The 1908 Messina Strait earthquake in the regional geostructural framework

The original historical data from surveys of the damage caused by the great Calabro-Messina earthquake are analyzed in detail. This analysis allows the macroseismic field to be reconstructed in a way more compatible with a modern scientific viewpoint, laying maximum importance on indications supplied by the MSK intensity scale.A geometrical model of the focus has been worked out, adopting in part the schemes proposed by Shebalin. This model, together with the macroseismic field parameters, is correlated with the regional structural parameters. Finally, in their quest for better knowledge of the regional seismotectonic pattern, the authors search for evidence of geodynamic consistency by analyzing a spatio-temporal period in the neighborhood of the event.     

Experimental study of cohesive sediment consolidation and resuspension identifies approaches for coastal restoration: Lake Lery,Louisiana

The purpose of this study was to evaluate related processes of sediment consolidation and resuspension in a coastal basin and how these processes influence retention of fine sediment delivered by a river diversion. Sediment samples were collected from Lake Lery, a coastal receiving basin of the Caernarvon Diversion from the Mississippi River, Louisiana. Consolidation was tested for six initial sediment concentrations (14.0–105 kg m^–3) in a settling column over 15-day periods. Mud erodibility was tested at seven shear stress regimes (0.01–0.60 Pa) using a dual-core Gust erosion microcosm system, on cores containing suspensions that consolidated for 1, 2, and 4 weeks. Consolidation rates were found to be inversely and exponentially related to initial suspension concentration, over concentrations ranging from fluid mud (10–200 kg m^–3) to hydraulic dredge effluent. Consolidation is best predicted by a function consisting of two exponential terms and one asymptotic constant, describing rates of rapid initial and slower subsequent settling. Coupled resuspension and consolidation tests (concentrations of 20–21 kg m^–3) show that shear stresses generating the highest turbidity peaks increase from ≤0.30 Pa after 2 weeks of consolidation to ≥0.45 Pa after 4 weeks, and this strengthening cannot be attributed solely to increasing sediment concentration over time. Comparison of measured erosion shear stresses with bed shear stresses typical of coastal lakes and bays suggests that this degree of strengthening, if given time to occur, could increase the overall retention of fine sediments deposited on lake and bay floors.     

The 1974 etna eruption: Multispectral analysis of skylab images reveals the vegetation canopy as a likely transducer of pre-eruptive volcanic emissions

On the Skylab images taken over Mt. Etna in September, 1973, an area with a reduced near-infrared reflectivity was observed in the zone where five months later the lateral eruption of February 1974 took place. This fact suggested to the authors the working hypothesis that the vegetation was influenced by latent volcanic phenomena. Moreover the intensification of linear features across the same area led to the development of a new point of view in which the vegetation is perceived as a volcanologic transducer. Ground investigations and thermal-infrared and multispectral surveys performed in July 1974 neither confirmed nor contradicted the first part of the assumption because subsequent paroxysmal phenomena modified the area investigated. The multispectral analysis on the other hand gave a greater emphasis to the correlation between the linear features and the distribution of plants. A more detailed study of this relationship is suggested.     

Soil erosion assessment using geomorphological remote sensing techniques: an example from southern Italy

The aim of this study is to assess of the distribution and map the geomorphological effects of soil erosion at the basin scale identifying newly‐formed erosional landsurfaces (NeFELs), by means of an integration of Landsat ETM 7+ remotely sensed data and field‐surveyed geomorphological data. The study was performed on a 228·6 km²‐wide area, located in southern Italy. The study area was first characterized from a lithological, pedological, land‐use and morpho‐topographic point of view and thematic maps were created. Then, the georeferenced Landsat ETM 7+ satellite imagery was processed using the RSI ENVI 4.0 software. The processing consisted of contrast stretching, principal component analysis (PCA), decorrelation stretching and RGB false colour compositing. A field survey was conducted to characterize the features detected on the imagery. Particular attention was given to the NeFELs, which were located using a global positioning system (GPS). We then delimited the Regions of Interest (ROI) on the Landsat ETM 7+ imagery, i.e. polygons representing the ‘ground‐truth’, discriminating the NeFELs from the other features occurring in the imagery. A simple statistical analysis was conducted on the digital number (DN) values of the pixels enclosed in the ROI of the NeFELs, with the aim to determine the spectral response pattern of such landsurfaces. The NeFELs were then classified in the entire image using a maximum likelihood classification algorithm. The results of the classification process were checked in the field. Finally, a spatial analysis was performed by converting the detected landsurfaces into vectorial format and importing them into the ESRI ArcViewGIS 9.0 software. Application of these procedures, together with the results of the field survey, highlighted that some ‘objects’ in the classified imagery, even if displaying the same spectral response of NeFELs, were not landsurfaces subject to intense soil erosion, thus confirming the strategic importance of the field‐checking for the automatically produced data. During the production of the map of the NeFELs, which is the final result of the study, these ‘objects’ were eliminated by means of simple, geomorphologically‐coherent intersection procedures in a geographic information system (GIS) environment. The overall surface of the NeFELs had an area of 22·9 km², which was 10% of the total. The spatial analysis showed that the highest frequency of the NeFELs occurred on both south‐facing and southwest‐facing slopes, cut on clayey‐marly deposits, on which fine‐textured and carbonate‐rich Inceptisols were present and displaying slope angle values ranging from 12° to 20°. The comparison of two satellite imageries of different periods highlighted that the NeFELs were most clearly evident immediately after summer tillage operations and not so evident before them, suggesting that these practices could have played an important role in inducing the erosional processes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Building stone employed in the historical monuments of Eastern Sicily (Italy). An example: the ancient city centre of Catania

An archaeometric study of the stone materials employed in the Late Baroque historical monuments of the ancient city centre of Catania was carried out. Lithological maps of a selection of monuments, transferred to a digital format, revealed that the stone materials are both magmatic and sedimentary rocks, the colours of which are matched in a peculiar type of bichromy. Particular attention focused on sedimentary rocks, which consist of various types of limestone quarried near the city of Syracuse (Hyblean Plateau, south-eastern Sicily). Carbonate rocks were characterised in terms of mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry, by studying rock samples from both monuments and historical extraction sites. Results showed that, although only one name was historically attributed to the above lithotypes (i.e. “Pietra di Siracusa‘’), they were quarried from many locations and, as they belong to various geological formations, they therefore exhibit great variety. In order to examine the durability of Hyblean limestones employed in works of cultural heritage interest, salt crystallisation tests were carried out according to standard procedure norms (UNI EN 12370 (1999) Determination of resistance to crystallisation of salts, 6p). Results are consistent with the forms of deterioration observed in the monuments, and highlight the close relationship between textural characteristics and damage. Our purpose is to provide a basic tool, which may be useful both for conserving monuments of cultural heritage and for their restoration.     

Strahlungsmessungen als Hilfsmittel zur Diagnose atmosphärischer Zustände und Vorgänge

Zusammenfassung An einem umfangreichen Beobachtungsmaterial besonders der zenitalen Himmelsstrahlung wird die Brauchbarkeit von Strahlungsmessungen mit verschiedenen Empfängern für die Überwachung atmosphärischer Trübungsverhältnisse und der Struktur der Trübung erprobt. Der Einfluß der selektiven Eigenschaften der einzelnen Empfängertypen auf die Meßvorgänge wird eingehend erörtert. Es wird gezeigt, daß Polarisations-und Farbwerte der zenitalen Himmelsstrahlung, die mit verhältnismäßig einfachen Mitteln (Selen-Photoelementen) gewonnen werden können, schon wesentliche Einblicke in den Trübungscharakter der Atmosphäre ermöglichen. Eine Verfeinerung der Analyse ist durch Intensitäts- und Polarisationsmessungen in engen Spektralbereichen, wie sie durch Verwendung von Interferenzfiltern in Verbindung mit Photomultipliern möglich sind, zu erreichen. Im Hinblick auf die noch unbefriedigende Bestimmung des Gesamtwasserdampfgehalts aus den atmosphärischen Absorptionsbanden bei durchgehender Strahlung wird auf die Möglichkeit, sie durch Messung der langwelligen Ausstrahlung zu kontrollieren und zu verbessern, hingewiesen.

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Summary On the basis of an extensive material of observations, in particular of zentithal sky radiation, the applicability of radiation measurements with different receivers for the control of atmospheric turbidity conditions and the structure of turbidity is investigated. The influence of the selective prpperties of the different receiver types on the measuring processes is discussed in detail. It is shown that polarisation and colour values of zenithal sky radiation obtainable by relatively simple means (selenium rectifier cells) give considerable insight into the character of atmospheric turbidity. An improvement of the analysis can be reached by measurements of intensity and polarisation within small spectral ranges such as are possible by applygin interference filters in combination with photomultipliers. With regard to the yet unsatisfactory determination of total water vapour contents from the atmospheric absorption bands of transmitted radiation the possibility is emphasized to control and improve it by measuring the outgoing long-wave radiation.

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Résumé Au moyen d'un riche matériel d'observations concernant surtout le rayonnement du ciel zénital on étudie la valeur de différents récepteurs en vue du contrôle du trouble atmosphérique et notamment de sa structure. On discute l'effet des propriétés sélectives des récepteurs sur lesprocédés des mesures. On montre que la polarisation et la couleur du rayonnement du ciel zénital mesurées par des moyens relativement simples (cellules au sélénium) fournissent déjà d'utiles renseignements sur le caractère du trouble atmosphérique. On arrive à améliorer les résultats par des mesures d'intensité et de polarisation à l'intérieur de régions spectrales étroites, ainsi que par l'emploi de filtres à interférences combinés avec des photomultiplicateurs. Considérant que la teneur totale en vapeur d'eau de l'atmosphère ne se détermine qu'imparfaitement par la transmission dans les bandes d'absorption, l'auteur évoque la possibilité de la déterminer par la mesure du rayonnement effectif à grande longueur d'onde.

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Mit 12 Textabbildungen.     

On the P-wave velocity and plate-tectonics implications for the Tyrrhenian deep-earthquake zone

P-wave velocities in the Tyrrhenian mantle have been determined for the 230–480 km depth range. Analysis of P-wave travel times for a set of Tyrrhenian deep earthquakes gives a velocity-distribution law which shows different behaviours in the 230–300 km and 300–480 km depth intervals. For the first interval the velocity gradient is 0.64 · 10⁻² sec⁻¹ and for the second one it is 0.59 · 10⁻² sec⁻¹. At a depth of 300 km the velocity decreases rapidly from 8.75 to 8.43 km/sec.The results have been analyzed in the framework of a Tyrrhenian structural model characterized by a lithospheric slab dipping 55–60° in the WNW direction.It is also pointed out that the analysis of some geodynamic features of the slabs of Pacific island arcs carried out by Oliver et al. (1973) and Sleep (1973) can be applied to the Tyrrhenian mantle geodynamic features.     

Monitoring of a methane-seeping pockmark by cabled benthic observatory (Patras Gulf, Greece)

A new seafloor observatory, the gas monitoring module (GMM), has been developed for continuous and long-term measurements of methane and hydrogen sulphide concentrations in seawater, integrated with temperature (T), pressure (P) and conductivity data at the seafloor. GMM was deployed in April 2004 within an active gas-bearing pockmark in the Gulf of Patras (Greece), at a water depth of 42 m. Through a submarine cable linked to an onshore station, it was possible to remotely check, via direct phone connection, GMM functioning and to receive data in near-real time. Recordings were carried out in two consecutive campaigns over the periods April–July 2004, and September 2004–January 2005, amounting to a combined dataset of ca. 6.5 months. This represents the first long-term monitoring ever done on gas leakage from pockmarks by means of CH₄+H₂S+T+P sensors. The results show frequent T and P drops associated with gas peaks, more than 60 events in 6.5 months, likely due to intermittent, pulsation-like seepage. Decreases in temperature in the order of 0.1–1°C (up to 1.7°C) below an ambient T of ca. 17°C (annual average) were associated with short-lived pulses (10–60 min) of increased CH₄+H₂S concentrations. This seepage “pulsation” can either be an active process driven by pressure build-up in the pockmark sediments, or a passive fluid release due to hydrostatic pressure drops induced by bottom currents cascading into the pockmark depression. Redundancy and comparison of data from different sensors were fundamental to interpret subtle proxy signals of temperature and pressure which would not be understood using only one sensor.     

大气校正对SPOT卫星遥测水质的影响

藉由卫星遥测进行河川水质监测，目前尚没有较明确可行之方法，如何利用较为简单且适当的SPOT卫星遥测大气校正方法，正确辨识水体水质，是本研究的主要目的。利用SPOT卫星作两阶段非监督式及监督式自动分类，确认卫星影像中水质测站对应之水体样本，并将所有样本依季节分群，俾让卫星监测水体水质样本较为均质。模拟方式采用多变量回归、类神经网络及判别分析3种模式，并比较4种不同之大气校正程序。结果发现。以水质及其指标整体预测来看，类神经网络预测结果较优于多变量回归及判别分析的结果，大气校正方法以直接采用灰度值并消除最暗像元灰度值之校正方法，即可达到不错之预测结果。综合而言，以SPOT或分辨率更高之卫星光谱遥测水质是简单可行，但仍需更多数据以验证其精确度。     

Diesel oil and PCB-degrading psychrotrophic bacteria isolated from Antarctic seawaters (Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea)

Fifty-seven Antarctic marine bacteria were examined for their ability to degrade commercial diesel oil as the sole organic substrate at both 4 °C and 20 °C. Based on the preliminary screening, two isolates (B11 and B15) with high capacity to degrade diesel oil were selected and their biodegradation efficiency was quantified by gas chromatographic analysis. As expected for psychrotrophs, diesel oil biodegradation was slower at 4 °C than at 20 °C. The two strains also mineralized the C₂₈ n-paraffin octacosane at 20 °C and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at 4 °C and 20 °C.