63 research outputs found
A new experimental snow avalanche test site at Seehore peak in Aosta Valley (NW Italian Alps) - Part II: Engineering aspects
No full textThe estimate of the effects produced by the impact of a snow avalanche against an obstacle is of the utmost importance in designing safe mountain constructions. For this purpose, an ad-hoc instrumented obstacle was designed and built in order to measure impact forces of small and medium snow avalanches at Seehore peak (NW Italian Alps). The structural design had to consider several specific and unusual demands dictated by the difficult environment. In this article, the new test facility is described from the engineering point of view, discussing the most important aspects of the analyzed problems which were solved before and after the construction. The performance of the instrumented obstacle in the first two operating seasons, and some proposals for future upgrading are eventually illustrate
Estimation of soil redistribution rates due to snow cover related processes in a mountainous area (Valle d'Aosta, NW Italy)
No full textMountain areas are widely affected by soil erosion, which is generally linked to runoff processes occurring in the growing season and snowmelt period. Also processes like snow gliding and full-depth snow avalanches may be important factors that can enhance soil erosion, however the role and importance of snow movements as agents of soil redistribution are not well understood yet. The aim of this study was to provide information on the relative importance of snow related processes in comparison to runoff processes. In the study area, which is an avalanche path characterized by intense snow movements, soil redistribution rates were quantified with two methods: (i) by field measurements of sediment yield in an avalanche deposition area during 2009 and 2010 winter seasons; (ii) by caesium-137 method, which supplies the cumulative net soil loss/gain since 1986, including all the soil erosion processes. The snow related soil accumulation estimated with data from the deposit area (27.5 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> event<sup>−1</sup> and 161.0 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> event<sup>−1</sup>) was not only higher than the yearly sediment amounts, reported in literature, due to runoff processes, but it was even more intense than the yearly total deposition rate assessed with <sup>137</sup>Cs (12.6 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>). The snow related soil erosion rates estimated from the sediment yield at the avalanche deposit area (3.7 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> and 20.8 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) were greater than the erosion rates reported in literature and related to runoff processes; they were comparable to the yearly total erosion rates assessed with the <sup>137</sup>Cs method (13.4 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> and 8.8 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>). The <sup>137</sup>Cs method also showed that, where the ground avalanche does not release, the erosion and deposition of soil particles from the upper part of the basin was considerable and likely related to snow gliding. Even though the comparison of both the approaches is linked to high methodological uncertainties, mainly due to the different spatial and temporal scales considered, we still can deduce, from the similarity of the erosion rates, that soil redistribution in this catchment is driven by snow movement, with a greater impact in comparison to the runoff processes occurring in the snow-free season. Nonetheless, the study highlights that soil erosion processes due to the snow movements should be considered in the assessment of soil vulnerability in mountain areas, as they significantly determine the pattern of soil redistribution
Interferenza valanghiva con le costruzioni: misure e analisi di impatto valanghivo sull'ostacolo strumentato della Punta Seehore.
No full text
Seasonal monitoring of snow properties by WCR and up-GPR
No full textThe upward Ground Penetrating Radar (upGPR) permits to monitor in time lapse the snow properties using a single antenna or an array of several antennas, disposed on the soil and radiating upward (on the snow). Water Content Reflectometer (WCR) is a special TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) system to monitor the electrical permittivity of soil and snow. We discuss the effectiveness of an integrated monitoring using an up-GPR with an antenna of 1500 MHz and WCR sensor on the snow and into the ground. The data acquisition refers to the winter season 2014-15, in a test site of interest for monitoring and prediction of avalanche phenonema in the Italian alps, at elevation of 2.100 m a.s.l. GPR data permit to monitor the different phases of snow accumulation and layering of the snowpack during the season, while the analisys of WCR data allow us to estimate with good accuracy density and water content of the snow. Particularly, the uppermost layers are characterized by density in the range between 250-300 kg/m3, while at deeper level, density values are around 400-450 kg/m
The experimental snow avalanche test site at Seehore peak in Aosta Valley (IT) - MAP3 ALCOTRA project
No full text«PrevRisk enfants»: awareness raising and education of young people about the natural hazards in the mountains
No full textStrategies to develop therapeutic N- and O-hyperglycosylated proteins
No full textGlycoengineering by N- and/or O-hyperglycosylation represents a procedure to introduce potential sitesfor adding N- and/or O-glycosyl structures to proteins with the aim of producing biotherapeutics withimproved pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. In this chapter, a detailed description of thesteps routinely performed to generate new proteins having high content of N- and/or O-glycosyl moietiesis carried out. The rational strategy involves the initial stage of designing N- and/or O-hyperglycosylatedmuteins to be expressed by mammalian cells and includes the upstream and downstream processing stagesnecessary to develop hyperglycosylated versions of the proteins of interest with the purpose of beginningthe long road toward producing biobetters.Fil: Gugliotta, Agustina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Laboratorio de Cultivos Celulares; ArgentinaFil: Ceaglio, Natalia Analia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Etcheverrigaray, Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Laboratorio de Cultivos Celulares; ArgentinaFil: Kratje, Ricardo Bertoldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Roggero, Marcos Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin
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