130,414 research outputs found
Hydrogeological and Climatic Risks: The Emblematic Case of an Exceptional Debris Flow in Central Apennines (Italy)
No full textThe present work aims to highlight a particular event
where there was a concomitance of particular hydrogeological
and climatic conditions, unfortunately in a scenario
which could be repeated. In fact, the south-eastern
slope of Mount Vermenone (Central Apennines, Italy)
was affected by a severe landslide movement of debris
flow type. The phenomenon was triggered in the midhigh
portion where a vast and thick debris accumulation
(coarse, loose, and weakly cemented materials) was present.
The aforementioned materials, in addition to being
located on a steep slope, were frequently in a condition
of water saturation during the winter, given the presence
of springs and the characteristic impluvial form in which
they were concentrated. In January 1997, a rapid snowmelt
increased the water saturations in the thick debris,
so that the materials became unstable on the slope and
the movement is quickly activated. A fast and dense
debris flow was triggered, moving along the steep slope
down to the main valley floor: Here, the high energy
flow did not stop but continued, spreading its accumulation
almost to the built-up area. Only after several days
and months the stream was able to resume its course,
incising the huge mass of alluvial materials that can still
be seen today at the edge of the plain. In addition, the
groundwater resource also has been compromised as
some springs in the area have changed their regime or
even disappeared. The event was of considerable impact,
and given its exceptional nature, studies on the dynamics
of the landslide phenomenon were carried out. These
in particular were conducted on the possibility of reactivations
and also toward the monitoring of the adjacent
areas. In this regard, a first response from the installed
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024
H. Chenchouni et al. (eds.), Recent Advancements from Aquifers to Skies in Hydrogeology, Geoecology, and Atmospheric Sciences,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47079-0_64
D. Aringoli (*)
University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
e-mail: [email protected]
instruments was that no movement was recorded, and
therefore, we are facing a very high threshold before
triggering, probably due to the high permeability of the
materials
Progettazione degli interventi di bonifica e ripristino ambientale dei siti inquinati
No full textIl fenomeno della continua immissione di sostanze inquinanti e di rifiuti in genere nell’ambiente si sta tristemente proponendo all’attenzione di massa come uno dei maggiori problemi per un futuro sviluppo ecosostenibile del territorio nazionale e non solo. In particolare i siti inquinati rappresentano una delle principali emergenze ambientali dell’intera penisola italiana ed in particolare della Regione Marche, in virtù della consistente presenza nel territorio degli stessi, dei non trascurabili rischi di inquinamento, e soprattutto in virtù delle ingenti somme necessarie per bonificare in modo corretto tali siti, molto spesso in assenza di interventi da parte dei soggetti obbligati.
Il DM 471/99, attuativo dell’art.17 del Dlgs 22/97 (il cosiddetto Decreto Ronchi), oltre a definire quando un sito risulta inquinato e soggetto quindi a bonifica, fornisce i criteri oggettivi per una corretta applicazione delle procedure dei siti inquinati. All’art.2 si legge: “Sito inquinato: sito che presenta livelli di contaminazione del suolo o del sottosuolo o nelle acque superficiali o nelle acque sotterranee tali da determinare un pericolo per la salute o l’ambiente. E’ inquinato il sito in cui anche una sola delle sostanze inquinanti ivi riscontrate risulta superiore ai valori limiti stabiliti nel presente D.M.”.
Una corretta pianificazione ed esecuzione delle indagini costituisce, quindi, il presupposto fondamentale per la individuazione e la ricostruzione del modello concettuale del fenomeno di contaminazione, sia esso in atto che pregresso.
In questo contesto che nell’a.a. 2001/02 è nato il Master Universitario di II livello in “Progettazione degli interventi di bonifica e ripristino ambientale dei siti inquinati”, attivato presso il Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell’Università degli Studi di Camerino, in collaborazione con l’Ordine dei Geologi della Regione Marche. E’ motivo di soddisfazione elencare quali patrocinanti l’iniziativa, unica a carattere nazionale, il Ministero dell’Ambiente, la Regione Marche, l’Amministrazione Provinciale di Macerata, l’ARPA Marche, l’API di Falconara marittima, l’AQUATER di San Lorenzo in Campo, l’ENEA di Casaccia-CRE, la SIGEA, i Consigli Nazionali dei Geologi e dei Chimici.
Con tale Master, in virtù della mancanza nel panorama professionale di una figura con le competenze fortemente a connotazione interdisciplinare di cui sopra, il Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra di Camerino si è prefisso lo scopo di formare professionisti esperti per una gestione completa di un progetto di bonifica di un sito inquinato, dalla caratterizzazione iniziale del sistema, alle successive indagini, fino alle fasi finali del disinquinamento. Il tutto perfettamente in linea con le direttive del DM. 471/99 che, all’art.4, comma 4, precisa l’iter tecnico-amministrativo con il criterio prevalente della “riduzione della movimentazione, il trattamento nel sito ed il riutilizzo del suolo e dei materiali di riporto sottoposti a bonifica”.
Il Master universitario si propone sicuramente come il più valido e completo strumento per la formazione professionale in questo settore specifico della gestione dell’ambiente e del territorio, abbracciando competenze differenti nel campo della geologia e della chimica (principalmente), ma anche della biologia, della botanica, dell’ingegneria e delle scienze ambientali s.l. A differenza di altri corsi di aggiornamento o tematici su aspetti specifici e limitati del problema, in un periodo poi in cui la parola ambientale viene usata più o meno indiscriminatamente per valorizzare le iniziative sul territorio da parte di soggetti diversi, il Master universitario presenta dei requisiti ineguagliabili a livello qualitativo.
Il Master, della durata complessiva di un anno e aperto ai laureati nelle discipline scientifiche, prevede un percorso formativo suddiviso in quattro moduli che sono articolati in lezioni frontali in aula e laboratorio, lezioni FAD off/line, visite a cantieri e stage finale, presso Strutture di ricerca, Impianti, Enti, ecc.
A sottolineare l’elevata impronta specialistica ed il taglio professionale dato al Master è stata la realizzazione di giornate monotematiche dal contenuto fortemente tecnico e specialistico, tenute da esperti di Aziende del settore dei siti inquinati e del disinquinamento s.l., attraverso percorsi formativi che contemplano la descrizione di interventi specifici e/o la visite di aree a rischio, che porteranno sicuramente un contributo fondamentale alla formazione dei candidati.
Analogamente molte Aziende ed Enti hanno manifestato la loro disponibilità ad accogliere gli iscritti al Master per il periodo di stage che hanno permesso una più efficace presa di coscienza delle problematiche da affrontare sia da un punto di vista prettamente tecnico che amministrativo; in particolare sono state conclusi accordi con: Sviluppo Italia del Ministero dell’Ambiente, il Corpo Forestale dello Stato – Direzione regionale di Ancona, Unione Petrolifera di Roma, Centro RicercAmbiente dell’Università di Camerino, Api di Falconara Marittima, ENEA di Casaccia-CRE, la Regione Marche, ARPA Marche, ARPA Veneto, Golder Associates di Torino, Proger di Pescara, ENSR di Milano, Petrolchimica di Rimini, Vaneco Valori Ambientali srl di Roma, Legambiente Marche, CAE di Ancona, ECOQuality di Spinetoli.
Al termine del Master è stato rilasciato, dall’Università degli Studi di Camerino, un attestato di frequenza, con indicazione del profitto, previa verifica dell’apprendimento attraverso la discussione del progetto individuale realizzato durante lo stage ed il lavoro autonomo, da parte del Comitato Scientifico del Master. Tale attestato, con valore legale accademico, attribuisce anche 60CFU ai sensi della nuova riforma universitaria.
Al fine di garantire una qualità sia scientifico-tecnica che didattica al Master stesso e quindi una formazione altamente professionale nonché amministrativa il Comitato Scientifico vede la partecipazione di esperti nel settore del disinquinamento. Tale Comitato Scientifico è così composto: Prof. Pucciarelli, Prof. G. Crema, (UNICAM); Dott.ssa Quercia (APAT); Dott. Busuoli (ENEA – Divisione TEIN); Dott. Petruzzelli (CNR di Pisa); Dott. Paoloni (ARPAM); Ing. Mezzadri (API); Ing. Battistelli, Dott. Crestaz, (ex AQUATER S.p.A.); Dott. Mariotti (Sviluppo Italia), Dott. Aglietto (Direttore scientifico rivista “Siti Contaminati”).
Al Master, nelle tre edizioni finora svolte (a.a. 2001/02, 2002/03 e 2003/04), hanno partecipato oltre 70 studenti provenienti da diverse regioni italiane: di essi molti attualmente sono inseriti, a tempo indeterminato, in Aziende e/o Enti che operano nel settore del disinquinamento. In particolare, l’edizione del 2003/04 del Master, finanziato con i Fondi Sociali Europei, e che ha visto la partecipazione di 15 studenti più 4 studenti uditori, ha permesso l’attivazione di contratti a tempo determinato e/o assunzioni definitive a circa il 50% dei partecipanti, dimostrando, sia la crescente attenzione verso le tematiche del disinquinamento sia la necessità di avvalersi di personale altamente specializzato in settori tecnico-operativi multidisciplinari
Geomorphological evidences of natural disasters in the roman archaeological site of Carsulae (Tiber basin, Central Italy)
No full textThe Roman town of Carsulae built-up after construction of the “Flaminia Way“, whose track, studied by Caius Flaminius between 220 and the 219 a.C., was realized with the aim to link Rome with the Adriatic coast. Probably arisen from the union of several communities, its importance, testified since I century A.C. by Strabone, Pliny the Younger and Tacit, was related to the excellent elevated geographical position, which allowed the control of the vast underlying lowlands, characterized by abundance of healthy waters and fertile soil. The town, built-up over a wide travertine deposits (early Pleistocene-middle Pleistocene), is located at the bottom of the Martani Ridge at elevation of about 500 m a.s.l., north of the Terni tectonic basin (Tiber Basin). Mountain ridge, made up by Mesozoic and Cenozoic limestones, forms a very thick aquifer that feeds a lot of springs along the pedemountain area; the most important one is that of San Gemini, in the surroundings of Carsulae, well known since ancient times. The passage between travertine deposit and mountain ridge is characterized by thick continental deposits, partly covering travertine itself.
Historical sources attributed the progressive decline and abandoning of Carsulae, mainly to the construction of a new track of the Flaminia Way and, more, to strong earthquakes that destroyed almost entirely the town. Recent studies, based on historical seismicity, support the hypothesis of catastrophic earthquakes, because of the presence of many active faults; some authors assumed travertine local deformations as real co-seismic dislocations, also affecting archaeological remnants.
First geomorphological surveys, evidenced the presence of dolines, even of great extension; a big one hosts the Roman amphitheatre. Deformations observed on the surface and disarticulating the archaeological remnants, can be related to a partial collapse of the doline edge, consequently to a strong earthquake and/or to the continuous and progressive dissolution due to surface and groundwater circulation. The latter produced also severe injuries to hydraulic works, as witnessed by historical sources. Besides, huge landslide deposits containing calcareous blocks and widely covering travertine and part of the Roman theater and amphitheatre, have been recognized. Mountainwards, where calcareous bedrock outcrops and in correspondence of an active fault, wide trenches and counterslopes are visible; these landforms are certain evidences of important mass movements (large landslides and/or deep-seated gravitational slope deformations).
The present state of knowledge allows to hypothesize, among possible causes of progressive decline and desertion of the town, also the occurrence of large landslides, probably connected to seismic events and to continuous degradation of travertine plate
Geomorphological analyses and modelling of some complex mass movements in the Marches area.
No full textGeomorphological features and 3D modelling of Montelparo mass movement (Central Italy).
No full textThe ancient village of Montelparo (Marche region, Central Italy) is affected by a large translational mass movement. The relief is modeled on arenaceous and arenaceous-pelitic units overlying pelitic-arenaceous terrains; the bedding strata form a gently dipping monocline. The translational slide is about 1100 m long and 500–700 m wide. The upper boundary between the stable area and the sliding mass is marked by a large active trench near the hilltop. The main sliding surface is located at a depth ranging between 65 and 100 m, in the politic-arenaceous unit. We studied the mechanism of the slope instability along the stratigraphic contact between a rigid arenaceous unit and an underlying ductile pelitic unit. The uncovering of the contact caused by the intense downcutting processes of the river at the hill foot during the Holocene, favoured the onset of the movement. This was enhanced by the fractured bedrock and especially by the jointing. We created a numerical model based on the finite differences code FLAC_3D by using a specific approach for mesh generation. The model suggests a further enlargement and deepening of the trench, and a sliding direction not aligned with the slope dip direction. Failure in the model concentrates at and around the main trench, all the other elements staying in an elastic state and inducing a rigid sliding. The model shows that both the failure onset and the current evolutionary state can be explained by the geological and static conditions of the slope
Analysis of landslide Susceptibility and Tree Felling Due to an Extreme Event at Mid-Latitudes: Case Study of Storm Vaia, Italy
No full textStorm Vaia on 29 October 2018, hit northeastern Italy and produced extensive damage in the immediacy of the event, including extensive tree felling in some places, as well as debris flow or earth flow landslides. This study aims to assess the susceptibility of the area following extreme events by evaluating the environmental criticality during strong winds and intense precipitation. Specifically, tree felling susceptibility due to wind and landslide susceptibility due mainly to precipitation were analysed by taking into consideration the geomorphological and environmental criticality of the areas under study. In particular, the area was modelled using fluid dynamics software, allowing an understanding of wind accelerations in relation to morphology, showing excellent agreement between the tree falls that occurred during the event and the areas with the highest wind gusts. With regard to landslides, an algorithm was prepared through GIS software that took into account the debris and earth flows that were activated during the extreme event in question, allowing the creation of a susceptibility map that delineated areas of high potential hazard. The final result is a landslide and tree-fall susceptibility map that determines the fragility of the territory during an extreme event. The procedures applied in the study area can be considered as a working method that allows critical values to be obtained for extreme events that can produce damage to the environment and beyond. It follows that this research also has an immediate application purpose by helping the political decision-maker in the choice of interventions to be implemented
Ricerche storico-archeologiche e paleo-ambientali nell'area dell'Annunziata di Montecosaro
No full textIl contributo ha inteso riprendere gli studi sulle più antiche fasi del comprensorio relativo alla chiesa farfense di S. Maria a pie’ di Chienti nel Comune di Montecosaro, muovendosi all'interno di un Progetto interateneo tra Università di Macerata e Università di Camerino, mirato a ricostruire e far conoscere nuovi dati archeologici, geo-morfologici e paleoambientali sull'area anche con l'ausilio di indagini integrate di tipo strumentale
DSGSDs induced by post-glacial decompression in central Apennine (Italy)
No full textDuring the last 30 years of studies in the field of mass movements located in the calcareous-marly and marly-sandy Apennines (Umbria-Marches and Latium-Abruzzi regions), over to a large number of landslides with different dimensions, even a lot of deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSDs) have been recognized and analysed. These phenomena are also located in that sector of central Italy affected by a cold climate during the past and actually temperate (central Apennine chain)
MeSH term explosion and author rank improve expert recommendations
No full textInformation overload is an often-cited phenomenon that reduces the productivity, efficiency and efficacy of scientists. One challenge for scientists is to find appropriate collaborators in their research. The literature describes various solutions to the problem of expertise location, but most current approaches do not appear to be very suitable for expert recommendations in biomedical research. In this study, we present the development and initial evaluation of a vector space model-based algorithm to calculate researcher similarity using four inputs: 1) MeSH terms of publications; 2) MeSH terms and author rank; 3) exploded MeSH terms; and 4) exploded MeSH terms and author rank. We developed and evaluated the algorithm using a data set of 17,525 authors and their 22,542 papers. On average, our algorithms correctly predicted 2.5 of the top 5/10 coauthors of individual scientists. Exploded MeSH and author rank outperformed all other algorithms in accuracy, followed closely by MeSH and author rank. Our results show that the accuracy of MeSH term-based matching can be enhanced with other metadata such as author rank
GEV analysis of extreme rainfall: comparing different time intervals to analyse model response in terms of return levels in the study area of Central Italy
No full textThe extreme rainfall events of recent years in central Italy are producing an increase in hydrogeological risk, with disastrous flooding in terms of human lives and economic losses, as well as triggering landslide phenomena in correspondence with these events. A correct prediction of 100-year return levels could encourage better land planning, sizing works correctly according to the expected extreme events and managing emergencies more consciously through real-time alerts. In the recent period, it has been observed that the return levels predicted by the main forecasting methods for extreme rainfall events have turned out to be lower than observed within a few years. In this context, a model widely used in the literature, the generalised extreme value (GEV) with the "block maxima" approach, was used to assess the dependence of this model on the length of the collected precipitation time series and the possible addition of years with extreme events of great intensity. A total of 131 rainfall time series were collected from the Adriatic slope in central Italy comparing two periods: one characterised by 70 years of observations (1951-2020), the other by only 30 years (1991-2020). At the same time, a decision was made to analyse what the effect might be-in terms of the 100-year return level-of introducing an additional extreme event to the 1991-2020 historical series, in this case an event that actually occurred in the area on 15 September 2022. The results obtained were rather surprising, with a clear indication that the values of the 100-year return level calculated by GEV vary according to the length of the historical series examined. In particular, the shorter time series 1991-2020 provided higher return level values than those obtained from the 1951-2020 period; furthermore, the addition of the extreme event of 2022 generated even higher return level values. It follows that, as shown by the extreme precipitation events that have occurred in recent years, it is more appropriate to consider a rather short period because the ongoing climate change does not allow true estimates to be obtained using longer time series, which are preferred in the scientific literature, or possibly questioning the real reliability of the GEV model
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