The slow rotation of 253 Mathilde

CCD photometry of the NEAR mission fly-by target 253 Mathilde is presented. Measurements taken during 52 nights of observations, from February to June 1995, allow a rotation period of 17.406±0.010 days and a lightcurve amplitude of 0.45±0.02 mag to be determined. A B-V color index of 0.67±0.02 and a V-R of 0.35±0.02 are measured, which are compatible with C-type membership. The determination of the phase relation results in H = 10.28±0.03 and G = 0.12±0.06. Indications that the lightcurve is not strictly singly-periodic are found. A power-spectrum analysis detects a secondary frequency f₂ = 0.0322±0.0010 d⁻¹, which is interpreted as evidence for a complex rotation state.     

Digitization and Scientific Exploitation of the Italian and Vatican Astronomical Plate Archives

There is a widespread interest to digitize the precious information contained in the astronomical plate archives, both for the preservation of their content and for its fast distribution to all interested researchers in order to achieve their better scientific exploitation. This paper presents the first results of our large-scale project to digitize the archive of plates of the Italian Astronomical Observatories and of the Specola Vaticana. Similar systems, composed by commercial flat-bed retro-illuminated scanners plus dedicated personal computers and acquisition and analysis software, have been installed in all participating Institutes. Ad-hoc codes have been developed to acquire the data, to test the suitability of the machines to our scientific needs, and to reduce the digital data in order to extract the astrometric, photometric and spectroscopic content. Two more elements complete the overall project: the provision of high quality BVRI CCD sequences in selected fields with the Campo Imperatore telescopes, and the distribution of the digitized information to all interested researchers via the Web. The methods we have derived in the course of this project have been already applied successfully to plates taken by other Observatories, for instance at Byurakan and at Hamburg.     

Long-term uplift rate of the Etna volcano basement (southern Italy) based on biochronological data from Pleistocene sediments

The eastern flank of Mt. Etna volcano rests on Pleistocene marine sediments, which unconformably cover the Apenninic–Maghrebian Chain units. A quantitative biostratigraphic analysis was carried out based on the calcareous nannofossil content of the Pleistocene deposits outcropping along the S and NE periphery of the volcano. Sediments were constrained to the MNN19e and MNN19f biozones, deposited from 1.2 to 0.589 Ma. According to the depth of deposition and the present altitude of the Pleistocene succession, uplift rates are estimated between 1.1 and 1.7 mm yr⁻¹ for the northeastern sector of the Etna edifice, and between 0.36 and 0.61 mm yr⁻¹ for the southern one. This inhomogeneous long-term uplift rate affecting the Etna region, probably results from a buried thrust below the northern flank of Etna, which is related to the post-Tortonian geodynamic evolution of NE Sicily.     

Introduction to ��Tsunamis in the World Ocean: Past, Present, and Future. Volume I��

Eighteen papers are included in Volume 1 of a PAGEOPH topical issue Tsunamis in the World Ocean: Past, Present, and Future. These papers are briefly introduced. They are grouped into three categories: case studies of earthquake-generated tsunamis; tsunami forecast and hazard assessments; and theoretical and computational modeling of tsunami generation, propagation, and coastal behavior. Most of the papers were presented at the 24th International Tsunami Symposium held 14?C16 July 2009 in Novosibirsk, Russia, and reflect the current state of tsunami science.     

Introduction to “Tsunamis in the World Ocean: Past,Present, and Future. Volume II”

Fifteen papers are included in Volume 2 of a PAGEOPH topical issue Tsunamis in the World Ocean: Past, Present, and Future. These papers are briefly introduced. They are grouped into three categories: reports and studies of recent tsunamis, studies on tsunami statistics and application to tsunami warning, and modeling studies of tsunami runup and inundation. Most of the papers were presented at the 24th International Tsunami Symposium held 14–16 July 2009 in Novosibirsk, Russia, and reflect the current state of tsunami science.     

Application of Surface-Wave Methods for Seismic Site Characterization

Surface-wave dispersion analysis is widely used in geophysics to infer a shear wave velocity model of the subsoil for a wide variety of applications. A shear-wave velocity model is obtained from the solution of an inverse problem based on the surface wave dispersive propagation in vertically heterogeneous media. The analysis can be based either on active source measurements or on seismic noise recordings. This paper discusses the most typical choices for collection and interpretation of experimental data, providing a state of the art on the different steps involved in surface wave surveys. In particular, the different strategies for processing experimental data and to solve the inverse problem are presented, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Also, some issues related to the characteristics of passive surface wave data and their use in H/V spectral ratio technique are discussed as additional information to be used independently or in conjunction with dispersion analysis. Finally, some recommendations for the use of surface wave methods are presented, while also outlining future trends in the research of this topic.