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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Historical ecology reveals landscape transformation coincident with cultural development in central Italy since the Roman Period

Knowledge of the direct role humans have had in changing the landscape requires the perspective of historical and archaeological sources, as well as climatic and ecologic processes, when interpreting paleoecological records. People directly impact land at the local scale and land use decisions are strongly influenced by local sociopolitical priorities that change through time. A complete picture of the potential drivers of past environmental change must include a detailed and integrated analysis of evolving sociopolitical priorities, climatic change and ecological processes. However, there are surprisingly few localities that possess high-quality historical, archeological and high-resolution paleoecologic datasets. We present a high resolution 2700-year pollen record from central Italy and interpret it in relation to archival documents and archaeological data to reconstruct the relationship between changing sociopolitical conditions, and their effect on the landscape. Here, we found that: (1) abrupt environmental change was more closely linked to sociopolitical and demographic transformation than climate change; (2) landscape changes reflected the new sociopolitical priorities and persisted until the sociopolitical conditions shifted; (3) reorganization of new plant communities was very rapid, on the order of decades not centuries; and (4) legacies of forest management adopted by earlier societies continue to influence ecosystem services today.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Modeling earthquake effects on groundwater levels: evidences from the 2012 Emilia earthquake (Italy)

Changes in water level are commonly reported in regions struck by a seismic event. The sign and amplitude of such changes depend on the relative position of measuring points with respect to the hypocenter, and on the poroelastic properties of the rock. We apply a porous media flow model (TOUGH2) to describe groundwater flow and water-level changes associated with the first M L 5.9 mainshock of the 2012 seismic sequence in Emilia (Italy). We represent the earthquake as an instantaneous pressure step, whose amplitude was inferred from the properties of the seismic source inverted from geodetic data. The results are consistent with the evolution recorded in both deep and shallow water wells in the area and suggest that our description of the seismic event is suitable to capture both timing and magnitude of water-level changes. Finally, we draw some conclusions about the influence of material heterogeneity on the pore pressure evolution, and we show that to reproduce the observed maximum amplitude it is necessary to take into account compaction in the shallow layer.

2012 Emilia earthquake↗
DOE OSTI2018

CBF-dependent and CBF-independent regulatory pathways contribute to the differences in freezing tolerance and cold-regulated gene expression of two Arabidopsis ecotypes locally adapted to sites in Sweden and Italy

Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) increases in freezing tolerance in response to low nonfreezing temperatures, a phenomenon known as cold acclimation. The CBF regulatory pathway, which contributes to cold acclimation, includes three genes—CBF1, CBF2 and CBF3—encoding closely-related transcription factors that regulate the expression of more than 100 genes—the CBF regulon—that impart freezing tolerance. Here we compare the CBF pathways of two Arabidopsis ecotypes collected from sites in Sweden (SW) and Italy (IT). Previous studies showed that the SW ecotype was more freezing tolerant than the IT ecotype and that the IT ecotype had a nonfunctional CBF2 gene. Here we present results establishing that the difference in CBF2 alleles contributes to the difference in freezing tolerance between the two ecotypes. However, other differences in the CBF pathway as well as CBF-independent pathways contribute the large majority of the difference in freezing tolerance between the two ecotypes. The results also provided evidence that most cold-induced CBF regulon genes in both the SW and IT ecotypes are coregulated by CBF-independent pathways. Additional analysis comparing our results with those published by others examining the Col-0 accession resulted in the identification of 44 CBF regulon genes that were conserved among the three accessions suggesting that they likely have important functions in life at low temperature. The comparison further supported the conclusion that the CBF pathway can account for a large portion of the increase in freezing tolerance that occurs with cold acclimation in a given accession, but that CBF-independent pathways can also make a major contribution.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Machine-Learning-Based High-Resolution Earthquake Catalog Reveals How Complex Fault Structures Were Activated during the 2016–2017 Central Italy Sequence

The 2016–2017 central Italy seismic sequence occurred on an 80 km long normal-fault system. The sequence initiated with the Mw 6.0 Amatrice event on 24 August 2016, followed by the Mw 5.9 Visso event on 26 October and the Mw 6.5 Norcia event on 30 October. We analyze continuous data from a dense network of 139 seismic stations to build a high-precision catalog of ~900,000 earthquakes spanning a 1 yr period, based on arrival times derived using a deep-neural-network-based picker. Our catalog contains an order of magnitude more events than the catalog routinely produced by the local earthquake monitoring agency. Aftershock activity reveals the geometry of complex fault structures activated during the earthquake sequence and provides additional insights into the potential factors controlling the development of the largest events. Activated fault structures in the northern and southern regions appear complementary to faults activated during the 1997 Colfiorito and 2009 L’Aquila sequences, suggesting that earthquake triggering primarily occurs on critically stressed faults. Delineated major fault zones are relatively thick compared to estimated earthquake location uncertainties, and a large number of kilometer-long faults and diffuse seismicity were activated during the sequence. These properties might be related to fault age, roughness, and the complexity of inherited structures. The rich details resolvable in this catalog will facilitate continued investigation of this energetic and well-recorded earthquake sequence.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1973

A preliminary evaluation of ERTS-1 images on the volcanic areas of Southern Italy

The test site selected for the investigation covers nearly all the regions of active and quiescent volcanism in southern Italy, i.e. the eastern part of the island of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands and the area of Naples. The three active European volcanoes (Etna, Stromboli and Vesuvius) are included. The investigation is in the frame of a program for the surveillance of active volcanoes by geophysical (including remote sensing thermal methods) and geochemical methods. By the multispectral analysis of ERTS-1 data it is intended to study the spectral behavior of the volcanic materials as well as the major geological lineaments with special reference to those associated with the volcanic region. Secondary objectives are also the determination of the hydrographic network seasonal behavior and the relationship between the vegetation cover and the different type of soils and rocks.

Cassinis, R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Application of LANDSAT and Skylab data for land use mapping in Italy

Utilizing LANDSAT and Skylab multispectral imagery of 1972 and 1973, a land use map of the mountainous regions of Italy was evaluated at a scale of 1:250,000. Seven level I categories were identified by conventional methods of photointerpretation. Images of multispectral scanner (MSS) bands 5 and 7, or equivalents were mainly used. Areas of less than 200 by 200 m were classified and standard procedures were established for interpretation of multispectral satellite imagery. Land use maps were produced for central and southern Europe indicating that the existing land use maps could be updated and optimized. The complexity of European land use patterns, the intensive morphology of young mountain ranges, and time-cost calculations are the reasons that the applied conventional techniques are superior to automatic evaluation.

Bodechtel, J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Computer-aided classification for remote sensing in agriculture and forestry in Northern Italy

A set of results concerning the processing and analysis of data from LANDSAT satellite and airborne scanner is presented. The possibility of performing inventories of irrigated crops-rice, planted groves-poplars, and natural forests in the mountians-beeches and chestnuts, is investigated in the Po valley and in an alphine site of Northern Italy. Accuracies around 95% or better, 70% and 60% respectively are achieved by using LANDSAT data and supervised classification. Discrimination of rice varieties is proved with 8 channels data from airborne scanner, processed after correction of the atmospheric effect due to the scanning angle, with and without linear feature selection of the data. The accuracies achieved range from 65% to more than 80%. The best results are obtained with the maximum likelihood classifier for normal parameters but rather close results are derived by using a modified version of the weighted euclidian distance between points, with consequent decrease in computing time around a factor 3.

Dejace, J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Energy budget of the volcano Stromboli, Italy

The results of the analyses of movies of eruptions at Stromboli, Italy, and other available data are used to discuss the question of its energy partitioning among various energy transport mechanisms. Energy is transported to the surface from active volcanoes in at least eight modes, viz. conduction (and convection) of the heat through the surface, radiative heat transfer from the vent, acoustical radiation in blast and jet noise, seismic radiation, thermal energy of ejected particles, kinetic energy of ejected particles, thermal energy of ejected gas, and kinetic energy of ejected gas. Estimated values of energy flux from Stromboli by these eight mechanisms are tabulated. The energy budget of Stromboli in its normal mode of activity appears to be dominated by heat conduction (and convection) through the ground surface. Heat carried by eruption gases is the most important of the other energy transfer modes. Radiated heat from the open vent and heat carried by ejected lava particles also contribute to the total flux, while seismic energy accounts for about 0.5% of the total. All other modes are trivial by comparison.

Mcgetchin, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

An evaluation of Landsat 3 RBV imagery for an area of complex terrain in Southern Italy

Return Beam Videcon imagery from Landsat 3 was obtained in August, 1978 for part of Southern Italy in the regions of Basilicata and Apulia. The resolution of this imagery for medium contrast objects is approximately 40 meters and is shown to provide significant information concerning land cover and fluvial morphometry. Because of the wide spectral band width which is sensed (0.505-0.750 microns) by the RBV cameras, discrimination is only possible for spectrally distinct cover types, especially oak woodland. Fluvial morphometry can be readily described using the imagery. Because of the intense dissection of the area, the lowest order streams cannot be consistently mapped, but the rank order of the measured values of properties such as drainage density and link frequency for different lithologies corresponds closely to the actual ranking.

Townshend, J. R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Flexural behavior of the continental lithosphere in Italy - Constraints imposed by gravity and deflection data

This paper presents a simple model that describes the geometry of subducted continental lithosphere as the result of flexural loading of a thin elastic sheet. The method involves a procedure for systematically matching the plate flexure and gravity data to the best-fitting two-dimensional flexural geometry obtained by a thin elastic sheet of specified elastic strength. It is shown that the model can explain both the deflection of the lithosphere and the gravity anomalies observed along four profiles across the Apennine convergent system in Italy. The results of calculations suggest that in subduction systems, like the Apennines, that are characterized by backarc extension, forces acting on subducted lithosphere at depth can be expressed at the surface in the geometry of the foredeep basin that forms adjacent to the subduction zone.

Royden, Leigh↗
NASA NTRS1991

Research on inverse methods and optimization in Italy

The research activities in Italy on inverse design and optimization are reviewed. The review is focused on aerodynamic aspects in turbomachinery and wing section design. Inverse design of blade rows and ducts of turbomachinery in subsonic and transonic regime are illustrated by the Politecnico di Torino and turbomachinery industry (FIAT AVIO).

Larocca, Francesco↗
NASA NTRS2000

Orbital Cyclicities Above and Below the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary, Umbria-Marche Region, Italy

In the Umbria-Marche region of central Italy, the deep basinal carbonate Scaglia Rossa Formation contains an important sequence of Cretaceous-Tertiary strata including a detailed paleomagnetic record and the distal impactoclastic Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary clay layer. In addition to this significant paleomagnetic and impactoclastic record, the Scaglia Rossa also contains potentially important stratigraphic evidence of relatively long-term oceanic and atmospheric consequences of the Cretaceous-Tertiary bolide catastrophe, which we will describe for the first time herein. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

King, D. T., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Italy INAF Data Center Report

This report summarizes the activities of the Italian INAF VLBI Data Center. Our Data Center is located in Bologna, Italy and belongs to the Institute of Radioastronomy, which is part of the National Institute of Astrophysics.

Negusini, M.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Italy INAF Analysis Center Report

This report summarizes the activity of the Italian INAF VLBI Analysis Center. Our Analysis Center is located in Bologna, Italy and belongs to the Institute of Radioastronomy, which is part of the National Institute of Astrophysics. IRA runs the observatories of Medicina and Noto, where two 32-m VLBI AZ-EL telescopes are situated. This report contains the AC's VLBI data analysis activities and shortly outlines the investigations into the co-locations of space geodetic instruments.

Negusini, M.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Preliminary Statistics from the NASA Alphasat Beacon Receiver in Milan, Italy

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) have initiated a joint propagation campaign within the framework of the Alphasat propagation experiment to characterize rain attenuation, scintillation, and gaseous absorption effects of the atmosphere in the 40 GHz band. NASA GRC has developed and installed a KQ-band (20-40 GHz) beacon receiver at the POLIMI campus in Milan, Italy, which receives the 20-40 GHz signals broadcast from the Alphasat Aldo Paraboni TDP5 beacon payload. The primary goal of these measurements is to develop a physical model to improve predictions of communications systems performance within the Q-band. Herein, we provide an overview of the design and data calibration procedure, and present 6 months of preliminary statistics of the NASA propagation terminal, which has been installed and operating in Milan since May 2014. The Q-band receiver has demonstrated a dynamic range of 40 dB at an 8-Hz sampling rate. A weather station with an optical disdrometer is also installed to characterize rain drop size distribution for correlation with physical based models

Radio Transmission↗
NASA NTRS2015

Preliminary Statistics from the NASA Alphasat Beacon Receiver in Milan, Italy

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) have initiated a joint propagation campaign within the framework of the Alphasat propagation experiment to characterize rain attenuation, scintillation, and gaseous absorption effects of the atmosphere in the 40 gigahertz band. NASA GRC has developed and installed a K/Q-band (20/40 gigahertz) beacon receiver at the POLIMI campus in Milan, Italy, which receives the 20/40 gigahertz signals broadcast from the Alphasat Aldo Paraboni TDP no. 5 beacon payload. The primary goal of these measurements is to develop a physical model to improve predictions of communications systems performance within the Q-band. Herein, we provide an overview of the design and data calibration procedure, and present 6 months of preliminary statistics of the NASA propagation terminal, which has been installed and operating in Milan since May 2014. The Q-band receiver has demonstrated a dynamic range of 40 decibels at an 8-hertz sampling rate. A weather station with an optical disdrometer is also installed to characterize rain drop size distribution for correlation with physical based models.

RF propagation↗
NASA NTRS2018

Three Years of Atmospheric Characterization at Ka/Q-band with the NASA/POLIMI Alphasat Receiver in Milan, Italy

Since June of 2014, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) have jointly conducted a propagation campaign within the framework of the Alphasat propagation experiment through a propagation terminal at the POLIMI campus in Milan, Italy. The terminal utilizes the 20 GHz and 40 GHz beacons broadcast by the Aldo Paraboni Technology Demonstration Payload (TDP #5), and consists of dual coherent Ka- and Q-band beacon receivers. These provide a direct measurement of the signal attenuation and scintillation and are complemented by concurrent weather instrumentation that provides measurements of the atmospheric conditions at the receiver. The primary goal of these measurements is to improve model predictions of communication system performance at 40 GHz. Over three years of concurrent measurements have now been collected from the terminal, and herein we present a statistical analysis of the results thus far, as well as a summary of recent hardware upgrades to the receivers that were made in September 2017.

Radio Transmission↗
NASA NTRS2018

Three Years of Atmospheric Characterization at Ka/Q-band with the NASA/POLIMI Alphasat Receiver in Milan, Italy

Since June of 2014, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) have jointly conducted a propagation campaign within the framework of the Alphasat propagation experiment through a propagation terminal at the POLIMI campus in Milan, Italy. The terminal utilizes the 20 GHz and 40 GHz beacons broadcast by the Aldo Paraboni Technology Demonstration Payload (TDP #5), and consists of dual coherent Ka- and Q-band beacon receivers. These provide a direct measurement of the signal attenuation and scintillation and are complemented by concurrent weather instrumentation that provides measurements of the atmospheric conditions at the receiver. The primary goal of these measurements is to improve model predictions of communication system performance at 40 GHz. Over three years of concurrent measurements have now been collected from the terminal, and herein we present a statistical analysis of the results thus far, as well as a summary of recent hardware upgrades to the receivers that were made in September 2017.

Radio Transmission↗