6 research outputs found
Anthropogenic Noise and Its Footprint on ELF Schumann Resonance Recordings
No full textA set of various short artificial disturbances from rifle firings, car engine operation, car radio, shakings of the apparatus, etc., were generated deliberately near our ELF recording stations in order to identify their footprint on the recordings of atmospheric electromagnetic radiation in the Schumann resonance (SR) band (from about 2–50 Hz). Such disturbances simulate anthropogenic noises from hunters, hikers, campers, etc., which may occur in a remote-isolated ELF recording station. We expect that our work will assist fellow scientists to differentiate between artificial signals created from anthropogenic activity and real signals attributable to geophysical phenomena
From the History of Boka: Florio Family from Prčanj
No full textObitelj Florio ubrajala se u 18. i 19. stoljeću među vodeće pomorskotrgovačke obitelji iz bokeljskog naselja Prčanj, a njihovi su zapaženi potomci imali nemalu ulogu u raznim sastavnicama gospodarske i kulturne razmjene između dviju jadranskih obala. Tragom postojećih saznanja iz historiografije, kao i na osnovu uvida u arhivsku građu iz Istorijskog arhiva u Kotoru i (u većem opsegu) Arhiva bratovštine Sv. Jurja i Tripuna u Mlecima, u ovom se prilogu kronološki prikazuje djelovanje pojedinih članova obitelji Florio. Ponajprije se obrađuje njihov udio u bokeljskom i jadranskom pomorstvu i brodarstvu, ali i njihova uloga u društvenoj, crkvenoj i kulturnoj povijesti Prčanja.In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Florio family was among the leading families of shipowners and traders in Prčanj, Boka Kotorska (The Bay of Kotor). Their prominent members contributed to the development of lively economic and cultural ties between the two Adriatic coasts. Based on the available historiographic material, as well as archive sources from the Historical Archives in Kotor and the Archives of the Confraternity of SS Giorgio e Trifone in Venice, this article aims to trace the lives and activities of certain members of the Florio family. Main emphasis is placed on their participation in the shipping and maritime commerce of Boka, and broader of the Adriatic, but also their role in the social, economic and cultural history of Prčanj. A separate section deals with the participation of the Florios in the Croatian Confraternity of SS Giorgio e Trifone in Venice, around which most of Croatian immigrants gathered. The author concludes that the sea- and tradeoriented families of Boka represent a most resourceful research topic, the aspects of which are still understudied and moderately evaluated
Possible earthquake forecasting in a narrow space-time-magnitude window
No full textWe analyzed an extended time series of Schumann Resonance recordings with two multi-parametric statistical methods, the generalized linear Logistic Regression—LogReg and the non-linear Random Forest—RF, in order to test their potential for earthquake prediction within a narrow time-space-magnitude window of 48 h, 250 km from our observing site, and events higher than magnitude 4 of the Richter scale. The LogReg method identified the power of the signal within our 10-min recording intervals as the main seismic precursor parameter. The RF method obtained promising results that will improve with continuous enrichment of the running data sample with new data. We conclude that a systematic analysis of Schumann Resonance recordings may lead to satisfactory levels of seismic prediction. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature
Pre-seismic Electromagnetic Perturbations in Two Earthquakes in Northern Greece
No full textTwo medium-magnitude earthquakes separated by a distance of 230 km occurred within 34 days from each other in Northern Greece. A few hours before the manifestation of seismic activity, significant extra-low-frequency (ELF) perturbations were detected in a nearby Schumann resonance observation site. The typical spectrum of ELF measurements was deformed with the appearance of an enhanced spectral feature in the frequency range 20–25 Hz. A logit regression model was applied to the data to examine whether ELF perturbations could be considered as precursors of seismic activity. In general, two earthquakes so close to each other (in space, time, and magnitude) form a unique opportunity for the study of characteristic features of pre-seismic ultra-low-frequency (ULF)/ELF perturbations. Quantitative results from a simple nonlinear statistical model support the idea that there is some kind of physical interaction between seismic and atmospheric ELF activities, and that ELF measurements could potentially be used as a useful tool in the forecasting of seismic activity. © 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG
The flare likelihood and region eruption forecasting (FLARECAST) project: flare forecasting in the big data & machine learning era
No full textThe European Union funded the FLARECAST project, that ran from January 2015 until February 2018. FLARECAST had a research-to-operations (R2O) focus, and accordingly introduced several innovations into the discipline of solar flare forecasting. FLARECAST innovations were: first, the treatment of hundreds of physical properties viewed as promising flare predictors on equal footing, extending multiple previous works; second, the use of fourteen (14) different machine learning techniques, also on equal footing, to optimize the immense Big Data parameter space created by these many predictors; third, the establishment of a robust, three-pronged communication effort oriented toward policy makers, space-weather stakeholders and the wider public. FLARECAST pledged to make all its data, codes and infrastructure openly available worldwide. The combined use of 170+ properties (a total of 209 predictors are now available) in multiple machine-learning algorithms, some of which were designed exclusively for the project, gave rise to changing sets of best-performing predictors for the forecasting of different flaring levels, at least for major flares. At the same time, FLARECAST reaffirmed the importance of rigorous training and testing practices to avoid overly optimistic pre-operational prediction performance. In addition, the project has (a) tested new and revisited physically intuitive flare predictors and (b) provided meaningful clues toward the transition from flares to eruptive flares, namely, events associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These leads, along with the FLARECAST data, algorithms and infrastructure, could help facilitate integrated space-weather forecasting efforts that take steps to avoid effort duplication. In spite of being one of the most intensive and systematic flare forecasting efforts to-date, FLARECAST has not managed to convincingly lift the barrier of stochasticity in solar flare occurrence and forecasting: solar flare prediction thus remains inherently probabilistic
SCRIVERE DI MAFIA. «L'ORA» DI PALERMO TRA POLITICA, CULTURA E ISTITUZIONI (1954-75)
No full textQuesta ricerca ripercorre la vicenda del quotidiano palermitano «L’Ora» sotto la direzione di Vittorio Nisticò (1954-75), indagando, specificamente, il ruolo ch’esso ebbe nel dibattito sulla mafia. La prima parte delinea un quadro della convulsa situazione siciliana post-bellica, segnata, fra l’altro, dalla creazione della Regione autonoma e dalle lotte popolari per la terra. Fu in tale clima di mobilitazioni collettive e di innovazioni istituzionali che il gruppo storico del giornale svolse il proprio apprendistato politico e che il futuro editore, il Partito comunista, si attestò su una linea accesamente regionalista.
Nel 1954 i comunisti acquisirono l’antico giornale dei Florio con l’intento di portare consensi alle sinistre, allora deboli e isolate sia a Palermo sia nelle altre città siciliane. L’idea era quella di impiegare l’istituto autonomistico come luogo d’interlocuzione politica, promuovendo larghe intese in nome del rinnovamento e dello sviluppo dell’isola, ovvero della difesa dei comuni interessi siciliani. È in quest’ottica che viene spiegata l’opzione “sicilianista” del quotidiano, venuta alla ribalta in concomitanza dell’Operazione Milazzo (ottobre 1958), quando in Sicilia si formò un governo anomalo che comprendeva dissidenti democristiani (a cominciare dal presidente Silvio Milazzo), la destra monarchica e quella neofascista, e che si reggeva sull’appoggio esterno di socialisti e comunisti. «L’Ora», che da sin dall’arrivo di Nisticò alla direzione propugnava soluzioni di unità autonomistica, sostenne con determinazione il milazzismo, assumendo un protagonismo politico senza precedenti.
Contestualmente viene delineata la figura del direttore, Nisticò, il quale ebbe dai vertici del Pci il mandato di non uniformarsi al dogmatismo comunista, evitando dunque chiusure settarie e pregiudiziali. Nisticò si attenne all’incarico, muovendosi in verità con più autonomia di quanta il Partito volesse concedergli, reclutando giornalisti e collaboratori di vaglia in una logica professionale più che di appartenenza politica. Ne discese un rapporto non semplice con l’editore-partito, come testimonia l’esame dei carteggi tra Nisticò e il responsabile della stampa comunista, Amerigo Terenzi.
La tesi traccia dunque una distinzione tra la linea “sicilianista”, che ebbe modo di accentuarsi durante i governi Milazzo (1958-60), e quella propriamente antimafia che il giornale percorse con enfasi crescente a partire dalla prima inchiesta organica dell’autunno 1958. L’analisi permette di comprendere come la seconda si sia sviluppata in forza delle circostanze e, segnatamente, dell’escalation di violenza registratasi in quel periodo tra Palermo e provincia. L’elaborato tratteggia le figure dei giornalisti e intellettuali impegnati nel primo e più rilevante tentativo postbellico d’interpretazione del fenomeno mafioso; esamina, anche sulla base di documenti d’archivio, i reportage a puntate realizzati dal quotidiano, registrandone talora gli aspetti contraddittori e mitologici; si sofferma, fra l’altro, sulla pubblicazione di testimonianze d’eccezionale valore conoscitivo come la confessione del medico mafioso Melchiorre Allegra, rinvenuta dal cronista Mauro De Mauro, le memorie del capomafia italo-americano Nick Gentile, curate da Felice Chilanti, e il Rapporto del tenente dei carabinieri Mario Malausa.
Ciò che emerge è un originale modello di giornalismo investigativo, imperniato sulla critica delle fonti, sul coraggio professionale e su una forte spinta etico-politica. La ricerca mostra come la circolarità di conoscenze promossa dal giornale e, più in generale, il suo appoggio ai reparti investigativi e alla Commissione parlamentare d’inchiesta sulla mafia – istituita nel 1963 – abbiano alimentato un virtuoso meccanismo di sensibilizzazione, concorrendo peraltro a fondare il concetto di “antimafia” nell’accezione che assunse nei decenni successivi: quella di un sostegno di gruppi politici e opinione pubblica alle forze dell’ordine e alla legalità.This research retraces the history of the Palermitan newspaper «L’Ora» under the Vittorio Nisticò’s direction (1954-75) and investigates its role in the public debate on the Mafia. The first part outlines a view of the convulsive Sicilian post-war situation, distinguished, among other things, by the creation of the Autonomous Region and the popular struggles for the land property. In this season of collective mobilization and high expectations the newspaper’s historical group carried out its political apprenticeship and the future publisher, the Italian Communist Party, lined up on a strong regionalist policy.
In 1954 the Communists acquired the Florios’ ancient newspaper, aiming to bring consensus to the left-wing parties, weak and isolated both in Palermo and in the other Sicilian cities. The goal was to use the Autonomous Region concept as a place for political dialogue and to promote crossing alliances in the name of the renovation and development of the island and in defence of the common Sicilian interests. In this perspective, the thesis explains the newspaper’s distinct Sicilianist option. This policy particularly emerged in conjunction with the Operation Milazzo (October 1958), when an anomalous government, which included Christian Democrat dissidents (as the President Silvio Milazzo himself), the monarchist and the neo-fascist right-wings and which stood on the external support of Communists and Socialists, was formed in Sicily. «L’Ora», which had been advocating autonomist unity solutions since the beginning of Nisticò’s direction, strongly supported the milazzism and took on a political role with no precedents.
At the same time, a specific attention is dedicated to the figure of the director, Nisticò, who had the mandate from the PCI’s leaders to not conform the newspaper policy to the communist dogmatism, to avoid detrimental closures. Nisticò complied with the assignment, acting with more autonomy than the Party wanted to grant him, and co-opted worthy journalists and collaborators in more professional than political logic. It resulted in a difficult relationship with the party-publisher, as highlighted by the correspondence with the head of the communist press, Amerigo Terenzi.
Therefore, the thesis draws a distinction between the Sicilianist line, intensified during the Milazzo’s governments (1958-60), and the properly anti-Mafia one that the newspaper had been following with increasing emphasis from the first organic investigation series in autumn 1958. The analysis allows us to understand how the anti-Mafia line evolved under the particular circumstances of the escalation of violence which occurred in that period in Palermo and its province, and especially in Corleone. The thesis outlines the figures of journalists and intellectuals involved in the first and most important post-fascism attempt to represent the Mafia phenomenon; it examines, evaluating archival documents too, the reports made by the newspaper, sometimes recording their contradictory and mythological aspects; it focuses on the publishing of impressive documents such as the confession of the mobster doctor Melchiorre Allegra found by the journalist Mauro De Mauro, the memories of the Italian-American Mafia boss Nick Gentile edited by Felice Chilanti and the Report of the lieutenant of the Carabinieri Mario Malausa.
The research shows how the circularity of the knowledge promoted by the newspaper and, more generally, its support to the investigative departments and to the Parliament Commission of Inquiry on the Mafia – established in 1963 – fuelled a virtuous awareness-raising mechanism, contributing to set up the concept of anti-Mafia in the meaning that it would assume in the following decades: a support by the political groups and the public opinion to the forces of law and order
