“Galileo Galilei” (GG) a small satellite to test the equivalence principle of Galileo, Newton and Einstein

“Galileo Galilei” (GG) is a small satellite designed to fly in low Earth orbit with the goal of testing the Equivalence Principle—which is at the basis of the General Theory of Relativity—to 1 part in 10¹⁷. If successful, it would improve current laboratory results by 4 orders of magnitude. A confirmation would strongly constrain theories; proof of violation is believed to lead to a scientific revolution. The experiment design allows it to be carried out at ambient temperature inside a small 1-axis stabilized satellite (250 kg total mass). GG is under investigation at Phase A-2 level by ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana) at Thales Alenia Space in Torino, while a laboratory prototype (known as GGG) is operational at INFN laboratories in Pisa, supported by INFN (Istituto Nazionale di fisica Nucleare) and ASI. A final study report will be published in 2009.     

List of papers from other journals

List of papers from other journals     

Deformation and metamorphism in the Fenes Nappe (southern Apuseni Mountains,Romania)Déformation et métamorphisme dans la nappe de Fenes (monts Apuseni méridionaux,Roumanie)

The Fenes Nappe belongs to the stack of tectonic units cropping out in the southern Apuseni Mts (Romania). It is characterised by a structural history consisting of two folding phases that developed during the time spanning from Early Aptian to Late Maastrichtian. The D1 phase produced west-northwest-verging, isoclinal to very tight folds, associated to a slaty cleavage. The main metamorphic imprint of the Fenes Nappe is linked to this deformation phase; illite and chlorite ‘crystallinity’ values indicate metamorphic conditions of the late diagenesis, close to the diagenetic zone/anchizone boundary. The subsequent D2 phase produced north-northwest-verging, parallel folds, not associated with synkinematic recrystallisation. These phases are interpreted as developed during a structural path, which includes burial at a depth of 8–10 km, followed by exhumation at shallower structural levels. To cite this article: A. Ellero et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 347–354.     

Three-dimensional velocity structure and seismicity of Mt. Etna Volcano, Italy

A new set of three-dimensional velocity models beneath Mt. Etna volcano is derived in the present work. We have used P- and S-wave arrivals from local earthquakes recorded at permanent and temporary seismic networks installed since 1980. A set of 1249 earthquakes recorded at more than four seismic stations was selected for traveltime inversion. The velocity models obtained by using different data selection criteria and parametrization display similar basic features, showing a high P-wave velocity at shallow depth in the SE quadrant, in close connection with a high gravimetric Bouguer anomaly. This area shares a low V_p/V_s ratio. High P-wave velocities and high V_p/V_s ratios are obtained along the central conduits, suggesting the presence of dense, intrusive magmatic bodies extending to a depth of about 20 km. The central intrusive core is surrounded by lower P-wave velocities. The relocated earthquake hypocenters also display the presence of an outward dipping brittle region, away from the central conduits, surrounding a ductile zone spatially related to the high P-wave velocity anomalies located in proximity to the central craters.     

Site Response for the RSM Seismic Network and Source Parameters in the Central Apennines (Italy)

—?Thirty-three earthquakes which occurred in the Central Apennines (Italy) with Ml ranging from 2.4 to 3.7 have been spectrally analysed using digital recordings from twelve stations of the Rete Sismometrica Marchigiana (RSM) network. Data corrected for geometrical spreading and quality factor Q have been inverted by means of the Generalised Inversion Technique. Site responses have been compared with those obtained by H/V ratio. Site amplifications have been observed both at stations placed on Pleistocene sediments and at one station located at 1800?m altitude. Source parameters have been calculated by fitting the spectra with an automatic procedure adopting the ω² source model. The seismic moments range from 9.23?×?10¹⁹ to 4.28?×?10²¹ dyne-cm with an average M ₀ (S) to M ₀ (P) ratio of 1.13?±?0.38. The stress drops are generally low and they vary between 1.1 and 10.2?bar when estimated by using S source spectra, and between 0.5 and 7.1?bar when the P-source spectra are fitted. For the considered range of seismic moments we observe that the stress drop does not have significant dependence on event size.     

Ground-Motion Scaling in the Western Alps

In order to empirically obtain the scaling relationships for the high-frequency ground motion in the Western Alps (NW Italy), regressions are carried out on more than 7500 seismograms from 957 regional earthquakes. The waveforms were selected from the database of 6 three-component stations of the RSNI (Regional Seismic network of Northwestern Italy). The events, M _W ranging between 1.2 and 4.8, were recorded within a hypocentral distance of 200 km during the time period: 1996–2001. The peak ground velocities are measured in selected narrow-frequency bands, between 0.5 and 14 Hz. Results are presented in terms of a regional attenuation function for the vertical ground motion, a set of vertical excitation terms at the reference station STV2 (hard-rock), and a set of site terms (vertical and horizontal), all relative to the vertical component of station STV2.The regional propagation of the ground motion is modeled after quantifying the expected duration of the seismic motion as a function of frequency and hypocentral distance. A simple functional form is used to take into account both the geometrical and the anelastic attenuation: a multi-variable grid search yielded a quality factor Q(f) = 310f ^0.20, together with a quadri-linear geometrical spreading at low frequency. A simpler, bi-linear geometrical spreading seems to be more appropriate at higher frequencies (f > 1.0 Hz). Excitation terms are matched by using a Brune spectral model with variable, magnitude-dependent stress drop: at M _w 4.8, we used Δσ = 50 MPa. A regional distance-independent attenuation parameter is obtained (κ₀ = 0.012 s) by modelling the average spectral decay at high frequency of small earthquakes.In order to predict the absolute levels of ground shaking in the region, the excitation/attenuation model is used through the Random Vibration Theory (RVT) with a stochastic point-source model. The expected peak-ground accelerations (PGA) are compared with the ones derived by Ambraseys et al. (1996) for the Mediterranean region and by Sabetta and Pugliese (1996) for the Italian territory.     

Diversity of Epiphytic Lichens and Hg Contents of Xanthoria parietina Thalli as Monitors of Geothermal Air Pollution in the Mt. Amiata Area (Central Italy)

The diversity of epiphytic lichens and mercury concentrations in lichen samples were measured to monitor the release of airborne pollutants from the industrial exploitation of geothermal resources in the Mt. Amiata area (Italy). The lichen biodiversity showed a general condition of moderate environmental alteration around the geothermal power plants, contrasting with the low environmental alteration of the remaining sites investigated. According to the accumulated Hg in lichen thalli, it was possible to estimate mean Hg and H₂S concentrations in the air, which resulted in very good agreement with values measured instrumentally. Based on these data and the correlation between lichen diversity values and Hg concentrations in lichens, it was possible to calculate the threshold of 8 μg/m³ H₂S as responsible for the worsening from low to moderate environmental alteration according to the biodiversity of epiphytic lichens, and to infer that around geothermal power plants, although not toxic to humans, H₂S concentrations are such to alter the nasal quality of the air. Based on the growth rate of X. parietina, it was possible to convert Hg concentrations into estimates of average Hg deposition rates, which showed fluxes of the order of 65–100 mg/ha/y, indicating a dispersions factor of about 10⁴ for the Hg emitted from the geothermal power plants.     

Experimental verification of torsional response control of asymmetric buildings using MR dampers

This paper proposes a semiactive control system to reduce the coupled lateral and torsional motions in asymmetric buildings subjected to horizontal seismic excitations. Magnetorheological (MR) dampers are applied as semiactive control devices and the control input determination is based on a clipped‐optimal control algorithm which uses absolute acceleration feedback. The performance of this method is studied experimentally using a 2‐story building model with an asymmetric stiffness distribution. An automated system identification methodology is implemented to develop a control‐oriented model which has the natural frequencies observed in the experimental system. The parameters for the MR damper model are identified using experimental data to develop an integrated model of the structure and MR dampers. To demonstrate the performance of this control system on the experimental structure, a shake table is used to reproduce an El Centro 1940 N–S earthquake as well as a random white noise excitation. The responses for the proposed control system are compared to those of passive control cases in which a constant voltage is applied to the MR damper. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of Stage Discharge Relationship on the Annual Maximum Discharge Statistics

Discharge data are traditionally derived from measures of watersurface levels using stage-discharge relationships. Astage-discharge relation is obtained from direct dischargemeasurements for a set of water surface levels by fitting anempirical relationship to the data set. Since discharge measuresare made only for low flow conditions, the historicalstage-discharge relationships can give rise to severemisinterpretation for high flow values. The present work analysisthe influence on discharge statistics of the rating curve errorsfor the Liguria region. The work shows that historicalstage-discharge relations are highly uncertain when used for theestimation of annual maximum discharge. Moreover, data produced bythe traditional stage discharge relationships when compared withdata derived from more reliable theoretical stage-dischargerelationships, have statistically important biases. The findinghighlights a new problem in the use of historical data for floodrisk assessment.     

Monte Carlo Studies of Relations between Fractal Dimensions in Monofractal Data Sets

—Within the fractal approach to studying the distribution of seismic event locations, different fractal dimension definitions and estimation algorithms are in use. Although one expects that for the same data set, values of different dimensions will be different, it is usually anticipated that the direction of fractal dimension changes among different data sets will be the same for every fractal dimension.¶Mutual relations between the three most popular fractal dimensions, namely the capacity, cluster and correlation dimensions, have been investigated in the present work. The studies were performed on the Monte Carlo generated data sets. The analysis has shown that dependence of the fractal dimensions on epicenter distribution, and relations among the fractal dimensions, are complex and variable. Neither values nor even inequalities among dimension estimates are preserved when different fractal dimensions are used. The correlation and the capacity dimensions seem to be good tools to trace collinear tendencies of eipicenters while the cluster dimension is more appropriate to studying uniform clustering of points.