Active Tectonics and Seismic Zonation of the Urban Area of Florence, Italy

—?The city of Florence possesses a concentration of cultural and artistic treasures which is unique in the world. In this sense it has a particularly high seismic exposure and a potentially high vulnerability. In order to better evaluate its seismic hazard and risk, we analyzed the seismic response of the urban area of Florence by performing a multidisciplinary study on the effects of earthquakes on the city. By a computer aided methodology we re-evaluated the seismic intensity reports of the May 18 and June 6, 1895 earthquakes in different parts of the city and compared these data with recent studies on surface geology, active tectonics and actual fault movements in the Florence basin. We concluded that more detailed studies of soil response are needed to form a basis for public policy.     

3D refraction statics in the wavenumber domain

The wavenumber iterative modelling (WIM) method was first introduced to estimate the static corrections for 2D land profiles by performing first-break inversion in the wavenumber domain. The WIM algorithm presents some useful advantages, of robustness, stability and flexibility. Robustness is obtained by intensive exploitation of all the available data and by application of an automatic function for mispick removal. Stability is the result of an iterative procedure that ensures convergence towards a stable and plausible solution even at the end of the profile where the problem is normally ill-posed. Finally, flexibility is due to the possibility of solving for multilayered structures and of estimating vertical gradients of the velocity.This work extends the WIM method to three dimensions. The extension is feasible because the three-dimensional (3D) problem can be decomposed into a number of small independent problems, one for any pair of wavenumbers k _x ,  k _y . The extension preserves the above-mentioned advantages. The parameters of the estimated model are affected differently by noise: the analysis of the input/output noise transfer function demonstrates that the high spatial frequencies of the velocity distributions are the components that are most affected by noise; thus, the algorithm includes a gradual damping of the higher wavenumbers of the velocity parameter. Although the WIM 3D algorithm requires a larger amount of RAM compared with other standard approaches, considerable reduction in CPU run time can be achieved as every wavenumber pair can be treated as an independent linear problem.     

Volcanological implications of crystal-chemical variations in clinopyroxenes from the Aeolian Arc, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy)

Crystal chemistry and structural data for clinopyroxene from the Aeolian islands (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) were determined with the aim of obtaining geobarometric information and exploring implications for the structure of volcanic plumbing systems. Cell and M1 site volumes for clinopyroxenes, which are known to decrease with increasing pressure of crystallization, revealed variable values, both within some single islands and along the entire arc, indicating polybaric conditions of crystallization. The lowest cell and M1 volumes were found at Filicudi, plotting close to values of clinopyroxenes from high-pressure ultramafic xenoliths entrained in alkali basalts. Indications of high-pressure crystallization were also found at Salina and, to a lesser extent, at Alicudi, all situated in the western sector of the Aeolian Arc. The central and eastern islands of Lipari, Vulcano, Panarea and Stromboli generally show higher values of cell parameters, suggesting crystallization in shallow magma chambers. These islands are characterized by the occurrence of large calderas, which are apparently lacking at Salina and Filicudi. Time-related variations were observed for cell and M1 volumes of clinopyroxene for some islands. At Salina, the early-erupted products display low values of cell parameters with respect to later activity, thus indicating a decrease in crystallization pressure with time. A similar, although less striking, pattern is observed at Alicudi and Lipari. An overall increase in cell parameters with time was observed at the scale of the entire arc. The observed variations in clinopyroxene structural parameters highlight the significance of pyroxene crystal chemistry for petrogenetic and volcanological interpretation. Correlation with time and the structural characteristics of volcanoes suggest significant regional and temporal modifications in the plumbing systems of Aeolian volcanoes. Clinopyroxenes from Filicudi and the older Salina crystallized at high pressure in deep magma chambers, in the lower crust or at the mantle-crust boundary. The lower crystallization pressure in the younger Salina is interpreted as evidence of upward migration of magma chambers with time. Similar evolution can be envisaged for Alicudi. Instead, the entire evolutionary history of the central and eastern islands was dominated by low-pressure crystallization, with formation of calderas and generation of abundant acid products that are scarce or absent in the western islands. Evolution of the plumbing system of single volcanoes and of the Aeolian arc in general is probably related to modification of stress regimes and/or thinning of the arc basement, due to the effect of uprising mantle material above the Ionian subduction zone.     

Protection of a monumental building against traffic-induced vibrations

To preserve an ancient building in Rome against traffic-induced vibrations, an anti-vibration system was introduced under the paving of the near Lungotevere road. An experimental investigation was recently carried out by ENEA in order to analyse the traffic-induced vibrations in the basement of the building and the effectiveness of the intervention. Wave propagation in the soil around the building in presence of the anti-vibration paving was compared with that in absence of the anti-vibration paving. The study showed the importance of the taking into account the contribution of other structures in the area to the dynamic behaviour of the whole system.     

Hydrogeochemical evolution of the shallow and deep basaltic aquifers in Tamborine Mountain,Queensland (Australia)

Tamborine Mountain, Queensland (Australia), is a prime example of a basalt fractured-rock aquifer. Yet very little is known about the hydrochemistry of this groundwater system. Both analytical (major ions and stable isotopes) and multivariate (hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis and factor analysis) analyses were used in this study to investigate the factors that interact within this aquifer system, in order to determine groundwater hydrogeochemistry. A new approach was applied to the data by classifying hydrographs by water type to clearly identify differing aquifer zones. Three distinct groundwater chemistry types were identified, and they were differentiated by variations in depth. Shallow bores were dominated by Na–Cl waters, deep bores were dominated by Na–HCO₃ and Ca–HCO₃ waters, and the two deepest bores were dominated by mixed water types. The evaluation of hydrogeochemical data has determined that both mineral weathering processes and groundwater/surface-water interaction had a strong influence on the hydrogeochemistry. Seasonal effects were minimal in the study area based on physicochemical parameters and ion chemistry. However, stable isotopic data show temporal trends. Increased rainfall events during the wet season produced a depletion in δ¹⁸O and increased d-excess values. The opposite is found during the dry season as a result of higher evaporation rates that are not hindered by intense rainfall events.

     

Geophysical surveys integrated with rainfall data analysis for the study of soil piping phenomena occurred in a densely urbanized area in eastern Sicily

Natural Hazards - The occurrence of strong and abrupt rainfall, together with a wrong land use planning and an uncontrolled urban development, can constitute a risk for infrastructure and...     

Variations in turbulent kinetic energy at a point source submarine groundwater discharge in a reef lagoon

The influence of sea level variations due to tides and wave setup on turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) was observed at a point source submarine groundwater discharge in a fringing coral reef lagoon. Tidal and wave setup variations modulated speed, TKE, TKE dissipation, and water temperature and salinity at the buoyant jet. The primary driver of jet TKE and speed variations was tides, while wave setup was a minor contributor. An inverse relationship between surface elevation and TKE was explained with an exponential equation based on sea level variations. During low tides, peak jet speeds (up to 0.3 m s^?1) and TKE per unit mass (up to 0.4 m² s^?2) were observed. As high tide approached, the jet produced minimum TKE of ~0.003 m² s^?2 and TKE dissipation ranged from 2 to 8×10^?4 m² s^?3. This demonstrated the sensitivity of the jet discharge to tides despite the small tidal range (<20 cm). Jet temperatures and salinities displayed semidiurnal oscillations with minimum salinity and temperature values during maximum discharge. Jet salinities increased throughout low tides while temperatures decreased. This pattern suggested the jet conduit was connected to a stratified cavity within the aquifer containing cool fresh water over cool salty water. As low tides progressed, jet outflow increased in salinity because of the mixing within the conduit, while lower jet temperatures suggested water coming from further or deeper in the aquifer. The presence of such a cavity has been recently confirmed by divers.