Thermodynamic exchanges between the external boundary layer and the indoor microclimate at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy: the problem of conservation of ancient works of art

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, is an example of how ancient buildings with thick walls lessen the impact of the external temperature and humidity variations. The external influence on the internal microclimate is studied in order to gather information on how the building exchanges heat and moisture. Correlations between outdoor and indoor values are found. The results are applied to the calculation of the condensation-evaporation cycles inside micropores due to the Kelvin effect, to assess their impact on works of arts placed inside and outside the Basilica. It was found that the building attenuation is not sufficient to avoid damage due to condensation-evaporation cycles on stones and plasters. Some suggestions are made in order to mitigate the temperature variations during the liturgical offices.     

Analysis at medium scale of low-resolution DInSAR data in slow-moving landslide-affected areas

Landslide studies over large areas call for multidisciplinary analyses supported by accurate ground displacement measurements. At present, conventional techniques can be valuably complemented by innovative satellite techniques such as Differential SAR Interferometry (DInSAR), furnishing huge amounts of data at competitively affordable costs. This work investigates the remote sensed data potential in landslide studies starting from the awareness of the present constraints of the technique. To this end, with reference to a sample area–within the territory of the National Basin Authority of Liri-Garigliano and Volturno rivers (Central-Southern Italy)–for which detailed base and thematic maps are available, quantitative examples of DInSAR data coverage on both different land-uses and landslide-affected areas are shown. Then, an original tool for “a priori DInSAR landslide visibility zoning” is proposed to address the choice of the most suitable image datasets. Finally, referring to the visible zones, the outcomes of DInSAR data for checking/updating landslide inventory maps at 1:25,000 scale highlight appealing perspectives, also holding the promise of obtaining relevant information in the landslide hazard evaluation.     

Two-mica and tourmaline leucogranites from the Everest–Makalu region (Nepal–Tibet). Himalayan leucogranite genesis by isobaric heating?

In the Higher Himalaya of the region from Cho Oyu to the Arun valley northeast of Makalu, the Miocene leucogranites are not hosted only in the upper High Himalayan Crystallines (HHC); a network of dykes also cuts the lower HHC and the Lesser Himalayan Crystallines (LHC).

The plutons and dykes are mainly composed of two-mica (muscovite+biotite±tourmaline±cordierite±andalusite±sillimanite) leucogranite, with tourmaline≤2.6% and biotite>1.5% modal, and tourmaline (muscovite+tourmaline±biotite±sillimanite ±garnet±kyanite±andalusite±spinel±corundum) leucogranite, with tourmaline>2.2% and biotite<1.5% modal.

Both leucogranite types were produced by partial melting in the andalusite–sillimanite facies series, under LP/HT conditions constrained by the occurrence of peritectic andalusite and cordierite. The geochemical features of the leucogranites suggest that tourmaline leucogranite was produced by muscovite dehydration melting in muscovite-rich metapelites at P350 MPa and T≥640°C, whereas two-mica leucogranite was produced by biotite dehydration melting in biotite-rich metapelites at P300 MPa and T≥660–710 °C.

Melting in fertile muscovite-rich metapelites of the top of both the HHC and LHC produced magmas which were emplaced at the same structural level in which they had been generated. Melting in the biotite-rich gneiss of both the HHC and LHC produced hotter magmas which were transported upwards by dyking and eventually coalesced in the plutons of the upper HHC. A similar process also produced a network of two-mica granite at the top of the LHC in the Ama Drime–Nyönno Ri Range northeast of Makalu.

The prograde character of leucogranite melt-producing reactions in the Everest–Makalu area suggests that, here, the generation of Miocene leucogranites took place in a regime of nearly isobaric heating following nearly adiabatic decompression.     

GPS precision as a function of session duration and reference frame using multi-point software

As an aid to survey design, we used data acquired from three European continuous GPS networks to test the precision of position estimates from static observations as a function of the length of the observing session and the number and distribution of reference stations. Our criterion was the weighted RMS of estimates over 31 days with respect to coordinates determined from 24-h sessions over a 2-year period. With a single reference station, a precision of 3 mm horizontal and 10 mm vertical could be achieved reliably only for session lengths of 3 h or longer and baselines less than 200 km. If four or more reference stations are used, these levels of precision were usually achieved with sessions as short as 2 h. With sessions 6 h or longer and four or more reference stations, the precision is typically 1–2 mm in horizontal and about 3–5 mm in vertical. Increasing the number of reference stations further provides only marginal improvement. Although there is some variation in precision in 4-station networks with the choice of reference stations, the dependence on distance and geometric distribution is weak.     

The contribution of “silent” faults to the seismic hazard of the northern Adriatic Sea

There is a difference in the seismogenic zonation used for seismic hazard assessment of ordinary buildings and that considered for critical facilities, because different levels of exceedence probability are taken into account. Consequently, in the second case tectonic structures with a low, or very low, likelihood of activation also need attention. The key factor in seismogenic zonation for seismic hazard assessment is investigated here considering some seismically undocumented faults of the northern Adriatic Sea area. Seismic hazard is evaluated for two constructions located around Trieste and close to the sea: an ordinary building and a critical facility. The results clearly show that the two constructions should be designed with quite a different level of expected ground motion in mind. Part of the difference, in the computation of the critical facility, is determined by the introduction of some faults without documented seismicity.     

Forward logistic regression for earth-flow landslide susceptibility assessment in the Platani river basin (southern Sicily,Italy)

Forward logistic regression has allowed us to derive an earth-flow susceptibility model for the Tumarrano river basin, which was defined by modeling the statistical relationships between an archive of 760 events and a set of 20 predictors. For each landslide in the inventory, a landslide identification point (LIP) was automatically produced as corresponding to the highest point along the boundary of the landslide polygons, and unstable conditions were assigned to cells at a distance up to 8 m. An equal number of stable cells (out of landslides) was then randomly extracted and appended to the LIPs to prepare the dataset for logistic regression. A model building strategy was applied to enlarge the area included in training the model and to verify the sensitivity of the regressed models with respect to the locations of the selected stable cells. A suite of 16 models was prepared by randomly extracting different unoverlapping stable cell subsets that have been appended to the unstable ones. Models were finally submitted to forward logistic regression and validated. The results showed satisfying and stable error rates (0.236 on average, with a standard deviation of 0.007) and areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUCs) (0.839 for training and 0.817 for test datasets) as well as factor selections (ranks and coefficients). As regards the predictors, steepness and large-profile and local-plan topographic curvatures were systematically selected. Clayey outcropping lithology, midslope drainage, local and midslope ridges, and canyon landforms were also very frequently (from eight to 15 times) included in the models by the forward selection procedures. The model-building strategy allowed us to produce a performing earth-flow susceptibility model, whose model fitting, prediction skill, and robustness were estimated on the basis of validation procedures, demonstrating the independence of the regressed model on the specific selection of the stable cells.     

Morphodynamics and sedimentary structures of bedforms under supercritical‐flow conditions: New insights from flume experiments

Supercritical‐flow phenomena are fairly common in modern sedimentary environments, yet their recognition and analysis remain difficult in the stratigraphic record. This fact is commonly ascribed to the poor preservation potential of deposits from high‐energy supercritical flows. However, the number of flume data sets on supercritical‐flow dynamics and sedimentary structures is very limited in comparison with available data for subcritical flows, which hampers the recognition and interpretation of such deposits. The results of systematic flume experiments spanning a broad range of supercritical‐flow bedforms (antidunes, chutes‐and‐pools and cyclic steps) developed in mobile sand beds of variable grain sizes are presented. Flow character and related bedform patterns are constrained through time‐series measurements of bed configurations, flow depths, flow velocities and Froude numbers. The results allow the refinement and extension of some widely used bedform stability diagrams in the supercritical‐flow domain, clarifying in particular the morphodynamic relations between antidunes and cyclic steps. The onset of antidunes is controlled by flows exceeding a threshold Froude number. The transition from antidunes to cyclic steps in fine to medium‐grained sand occurs at a threshold mobility parameter. Sedimentary structures associated with supercritical bedforms developed under variable aggradation rates are revealed by means of combining flume results and synthetic stratigraphy. The sedimentary structures are compared with examples from field and other flume studies. Aggradation rate is seen to exert an important control on the geometry of supercritical‐flow structures and should be considered when identifying supercritical bedforms in the sedimentary record.     

Using beryllium-7 to evaluate soil erosion processes in agricultural lands in semiarid regions of Central Argentina

This work presents the results of a soil erosion study using the ⁷Be technique. This technique estimates the water erosion/deposition from the comparison between ⁷Be soil content of a reference site and an eroded or sedimented site. The soil samples were collected from an agricultural area of the semiarid region of Argentina near San Luis City, which has a marked rainfall season. The area has been used for crop cultivation, being subjected to plowing practices. The ⁷Be in the Reference Site was in the first centimeter of soil, showing the typical exponential decreasing of ⁷Be soil content with depth, with the ⁷Be inventories value being 340?±?50 Bq m^?2 for the dry season and 571?±?48 Bq m^?2 for the rainy season. The ⁷Be technique was applied to a potential eroded site subjected to traditional tillage practices (plowing). A net soil erosion value of 13.5 t ha^?1 (1.35 kg m^?2) was obtained. From the assumptions of the applied technique, we can draw the inference that this erosion was caused by rains produced in the month prior to the date of soil sampling.     

Quantitative analysis of consequences to masonry buildings interacting with slow-moving landslide mechanisms: a case study

Quantitative analysis of consequences (in terms of expected monetary losses) induced by slow-moving landslide mechanisms to buildings or infrastructure networks is a key step in the landslide risk management framework. It can influence risk mitigation policies as well as help authorities in charge of land management in addressing/prioritizing interventions or restoration works. This kind of analysis generally requires multidisciplinary approaches, which cannot disregard a thorough knowledge of landslide mechanisms, and rich datasets that are seldom available as testified by the limited number of examples in the scientific literature. With reference to the well-documented case study of Lungro town (Calabria region, southern Italy)—severely affected by slow-moving landslides of different types—the present paper proposes and implements a multi-step procedure for monetary loss forecasting associated with different landslide kinematic/damage scenarios. Procedures to typify landslide mechanisms and physical vulnerability analysis, previously tested in the same area, are here appropriately merged to derive both kinematic and damage scenarios to the exposed buildings. Then, the outcomes are combined with economic data in order to forecast monetary loss at municipal scale. The proposed method and the obtained results, once further validated, could stand as reference case for other urban areas in similar geo-environmental contexts in order to derive useful information on expected direct consequences unless slow-moving landslide risk mitigation measures are taken.     

A study on the effects of seismicity on subsidence in foreland basins: An application to the Venice area

Foreland basins are flat elongated areas occurring along subduction and collision zones worldwide. We show that, in such basins, subsidence can be induced by earthquakes generated along bordering thrust faults due to coseismic displacement, postseismic displacement and liquefaction-induced compaction.As an example, the potential effects of earthquakes on the subsidence of Venice, which is located in the Po Plain foreland basin, are discussed. It is generally assumed that natural subsidence of Venice is continuous and that subsidence rates are rather constant through time. However, catastrophic pulses of subsidence cannot be ruled out as taught by the sudden disappearance of the island of Malamocco at the beginning of the XII century.The results of numerical models specifically run suggest that the risk of subsidence accelerations in Venice due to coseismic displacements is negligible. Modelling results from literature suggest that postseismic subsidence could be of the order of 1 cm. Although the effects of a single event should be improbably detectable, such a subsidence is not a priori negligible considering the number of seismogenic sources located within 100 km from the town.Historical sources are utilized to discuss the feasibility of liquefaction-induced subsidence in Venice. It is shown that the destruction and sinking of ancient Malamocco is roughly coincident with a strong earthquake cycle that was associated to phenomena that can be explained with liquefaction of sandy layers. Although the historical documents do not permit to establish a clear causal link between the earthquake and land subsidence, it is concluded that liquefaction-induced subsidence cannot be ruled out as a potential source for local subsidence acceleration.