio radionuclidi dell'INGV. Oltre alla concentrazione di radon, la maggior parte delle stazioni acquisisce la temperatura interna, mentre un sottoinsieme di esse registra anche l'umidità relativa. Quando disponibili, tutte queste serie di dati vengono fornite insieme alle serie temporali del radon e consistono in 1.320.710 dati locali di temperatura e umidità. Il set di dati presentato consente di monitorare le variazioni delle emissioni di radon su più scale temporali, utilizzando diverse tecniche di analisi. Le possibili indagini includono l'effetto dei parametri/condizioni ambientali sulle emissioni di radon, lo studio dell'impatto su tali emissioni di segnali transitori come quelli associati ai processi di preparazione sismica e vulcanica e alle dinamiche di migrazione dei fluidi, nonché analisi del rischio per la salute umana, correlato all'esposizione prolungata al gas radon accumulato in spazi confinati.We share long term, continuous measurements of soil radon emanations in Italy acquired from 2009 to 2021 by the Italian Radon mOnitoring Network (IRON). The radon concentrations were measured at 62 stations and consist of 621 720 single measurements. Employed detectors are both in-house prototypes (LUCAS) and commercial devices (AER by Algade©), suitably calibrated at INGV radionuclide laboratory. In addiction to radon concentration, most stations acquire internal temperature, while a subset of them also record relative humidity. When available, all these data series are provided along with radon time series and consist of 1 320 710 local temperature and humidity data. The presented dataset allows monitoring variations in radon emissions on multiple time scales, using different analysis techniques. Potential investigations include the effect of environmental parameters/conditions on radon emissions, the study of the impact on such emissions of transient signals like those associated with seismic and volcanic preparation processes and fluid migration dynamics as well as analyses of risk for human health, related to prolonged exposure to radon gas accumulated in confined spaces.PublishedOST5 Verso un nuovo MonitoraggioOST2 Deformazione e Hazard sismico e da maremotoJCR Journa
Impact of the intensity assessment on the macroseismic parameters of earthquakes in Italy
No full textMacroseismic intensity classifies the ground shaking at a locality by comparing the observed
effects on humans and buildings with the scenarios characterizing each intensity degree ac-
cording to a macroseismic scale. This practice may involve uncertainty in assessing intensity
degree due to several factors. These uncertainties propagate to subsequent elaborations, such as
the parameters of pre-instrumental earthquakes determined from macroseismic data. In Italy,
more than 60% of the earthquakes in CPTI15, the Italian Parametric Earthquake Catalogue
covering the period 1000–2020, rely on intensity data collected in DBMI15, the Italian Macro-
seismic Database. Their parameters are estimated with the ‘Boxer’ software, which determines
the location and magnitude starting from their macroseismic intensity distributions. In this
work, we explore the potential impact of possible inaccurate intensity assessments at a single
site on macroseismic parameters (i.e. locations and magnitudes) of Italian earthquakes. We
select 1108 earthquakes with at least 10 intensity data points from CPTI15 that occurred in the
period 1279–2020. For each event, we simulate more than 100 sets of intensity distributions,
for a total of 138.327 simulations, by varying the intensities at the sites of ±1 with a half-degree
step starting from the intensity of DBMI15. Each simulated distribution is then parametrized
using the same approach adopted by CPTI15 (i.e. Boxer), and the results are compared with
the macroseismic epicentre and magnitude of CPTI15. The resulting parameters from all the
simulated distributions are coherent with those provided by CPTI15. Locations estimates are
within 5 km from CPTI15’s for 55% of the cases, and within 10 km for 83%. The magnitudes
of 68 % of simulations are within ± 0.2 units of difference from the CPTI15 magnitudes and
87% within ± 0.3 units, similar to the statistical error of instrumental magnitude estimation.
Moreover, we treat uncertain intensity values (i.e. 6–7) as equally representative of either the
lowest intensity level (i.e. 6–7 as 6) and the highest intensity level (i.e. 6–7 as 7), and we
analyse their impact on the parameters. The differences with the CPTI15 magnitude are not
significant for either analysis, with more than 97.7% of the earthquakes falling within ± 0.3
units of difference.PublishedJCR Journa