Rosa Maria Cavalli, 2020, Local, Daily, and Total Bio-Optical Models of Coastal Waters of Manfredonia Gulf Applied to Simulated Data of CHRIS, Landsat TM, MIVIS, MODIS, and PRISMA Sensors for Evaluating the Error,
Remote sensing (Basel) 12(9) (2020): 1–28. doi_10.3390/rs12091428,
DOI: 10.3390%2Frs12091428
Abstract
The spatial-temporal resolution of remote data covers coastal water variability, but this approach offers a ...
The spatial-temporal resolution of remote data covers coastal water variability, but this approach offers a lower accuracy than in situ observations. Two of the major error sources occur due to the parameterization of bio-optical models and spectral capability of the remote data. These errors were evaluated by exploiting data acquired in the coastal waters of Manfredonia Gulf. Chlorophyll-a concentrations, absorption of the colored dissolved organic material at 440 nm (aCDOM440nm), and tripton concentrations measured in situ varied between 0.09-1.76 mgm-3, 0.00-0.41 m-1, and 1.97-8.90 gm-3. In accordance with the position and time of in situ surveys, 36 local models, four daily models, and one total bio-optical model were parameterized and validated using in situ data before applying to Compact High-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS) mode 1, CHRIS mode 2, Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), Multispectral Infrared and Visible Imaging Spectrometer (MIVIS), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Precursore Iperspettrale della Missione Applicativa (PRISMA) simulated data. Concentrations retrieved from PRISMA data using local models highlighted the smallest errors. Because tripton abundance is great and tripton absorptions were better resolved than those of chlorophyll-a and colored dissolved organic material (CDOM), tripton concentrations were adequately retrieved from all data using total models, while only local models adequately retrieved chlorophyll-a concentrations and aCDOM440nm from CHRIS mode 1, CHRIS mode 2, MIVIS, and MODIS data. Therefore, the application of local models shows smaller errors than those of daily and total models; however, the capability to resolve the absorption of water constituents and analyze their concentration range can dictate the model choice. Consequently, the integration of more models allows us to overcome the limitations of the data and sensors
Galena Jordanova (1), Stefano Luigi Gariano (2), Massimo Melillo (2), Silvia Peruccacci (2), Maria Teresa Brunetti (2), Mateja Jemec Auflic (3), 2020, Determination of Empirical Rainfall Thresholds for Shallow Landslides in Slovenia Using an Automatic Tool,
Water (Basel) 12 (2020): 1–16. doi_10.3390/w12051449,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fw12051449
Abstract
Rainfall-triggered shallow landslides represent a major threat to people and infrastructure worldwide. Predicting the possibility ...
Rainfall-triggered shallow landslides represent a major threat to people and infrastructure worldwide. Predicting the possibility of a landslide occurrence accurately means understanding the trigger mechanisms adequately. Rainfall is the main cause of slope failures in Slovenia, and rainfall thresholds are among the most-used tools to predict the possible occurrence of rainfall-triggered landslides. The recent validation of the prototype landslide early system in Slovenia highlighted the need to define new reliable rainfall thresholds. In this study, several empirical thresholds are determined using an automatic tool. The thresholds are represented by a power law curve that links the cumulated event rainfall (E, in mm) with the duration of the rainfall event (D, in h). By eliminating all subjective criteria thanks to the automated calculation, thresholds at diverse non-exceedance probabilities are defined and validated, and the uncertainties associated with their parameters are estimated. Additional thresholds are also calculated for two different environmental classifications. The first classification is based on mean annual rainfall (MAR) with the national territory divided into three classes. The area with the highest MAR has the highest thresholds, which indicates a likely adaptation of the landscape to higher amounts of rainfall. The second classification is based on four lithological units. Two-thirds of the considered landslides occur in the unit of any type of clastic sedimentary rocks, which proves an influence of the lithology on the occurrence of shallow landslides. Sedimentary rocks that are prone to weathering have the lowest thresholds, while magmatic and metamorphic rocks have the highest thresholds. Thresholds obtained for both classifications are far less reliable due to the low number of empirical points and can only be used as indicators of rainfall conditions for each of the classes. Finally, the new national thresholds for Slovenia are also compared with other regional, national, and global thresholds. The thresholds can be used to define probabilistic schemes aiming at the operative prediction of rainfall-induced shallow landslides in Slovenia, in the framework of the Slovenian prototype early warning system.
Francesco Brozzetti, 1,2
Alessandro Cesare Mondini, 3
Cristina Pauselli, 2,4
Paolo Mancinelli, 4,5
Daniele Cirillo, 1,2
Fausto Guzzetti, 3
Giusy Lavecchia, 1,2, 2020, Mainshock Anticipated by Intra-Sequence Ground Deformations_ Insights from Multiscale Field and SAR Interferometric Measurements,
Geosciences (Basel) (2020). doi_10.3390/geosciences10050186,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fgeosciences10050186
Abstract
The 2016 Central Italy seismic sequence was characterized by two main events_ 24 August, Mw ...
The 2016 Central Italy seismic sequence was characterized by two main events_ 24 August, Mw 6, and 30 October, Mw 6.5. We carried out high-resolution field sampling and DInSAR analysis of the coseismic and intra-sequence ground deformations along the Mt Vettore-Mt Bove causative fault (VBF). We found that during the intra-sequence period (24 August-30 October), the ground experienced some deformations whose final patterns seemed to be retraced and amplified by the following mainshock. We interpreted that (i) immediately after the 24 August earthquake, the deformation observed in the southern VBF expanded northwards and westwards over a Length of Deforming Ground (LDG) ranging between 28.7 and 36.3 km, and (ii) it extended to the whole portion of the hanging wall that was later affected by mainshock coseismic deformation. Assuming the LDG to be an indicator for an expected (=coseismic) surface rupture length and using known scaling functions, we obtained 6.4 <= Mw <= 6.7 for a possible incoming earthquake, which is consistent with the mainshock magnitude. We suggest that the evolution of the ground deformations after a significant seismic event might provide insights on the occurrence of new earthquakes with magnitudes comparable to or larger than the former.
Capozzoli, L.; De Martino, G.; Polemio, M.; Rizzo, E., 2020, Geophysical Techniques for Monitoring Settlement Phenomena Occurring in Reinforced Concrete Buildings,
Surveys in geophysics 41 (2020): 575–604. doi_10.1007/s10712-019-09554-8,
DOI: 10.1007%2Fs10712-019-09554-8
Abstract
Geophysical investigations could provide a valid tool for the identification of possible causes of settlement ...
Geophysical investigations could provide a valid tool for the identification of possible causes of settlement phenomena that affect civil buildings. They provide a non-invasive method of obtaining high-resolution information about the subsoil, saving time and money. However, uncertainties related to the accurate interpretation of the acquired data could potentially reduce the value of these methods. For this reason, the integration of non-invasive tests with direct measurements to support geophysical data interpretation is strongly recommended. This is a fundamental step in the process of defining a sufficiently reliable geological model to explain the cause of failure. Among the various geophysical techniques, electrical resistivity tomography and ground penetrating radar offer significant advantages for monitoring the status of the conservation of civil engineering structures and infrastructures. This paper presents the most recent and beneficial advances of the use of electric and electromagnetic geophysical methods in the field of civil engineering, with particular attention to their applications for monitoring subsidence and settlement phenomena. Finally, the possibilities of the joint use of resistivity and electromagnetic methods for studying the causes of the structural decay that affects two precast buildings are monitored and discussed. The results demonstrate the capability of combining non-destructive geophysical techniques with direct data, for evaluating the safety of building constructions and solving geotechnical problems.
Gianluca Vignaroli, Marco Mancini, Mauro Brilli, Francesco Bucci, Mauro Cardinali, Francesca Giustini, Mario Voltaggio, Tsai-Luen Yu, Chuan-Chou Shen, 2020, Spatial-temporal evolution of extensional faulting and fluid circulation in the Amatrice Basin (central Apennines, Italy) during the Pleistocene,
Frontiers in Earth Sciences (2020). doi_10.3389/feart.2020.00130,
DOI: 10.3389%2Ffeart.2020.00130
Abstract
In extensional continental settings, crustal-scale normal faults can accommodate deformation and subsidence at their hanging ...
In extensional continental settings, crustal-scale normal faults can accommodate deformation and subsidence at their hanging wall via activation and deactivation of subsidiary tectonic structures. Geological data obtained from subsidiary structures are required to infer the position of the tectonic deformation during the spatial-temporal evolution of the growth-fault system, with significant implications for structures belonging to seismogenic settings. Here, we describe a subsidiary tectonic structure (the Amatrice Fault System) accommodating Quaternary extensional deformation in the Amatrice Basin (central Apennines, Italy), which is an intermountain morpho-structural depression involved by the 2016-2017 seismic sequence. Structurally, the Amatrice Fault System defines a ~10 km-long tectonic feature running through the Amatrice Basin, and consists of NNW-SSE-striking and E-W-striking fault segments that interact and link over time. Cross-cutting fault relationships are used to reconstruct a kinematic scenario of fault growth and propagation under an ENE-WSW-directed crustal stretching, consistent with the paleostress regime governing the Quaternary activity of the central Apennines. The analysis of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes on syn-kinematic carbonate mineralizations (calcite veins and calcite fibers on fault surfaces) indicates a meteoric water circulation during the development of the growing fault structure, characterized by variable contributions of organic carbon (soil CO2), and suggesting surface rupture and hydrodynamic interconnection with the vadose zone during faulting. Geochronological U-Th dating on the same mineralizations indicates Middle-Late Pleistocene ages for tectonic activity of the Amatrice Fault System, with the younger age being 108±10 ka. Our results shed light on the long-term tectonics in the Amatrice Basin, in which the Amatrice Fault System records fault growth, hydrodynamic regime and structural permeability network developed under possible coseismic conditions during the Pleistocene. Activation and deactivation of minor tectonic structures, such as the Amatrice Fault System, can provide insights on the localization of tectonic deformation at the hanging wall of a master fault, with implication on the releasing seismogenic potential in active tectonic domains similar to the central Apennines.
Martini L.; Faes L.; Picco L.; Iroume A.; Lingua E.; Garbarino M.; Cavalli M., 2020, Assessing the effect of fire severity on sediment connectivity in central Chile,
Science of the total environment 728 (2020). doi_10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139006,
DOI: 10.1016%2Fj.scitotenv.2020.139006
Abstract
Chilean territory is recurrently affected by severe wildfires, which drastically reduce the forest cover and ...
Chilean territory is recurrently affected by severe wildfires, which drastically reduce the forest cover and promote runoff, soil erosion and slope instabilities. To understand how the geomorphic system responds to wildfires in terms of sediment dynamics, the assessment of sediment connectivity, i.e. the property describing the relationships between compartments of a geomorphic system, is crucial. This study aims to quantify the spatial linkages between fire severity and sediment connectivity to identify common patterns and driving factors. The compound use of field data and open-source satellite imagery helped to apply the Relative differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (RdNBR) and the Index of Connectivity (IC) in the context of two consecutive wildfires, occurred in 2002 and 2015, in the Rio Toro catchment (Chile). The fire severity assessment showed that the 2002 event affected 90% of the catchment, with high severity areas representing around 70%. The 2015 wildfire instead, affected 76% of the catchment with moderate severity around 42%. Accordingly, as result of the sudden reduction in forest cover in severely affected areas, the IC changed after both wildfires with an overall increase of 1.07 and 0.54, respectively. However, only for the second disturbance, it was possible to observe a clear relationship between the RdNBR and the IC variations. The different degree of vegetation cover heterogeneity between the two pre-wildfire scenarios contributed to different fire severity and IC variability between the two disturbances. The use of open-source satellite data and the development of a weighting factor (W), to be used in IC and able to capture the land cover change driven by the wildfires, could make the application of this approach straightforward, promoting its reproducibility in other catchments for land management and risk mitigation purposes.
Lorenzo Marchi, Massimo Arattano, Marco Cavalli, Federico Cazorzi, Stefano Crema, Sara Cucchiaro, 2020, Debris-flow data collected in the Moscardo Torrent (eastern Italian Alps) between 1990 and 2019,
EGU General Assembly 2020, Vienna (Austria), 4-8 May 2020,
Mattia Zaramella, Lorenzo Marchi, Francesco Marra, Francesco Comiti, Stefano Crema, Mattia Marchio, and Marco Borga, 2020, Role of stationary convective bands and antecedent conditions on the flood response to the Vaia storm (October 27-30, 2018) in the Eastern Italian Alps,
EGU General Assembly 2020, Vienna (Austria), 4-8 May 2020,
Andrea Brenna, Nicola Surian, Marco Borga, Massimiliano Ghinassi, Lorenzo Marchi, 2020, Recognition and Occurrence of Different Sediment-Water Flows Triggered by High-Magnitude Hydrological Events in Mountain Catchments,
EGU General Assembly 2020, 4-8 May 2020,
GIULIO IOVINE - con la collaborazione di C. BRUNO, D. DISTILO (1), C. GRECO (2), V. LUPIANO, V. RAGO, 2020, RELAZIONE DI SOPRALLUOGO – SITO DI_ FRANCICA (KM 292).,
2020,
Abstract
report di sopralluogo su sito minacciato da dissesto lungo linea ferroviaria, per suggerimento di indagini ...
report di sopralluogo su sito minacciato da dissesto lungo linea ferroviaria, per suggerimento di indagini e azioni di mitigazione
GIULIO IOVINE - con la collaborazione di C. BRUNO, C. GRECO (1), V. LUPIANO, V. RAGO, 2020, RELAZIONE DI SOPRALLUOGO – SITI DI_ CELLE DI BULGHERIA (KM 80), CELLE DI BULGHERIA (KM 82), PISCIOTTA (KM 70).,
2020,
Abstract
report di sopralluogo su siti minacciati da dissesto per impostare studi e monitoraggio per la ...
report di sopralluogo su siti minacciati da dissesto per impostare studi e monitoraggio per la mitigazione
Bucci, Francesco; Novellino, Rocco; Guglielmi, Paola; Tavarnelli, Enrico, 2020, Growth and dissection of a fold and thrust belt_ the geological record of the High Agri Valley, Italy,
Journal of maps 16 (2020): 245–256. doi_10.1080/17445647.2020.1737254,
DOI: 10.1080%2F17445647.2020.1737254
Abstract
We present a 130 km(2) wide geological map for the NE side of the fault-bounded ...
We present a 130 km(2) wide geological map for the NE side of the fault-bounded High Agri Valley Southern Italy, that formed in the Quaternary in response to extensional tectonics dissecting the folds and thrusts of the Lucanian Apennine. To prepare the map, at 1_25,000 scale, we integrated information obtained through field surveys and the review of pre-existing geological data. Our work describes a number of significant map-scale structures, which can be related to well-constrained tectonic episodes. The new geological map provides important constraints that can be used to distinguish ancient structures from those that were active during the Quaternary, allowing a more detailed reconstruction of the processes that operate during the development of a post-orogenic trough. We expect that the new map will be used for different types of geological investigations, including studies of inversion tectonics, active tectonics, geosite mapping, 3D modelling of geological structures.
M Zaramella, L Marchi, F Cazorzi, S Crema, M Cavalli, M Borga, 2020, Extreme Rainfall and Flooding from the Vaia Storm of October 27-30, 2018 in North-Eastern Italy,
PROCESSI IDROLOGICI ED EROSIVI NEI SISTEMI AGRARI ED AMBIENTALI - Giornata di studi in ricordo del Prof. Ing. Marcello Niedda, edited by Mario Pirastru, Filippo Giadrossich, pp. 37–40, 2020,
Abstract
This work investigates rainfall and flood response for the
event that affected the eastern Italian Alps ...
This work investigates rainfall and flood response for the
event that affected the eastern Italian Alps on 27-30 October 2018
(the so-called "Vaia" storm). The event was characterized by
extreme cumulated precipitation (up to 850 mm in three days) and
wind, causing severe floods, landslides, loss of lives, extended
damages to forests, interruption of traffic and electricity supply, as
well as other infrastructural damages. The event was heavily influenced
by the regional orography and was characterized by a welldefined
rainfall hiatus which permits the identification of two consecutive
precipitation phases. The paper describes the main hydrometeorological
features of the event, reporting on the rainfall forcing
and on the results from a post-flood survey campaign which
allowed to provide estimates of peak discharges in the Piave River
basin, an area heavily impacted by the flood.
Reyes-Carmona C.; Barra A.; Galve J.P.; Monserrat O.; Perez-Pena J.V.; Mateos R.M.; Notti D.; Ruano P.; Millares A.; Lopez-Vinielles J.; Azanon J.M., 2020, Sentinel-1 DInSAR for monitoring active landslides in critical infrastructures_ The case of the rules reservoir (Southern Spain),
Remote sensing (Basel) 12 (2020). doi_10.3390/rs12050809,
DOI: 10.3390%2Frs12050809
Abstract
Landslides in reservoir contexts are a well-recognised hazard that may lead to dangerous situations regarding ...
Landslides in reservoir contexts are a well-recognised hazard that may lead to dangerous situations regarding infrastructures and people's safety. Satellite-based radar interferometry is proving to be a reliable method to monitor the activity of landslides in such contexts. Here, we present a DInSAR (Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) analysis of Sentinel-1 images that exemplifies the usefulness of the technique to recognize and monitor landslides in the Rules Reservoir (Southern Spain). The integration of DInSAR results with a comprehensive geomorphological study allowed us to understand the typology, evolution and triggering factors of three active landslides_ Lorenzo-1, Rules Viaduct and El Arrecife. We could distinguish between rotational and translational landslides and, thus, we evaluated the potential hazards related to these typologies, i.e., retrogression (Lorenzo-1 and Rules Viaduct landslides) or catastrophic slope failure (El Arrecife Landslide), respectively. We also observed how changes in the water level of the reservoir influence the landslide's behaviour. Additionally, we were able to monitor the stability of the Rules Dam as well as detect the deformation of a highway viaduct that crosses a branch of the reservoir. Overall, we consider that other techniques must be applied to continue monitoring the movements, especially in the El Arrecife Landslide, in order to avoid future structural damages and fatalities.
H. Beck, N. Vergopolan, M. Pan, V. Levizzani, A. J. J. M. van Dijk, G. P. Weedon, L. Brocca, F. Pappenberger, G. J. Huffman, and E. F. Wood,, 2020, Global-Scale Evaluation of 22 Precipitation Datasets Using Gauge Observations and Hydrological Modeling,
Satellite Precipitation Measurement, edited by V. Levizzani, C. Kidd, D. B. Kirschbaum, C. D. Kummerow, K. Nakamura, F. J. Turk, pp. 625–653. Cham, Heidelberg, New York, Dordrecht, London_ Springer, 2020,
Abstract
We undertook a comprehensive evaluation of 22 gridded (quasi-)global (sub-)daily precipitation (P) datasets for the ...
We undertook a comprehensive evaluation of 22 gridded (quasi-)global (sub-)daily precipitation (P) datasets for the period 2000-2016. Thirteen non-gauge-corrected P datasets were evaluated using daily P gauge observations from 76,086 gauges worldwide. Another nine gauge-corrected datasets were evaluated using hydrological modeling, by calibrating the conceptual model HBV against streamflow records for each of 9053 small to medium-sized (<50,000 km2) catchments worldwide, and comparing the resulting performance. Marked differences in spatio-temporal patterns and accuracy were found among the datasets. Among the uncorrected P datasets, the satellite- and reanalysis-based MSWEP-ng V1.2 and V2.0 datasets generally showed the best temporal correlations with the gauge observations, followed by the reanalyses (ERA-Interim, JRA-55, and NCEP-CFSR) and the satellite- and reanalysis-based CHIRP V2.0 dataset, the estimates based primarily on passive microwave remote sensing of rainfall (CMORPH V1.0, GSMaP V5/6, and TMPA 3B42RT V7) or near-surface soil moisture (SM2RAIN-ASCAT), and finally, estimates based primarily on thermal infrared imagery (GridSat V1.0, PERSIANN, and PERSIANN-CCS). Two of the three reanalyses (ERA-Interim and JRA-55) unexpectedly obtained lower trend errors than the satellite datasets. Among the corrected P datasets, the ones directly incorporating daily gauge data (CPC Unified and MSWEP V1.2 and V2.0) generally provided the best calibration scores, although the good performance of the fully gauge-based CPC Unified is unlikely to translate to sparsely or ungauged regions. Next best results were obtained with P estimates directly incorporating temporally coarser gauge data (CHIRPS V2.0, GPCP-1DD V1.2, TMPA 3B42 V7, and WFDEI-CRU), which in turn outperformed the one indirectly incorporating gauge data through another multi-source dataset (PERSIANN-CDR V1R1). Our results highlight large differences in estimation accuracy, and hence, the importance of P dataset selection in both research and operational applications. The good performance of MSWEP emphasizes that careful data merging can exploit the complementary strengths of gauge-, satellite- and reanalysis-based P estimates.
Nigrelli G., 2020, Antropocene: l’inizio di una nuova era e il futuro che ci aspetta,
2020,
Abstract
saremo in grado di garantirci una casa? ...
saremo in grado di garantirci una casa?
Biondino, Deborah; Borrelli, Luigi; Critelli, Salvatore; Muto, Francesco; Apollaro, Carmine; Coniglio, Sabrina; Tripodi, Vincenzo; Perri, Francesco, 2020, A multidisciplinary approach to investigate weathering processes affecting gneissic rocks (Calabria, southern Italy),
Catena (Cremling.) 187 (2020). doi_10.1016/j.catena.2019.104372,
DOI: 10.1016%2Fj.catena.2019.104372
Abstract
The paper focuses on the weathering processes affecting gneissic rocks of the western Sila Grande ...
The paper focuses on the weathering processes affecting gneissic rocks of the western Sila Grande Massif (Calabria, Italy) through the development of an interdisciplinary research based on field studies and investigations, minero-petrographical analyses and geochemical modeling. Both physical and chemical weathering affect gneissic rocks of the study area, where the combination of tectonic and past climatic conditions played an important key role in the development of complex and deep weathering profiles. Field surveys and cut slope analyses highlight articulated and complex geometric relationships between various classes of weathering (i.e., out-of-sequence weathering horizons giving rise to a partial, or even complete inversion of the "normal" weathering profile). The weathering profile has turned out particularly intense, as classes IV, V and VI are widespread. Among the class VI, the colluvial soils are prominent in comparison whit the residual soils. Borehole logs, that confirm the intensity and complexity of weathering profiles in deep, allow to estimate the presence of weathered rocks to be at least 70 m in thicknesses.
Turconi L.; Faccini F.; Marchese A.; Paliaga G.; Casazza M.; Vojinovic Z.; Luino F., 2020, Implementation of Nature-Based Solutions for Hydro-Meteorological Risk Reduction in Small Mediterranean Catchments_ The Case of Portofino Natural Regional Park, Italy,
Sustainability (Basel) 12 (2020). doi_10.3390/su12031240,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fsu12031240
Abstract
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are usually defined as complementary or alternative solutions to "grey infrastructures" (traditionally ...
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are usually defined as complementary or alternative solutions to "grey infrastructures" (traditionally made with cement) aimed at conserving and regenerating the functionality of natural and semi-natural ecosystems. The research to date shows a considerable potential of NBS to address the current challenges related to climate change and geo-hydrological risks. Despite significant interest in NBS by researchers and practitioners, knowledge concerning their practical implementation, monitoring, and evaluation is still lacking. This is particularly true for large-scale NBS. The present paper discusses how such solutions can be implemented in the context of hydro-meteorological risk reduction in small Mediterranean catchments with a strong tourist vocation. The work presented here is situated within the RECONECT Project (Regenerating ECOsystems with Nature-based solutions for hydro-meteorological risk rEduCTion), which aims to contribute to a European reference framework on NBS by demonstrating, upscaling, and replicating large-scale NBS in rural and natural areas. The Italian case study of RECONECT is the Portofino Natural Regional Park, which represents a unique natural landscape element with high ecologic, social, and economic (touristic) value, which is threatened by a range of geo-hydrological hazards, such as flash floods, hyper-concentrated floods, shallow landslides, rockfalls, and storm surges. This paper also presents details of NBS interventions in two pilot catchments (San Fruttuoso and Paraggi) visited by thousands of tourists throughout the year. It addresses some of the key aspects related to monitoring meteorological and hydrological processes, as well as remote sensing activities (i.e., LiDAR surveys), which are necessary for the identification of critical-instability areas along waterways and the reconstruction of dry stone walls. Lastly, a discussion of relevant mitigation and adaptation strategies that are potentially replicable at national and international levels is also provided.
Luino F.; De Graff J.; Roccati A.; Biddoccu M.; Cirio C.G.; Faccini F.; Turconi L., 2020, Eighty years of data collected for the determination of rainfall threshold triggering shallow landslides and mud-debris flows in the Alps,
Water (Basel) 12 (2020). doi_10.3390/w12010133,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fw12010133
Abstract
Identifying the minimum rainfall thresholds necessary for landslides triggering is essential to landslide risk assessment. ...
Identifying the minimum rainfall thresholds necessary for landslides triggering is essential to landslide risk assessment. The Italian Alps have always been affected by shallow landslides and mud-debris flows, which caused considerable damage to property and, sometimes, casualties. We analysed information provided from different sources carrying on the most thorough research conducted for this alpine area. Thousands of documents and reports of rainfall values recorded over 80 years by rain gauges distributed in Sondrio and Brescia Provinces define the mean annual precipitation (MAP)-normalized intensity-duration thresholds for the initiation of shallow landslides and mud-debris flows. The established curves are generally lower compared to those proposed in literature for similar mountain areas in Italy and worldwide. Furthermore, we found that landslides occurred primarily at the same time or within 3 h from the maximum peak of rainfall intensity in summer events and in a period from 0 to 5 h or later in spring-autumn events. The paper provides a further contribution to the knowledge framework on the rainfall conditions required for the initiation of surficial landslides and mud-debris flows and their expected timing of occurrence. This knowledge is crucial to develop better warning strategies to mitigate geo-hydrological risk and reduce the socio-economic damage.
Paliaga G.; Luino F.; Turconi L.; Marincioni F.; Faccini F., 2020, Exposure to geo-hydrological hazards of the metropolitan area of Genoa, Italy_ A multi-temporal analysis of the Bisagno stream,
Sustainability (Basel) 12 (2020). doi_10.3390/su12031114,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fsu12031114
Abstract
Geo-hydrological risk reduction policies are becoming a critical challenge for environmental sustainability, both at the ...
Geo-hydrological risk reduction policies are becoming a critical challenge for environmental sustainability, both at the national and international levels. The reason is twofold_ On the one hand, climate change has increase rainfall frequency and intensity, while on the other, reckless urban expansion has increased exposure to such hazards over time. Italy is a country that is very vulnerable to flood and landslide hazard; the city of Genoa, which, in recent decades, has been frequently hit by severe floods, has risen to symbolize Italian geo-hydrological risk. Recent studies on Genoa's geo-hydrological hazard have focused on the analysis of hydro-geomorphological features of the Bisagno stream basin, yet their main focus was on hazard control. Very little research has been done to enhance the understanding of the source of risk in such catchments. This paper presents a study on the increased urban exposure and vulnerability to geo-hydrological hazard along the Bisagno stream catchment area over the last 200 years. Morphometric analyses were coupled with historical documents showing the evolution of the urban layout in this area. The results show that the "Bisagno Master Plan", a territorial planning strategy aimed at reducing geo-hydrological hazard and risk, has not produced the expected benefits. In spite of the plan, critical changes in land use and the hydrographic network, along with uncontrolled anthropization of the Genoa metropolitan area, has continued over the last two decades.
Paliaga G.; Luino F.; Turconi L.; De Graff J.V.; Faccini F., 2020, Terraced landscapes on portofino promontory (Italy): Identification, geo-hydrological hazard and management,
Water (Basel) 12 (2020). doi_10.3390/w12020435,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fw12020435
Abstract
Stone wall terraces are a largely investigated topic in research for both their landscape and ...
Stone wall terraces are a largely investigated topic in research for both their landscape and cultural/historical value. Terraces are anthropogenic landforms that interact with natural processes and need permanent maintenance to preserve their functionality. In the Mediterranean region, ground effects related to intense rain events often involve terraced slopes that, in some situations, are directly sourced areas of debris/mud flow. Starting from the 1950s, the changing socio-economic conditions caused the abandonment of large portions of rural areas. Nowadays, at the catchment scale, it is frequently difficult recognizing stone wall terraces because of their abandonment and the uncontrolled re-vegetation. This research faces the issue of identifying terraces in the Monte di Portofino promontory, which is internationally famous for its high-value natural and landscape involving broad anthropogenic modifications dating back to the Middle Ages. A remote sensing application, with LIDAR data and orthophotography, identified terraces on the Portofino promontory, enabling investigating even barely accessible areas and increasing knowledge on the territory. The aim of this paper is first of all to point out the presence of such anthropogenic morphologies in the promontory of Monte di Portofino and then to asses and highlight the related hazard. In fact, terraces can be a source of debris/hyper-concentrated flow with highly damaging power, as occurred in the recent years in neighboring areas during particularly intense hydrological events. Then, terraced area mapping, including in use and in abandonment information, is crucial to perform a spatial relationship analysis that includes hazard-exposed elements and to evaluate the possible connectivity factor of buildings, infrastructures, tourism facilities and Cultural Heritage within the hydrographical network.
Andrea Mandarino, Fabio Luino, Laura Turconi, Francesco Faccini, 2020, Urban geomorphology of a historical city straddling the Tanaro River (Alessandria, NW Italy),
Journal of maps (2020). doi_10.1080/17445647.2020.1746420,
DOI: 10.1080%2F17445647.2020.1746420
Abstract
The integration of field surveys, bibliographic research and multitemporal analysis of historical
maps, aerial photographs and ...
The integration of field surveys, bibliographic research and multitemporal analysis of historical
maps, aerial photographs and satellite images in a GIS environment, allowed the current and
past geomorphological features of the old city of Alessandria and its surrounding areas, NW
Italy, to be identified and mapped. Their analysis provided an overview of the
geomorphological evolution of the city that is strictly related to the historical vicissitudes
occurred since the Middle Ages. Nowadays, the most representative landforms and deposits
characterizing the urban landscape result from human interventions and are associated with
ancient military facilities and infrastructures, a historical man-made channel network no
longer recognizable, the Tanaro riverbed channelization, and the urban sprawl occurred from
the second half of the nineteenth century onwards. This study represents a useful tool for
urban planning and management and for raising the citizens' awareness of the urbanlandscape
geomorphological features and evolution, and therefore the geo-hydrological risk.
Danilo Godone, Paolo Allasia, Luigi Borrelli, Giovanni Gullà, 2020, UAV and Structure from Motion Approach to Monitor the Maierato Landslide Evolution,
Remote sensing (Basel) (2020).,
Abstract
In February 2010 a large landslide affected the Maierato municipality (Calabria, Italy). The landslide, mainly ...
In February 2010 a large landslide affected the Maierato municipality (Calabria, Italy). The landslide, mainly caused by a period of prolonged and intense rainfalls, produced a mass displacement of about 5 million m³ and several damages to farmlands, houses and infrastructures. In the aftermath several conventional monitoring actions were carried out. In the current post emergency phase, the monitoring was resumed by carrying out unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) flights in order to describe the recent behavior of the landslide and to assess residual risk. Thanks to the potentialities of the structure from motion algorithms and the availability of post emergency reconnaissance photos and a previous 3D dataset, the three-dimensional evolution of the area was computed. Moreover, an experimental multispectral flight was carried out and its results supported the interpretation of local phenomena. The dataset allowed to quantify the elevation losses and raises in several peculiar sectors of the landslide. The obtained results confirm that the UAV monitoring and the structure from motion approach can effectively contribute to manage residual risk in the medium and long term within an integrated geotechnical monitoring network.
Samia, Jalal; Temme, A. J. A. M.; Bregt, Arnold; Wallinga, Jakob; Guzzetti, Fausto; Ardizzone, Francesca, 2020, Dynamic path-dependent landslide susceptibility modelling,
Natural hazards and earth system sciences (Print) 20 (2020): 271–285. doi_10.5194/nhess-20-271-2020,
DOI: 10.5194%2Fnhess-20-271-2020
Abstract
This contribution tests the added value of including landslide path dependency in statistically based landslide ...
This contribution tests the added value of including landslide path dependency in statistically based landslide susceptibility modelling. A conventional pixel-based landslide susceptibility model was compared with a model that includes landslide path dependency and with a purely path-dependent landslide susceptibility model. To quantify path dependency among landslides, we used a space-time clustering (STC) measure derived from Ripley's space-time K function implemented on a point-based multi-temporal landslide inventory from the Collazzone study area in central Italy. We found that the values of STC obey an exponential-decay curve with a characteristic timescale of 17 years and characteristic spatial scale of 60 m. This exponential spacetime decay of the effect of a previous landslide on landslide susceptibility was used as the landslide path-dependency component of susceptibility models. We found that the performance of the conventional landslide susceptibility model improved considerably when adding the effect of landslide path dependency. In fact, even the purely path-dependent landslide susceptibility model turned out to perform better than the conventional landslide susceptibility model. The conventional plus path-dependent and path-dependent landslide susceptibility model and their resulting maps are dynamic and change over time, unlike conventional landslide susceptibility maps.
Annalisa Minelli, Caterina Bergami, Elisa Camatti, Mauro Bastianini, Fabrizio Bernardi Aubry, Alessandro Oggioni, Alessandro Sarretta, Alessandra Pugnetti, 2020, EcoNAOS: Open Science for marine long term data.,
EuroLag 9, Venezia, 20-24/01/2020,
Abstract
Open Science is increasingly pervading scientific communities, since the worth of sharing, beyond the results, ...
Open Science is increasingly pervading scientific communities, since the worth of sharing, beyond the results, research ideas, methods and tools, data and metadata is more and more recognized. Open Science principles applied to data, translate in FAIRness of data_ data must be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.
We present a case study on the Open Science approach applied to the valorization of a long term dataset, composed of abiotic parameters, phyto- and zooplankton, collected in 50 years (1965 to 2015) in the Northern Adriatic Sea (NAS), one of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites of the LTER-Italy network. We describe and discuss the different operational parts of the case study that are all connected in defining the "open research project lifecycle". Starting from the data, the lifecycle includes each step of the entire research project, with specific sharing strategies. Two main types of actions were undertaken_ (i) on data (e.g. data harmonization, metadatation, repository choice) and (ii) on the whole research process (e.g. publication of research ideas and results, sharing of source code and models, other dissemination actions).
The lessons learned through the realization of this case study, in particular the assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the solutions adopted at each stage of the "project lifecycle", might be usefully generalized and extended also to other types of LTER transitional and marine sites. In particular, this might be the case of the Lagoon of Venice (LoV), another LTER-Italy site adjacent and connected to the NAS, where comparable data have been gathered as well. The more the time series on plankton and related variables are made available, according to the FAIR principles, the more it is possible to reconstruct and compare trends and dynamics, providing precious tools for detecting significant changes in response to global or local pressures and impacts.
Romy Schlögel, Christian Kofler, Stefano Luigi Gariano, Jean Van Campenhout & Stephen Plummer, 2020, Changes in climate patterns and their association to natural hazard distribution in South Tyrol (Eastern Italian Alps),
Scientific reports (Nature Publishing Group) 10 (2020): 1–14. doi_10.1038/s41598-020-61615-w,
DOI: 10.1038%2Fs41598-020-61615-w
Abstract
In Alpine regions changes in seasonal climatic parameters, such as temperature, rainfall, and snow amount ...
In Alpine regions changes in seasonal climatic parameters, such as temperature, rainfall, and snow amount have already been observed. Specifically, in the South Tyrol area, meteorological observations indicate that temperatures are increasing and the number of snow days has generally diminished over time with perennial snow line now observed at higher elevations. Changes in rainfall have also been observed with more events associated with higher temperatures in the summer season. Natural hazards - mainly debris and mud flows, landslides, avalanches, rock falls, and (flash) floods - that affect this area every year, damaging population and infrastructures, are either weather or cryosphere-related. While these events have been recorded sporadically since the beginning of the 20th century, a systematic approach of their inventory has been done by local authorities since the 1990s. So far, Earth observation data has not been exploited to complete or complement existing inventories nor have they been used to investigate the influence of climate perturbation on potentially dangerous natural phenomena. The research presented here thus has three objectives_ (i) analyse long time series of climate data and hazard occurrence in South Tyrol to examine if these records exhibit a coherent response of hazards to changes in climate; (ii) measure the spatio-temporal evolution of climatic and natural hazard events recorded, and (iii) explore potential relations between meteorological conditions and the hazard occurrence. In this context, in-situ and satellite-based climate data are exploited to study natural hazard triggers while the potential of Earth observation data is evaluated as a complement to the existing historical records of natural hazards. Specifically, Copernicus Sentinel-1 images are used to detect the spatio-temporal distribution of slow earth surface deformations and the results used for checking the completeness of the actual slow-moving landslide inventories. Hazard-related changes in the South Tyrolian landscape have also been analysed in relation to particular meteorological events at a regional scale, assessing trends and anomalies. Results show that_ (i) satellite data are very useful to complement the existing natural hazard inventories; (ii) in-situ and satellite-based climate records show similar patterns but differ due to regional versus local variability; (iii) even in a data-rich region such as the analysed area, the overall response of natural hazard occurrence, magnitude, and frequency to change in climate variables is difficult to decipher due to the presence of multiple triggers and locally driven ground responses. However, an increase in the average annual duration of rainfall events and debris flow occurrence can be observed.
Guido Nigrelli, 2020, Una giornata a misurar ghiacciai,
Sapere (Bari) 2/2020 (2020): 10–15. doi_10.12919/sapere.2020.02.1,
DOI: 10.12919%2Fsapere.2020.02.1
Abstract
Lunghe camminate, tanti rilevamenti e belle fotografie_ ecco come nascono le conoscenze sulle nostre risorse ...
Lunghe camminate, tanti rilevamenti e belle fotografie_ ecco come nascono le conoscenze sulle nostre risorse glaciali alpine.
Giacomo Tedesco, Gianluca Marcato, Giulia Bossi, Luca Schenato, 2020, Monitoraggio della galleria di San Lorenzo in rapporto ai movimenti franosi esterni nel periodo dal 22 novembre 2018 al 21 novembre 2019,
2020,
Abstract
La relazione finale del contratto di servizi tra ANAS Trieste (Prot.CDG-0273267-P del 14/05/2019) e il ...
La relazione finale del contratto di servizi tra ANAS Trieste (Prot.CDG-0273267-P del 14/05/2019) e il CNR IRPI Padova presenta i risultati di un anno di monitoraggio della galleria di San Lorenzo sulla Strada Statale 52 "carnica" danneggiata dai dissesti di versante in località Passo della Morte.
La relazione mostra i rilievi svolti in galleria e sul versante instabile, le misure strumentali vengono poi analizzate in dettaglio e associate alle forzanti meteo-climatiche. L'attività del corpo di frana dovuta alla tempesta Vaia e alle piogge intense della primavera e novembre 2019 ha permesso di definire il cinematismo dei conci di rivestimento definitivo danneggiati dalla frana di Passo della Morte.
Crema, Stefano; Llena, Manel; Calsamiglia, Aleix; Estrany, Joan; Marchi, Lorenzo; Vericat, Damia; Cavalli, Marco, 2020, Can inpainting improve digital terrain analysis? Comparing techniques for void filling, surface reconstruction and geomorphometric analyses,
Earth surface processes and landforms (Print) 45 (2020): 736–755. doi_10.1002/esp.4739,
DOI: 10.1002%2Fesp.4739
Abstract
The investigation of form and processes in geomorphology and ecology is highly dependent on topographic ...
The investigation of form and processes in geomorphology and ecology is highly dependent on topographic data_ a reliable digital terrain representation is in fact a key issue across environmental and earth sciences. In many cases, the processing of high-resolution topographic data (e.g., light detection and ranging (LiDAR), structure from motion) has to face issues such as void filling, vegetation/feature removal and interpolation accuracy that are usually related to (i) intrinsic limitations of the adopted technology, (ii) local conditions affecting the survey or (iii) specific design scenario. In this paper, we develop a methodology to test the accuracy of an image inpainting algorithm to fill data voids in complex mountain areas. The devised experiment exploits the availability of a high-resolution, LiDAR-derived digital terrain model and the inpainting approach accuracy is checked against some widely used interpolation techniques (natural neighbor, spline, inverse distance weighting, kriging). In order to better mimic the actual surface texture, a methodology to introduce local topographic variability to the interpolated surface is also presented. The results show a better performance of the inpainting algorithm especially in the case of complex and rugged topography. Two examples showing an effective usage and accuracy of the proposed technique are reported, highlighting the drawbacks that a poor surface representation can introduce. The whole procedure is made freely available within a Matlab (R) script with the addition of sample files. (c) 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (c) 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amponsah W.; Marra F.; Marchi L.; Roux H.; Braud I.; Borga M., 2020, Objective Analysis of Envelope Curves for Peak Floods of European and Mediterranean Flash Floods,
Climate Change, Hazards, and Adaptation Options, edited by Leal, W.F., Nagy, G., Borga, M., Chavez, D., Magnuszewski, A., pp. 267–276. Basel_ Springer Nature Switzerland, 2020,
Abstract
Flash floods rank highly among natural disasters in terms of number of affected people and ...
Flash floods rank highly among natural disasters in terms of number of affected people and number of fatalities. This paper analyzes the scaling of highest flash flood peaks at multiple spatial scales for different hydro-climatic regions in Europe and in the Mediterranean. The analysis is based on an integrated, high-resolution dataset of discharges concerning a number of high-intensity flash floods that occurred in these regions from 1991 to 2015. Quantile regression has permitted to define regional envelope curves of unit peak discharge versus drainage basin area, which summarize the current bound to extreme flash floods in a given region. Mean and standard error of the envelope curves' parameters are objectively derived, permitting to explore the similarities in the slopes of the regional envelope curves. Results show that the exponent of the envelope curves shows almost negligible variations among climatic region whereas the multiplier depends on the climatic regions.
Massimiliano Alvioli, Fausto Guzzetti, Ivan Marchesini, 2020, Parameter-free delineation of slope units and terrain subdivision of Italy,
Geomorphology (Amst.) 358 (2020): 1–20. doi_10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107124,
DOI: 10.1016%2Fj.geomorph.2020.107124
Abstract
Quantitative geomorphological and environmental analysis requires the adoption of well-defined spatial domains as basic mapping
units. ...
Quantitative geomorphological and environmental analysis requires the adoption of well-defined spatial domains as basic mapping
units. They provide local boundaries to aggregate environmental and morphometric variables and to perform calculations, thus they
identify the spatial scale of the analysis. Grid cells, typically aligned with a digital elevation model, are the standard mapping unit
choice. A wiser choice is represented by slope units, irregular terrain partitions delimited by drainage and divide lines that maximise
geomorphological homogeneity within each unit and geomorphological heterogeneity between neighbouring units. Adoption of
slope units has the advantage of enforcing a strong relation with the underlying topography, absent in grid cell-based analyses, but
their objective delineation is still a challenge. A given study area admits dierent slope unit maps diering in number and size
of units. Here, we devise an objective optimisation procedure for slope units, suitable for study areas of arbitrarily large size and
with varying terrain heterogeneity. We applied the new approach to the whole of Italy, resulting in a map containing about 330,000
slope unit polygons of dierent sizes and shapes. The method is parameter-free due to objective optimisation using a morphometric
segmentation function, and the map is readily available for general-purpose studies. A cluster analysis of slope units properties,
compared with terrain elevation, slope, drainage density and lithology, confirmed that the terrain partition is geomorphologically
sound. We suggest the use of the slope unit map for dierent terrain zonations, including landslide susceptibility modelling,
hydrological and erosion modelling, geo-environmental, ecological, forestry, agriculture and land use/land cover studies requiring
the identification of homogeneous terrain domains facing distinct directions.
Oss Cazzador D.; Rainato R.; Cavalli M.; Lenzi M.A.; Picco L., 2020, Integrated analysis of sediment source areas in an Alpine basin,
Catena (Cremling.) 188 (2020). doi_10.1016/j.catena.2019.104416,
DOI: 10.1016%2Fj.catena.2019.104416
Abstract
In Alpine environment, studying the evolution of sediment mobility from hillslopes to lower landforms and ...
In Alpine environment, studying the evolution of sediment mobility from hillslopes to lower landforms and channel network is a challenging task, mainly due to the complex interplay of erosion and colluvial processes, topographic features and climatic conditions. The combination of direct field surveys and digital terrain models can provide a good opportunity to accurately investigate the sediment delivery processes and improve the understanding of geomorphic sediment cascade. The main aim of this work is to analyze sediment dynamics in sediment source areas of an Alpine basin (Rio Cordon catchment, 5 km), integrating techniques that are usually applied separately_ sediment tracing with Passive Integrated Transponders (PITs) and DEM of Difference (DoD). Additionally, the relationship between rainfall characteristics and sediment source behavior was analyzed. Sediment transfer through source areas and the geomorphic evolution of those areas were analyzed by field investigations between October 2017 and September 2018. Specifically, eleven source areas with five different typologies were investigated by installing 268 tracers to analyze sediment mobility along hillslopes. The source areas and the tracers' displacements monitoring was carried out after snowmelt (late May 2018) and periodically during Summer 2018 (July, August and September. To investigate the geomorphic changes in source areas, high-resolution DEMs (0.05 m cell) were derived with a Structure from Motion (SfM) technique in two different periods, after snowmelt in early June 2018 and in the following September; the collection of these data permitted computation of DoDs. To analyze the rainfall characteristics, five rain gauging stations were used. Rainfall analysis revealed that three different events exceeded the threshold of a two-year recurrence interval for different durations, which in turn were considered to be triggering events for each monitored period. The tracers exhibited an interesting mobility rate (37.7%) with different dynamics for source typologies, while geomorphic evolution computed with DoDs showed consistent changes mainly in debris-flow channels and debris-flow deposits. The rainfall intensity resulted as a variable controlling the sediment mobility through the source areas, while the integration of the two methodologies highlighted how mobilized tracers originate mainly from erosional surfaces. The research provides a detailed analysis of hillslope dynamics in the surveyed area, providing increased knowledge regarding the delivery processes that act on sediment sources and better interpretations of sediment mobility in Alpine environments.
L. Jacobs(a), M. Kervyn(b), P. Reichenbach(c), M. Rossi(c), I. Marchesini(c), M. Alvioli(c), O. Dewitte(d), 2020, Regional susceptibility assessments with heterogeneous landslide information_ Slope unit- vs. pixel-based approach,
Geomorphology (Amst.) 356 (2020): 1–20. doi_10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107084,
DOI: 10.1016%2Fj.geomorph.2020.107084
Abstract
Regional landslide inventories are often prepared by several different experts, using a variety of data ...
Regional landslide inventories are often prepared by several different experts, using a variety of data sources. This can result in a combination of polygon and point landslide data, characterized by different meanings, uncertainties and levels of reliability. The propagation of uncertainties due to such heterogeneous data is a relevant issue in statistical landslide susceptibility zonation at supra-local scale. In the inhabited highlands of the Rwenzori Mountains, we compare different approaches and mapping units to provide a robust methodology for susceptibility mapping using a combination of landslide point and polygon data. First, the effect of the uncertainty related to a point representation of landslides is assessed comparing slope unit-based and pixel-based analyses, using digital elevation models with different resolutions. Secondly, with regard to landslide polygon inventories, we compare the use of thresholds versus a presence/absence of the depletion centroid or a randomly selected point in the landslide polygon in order to identify slope units with landslides. Based on these results, we prepare regional slope unit-based susceptibility maps using a logistic regression model calibrated with the landslide polygon inventory and validated with the point inventory. Although pixel-based mapping remains the most common approach for statistical landslide susceptibility zonation, our analysis clearly favours the use of slope units as a powerful tool to prepare regional susceptibility maps and, in particular, to exploit heterogeneous information in a consistent way.
Pellarin, T., Román-Cascón, C., Baron, C., Bindlish, R., Brocca, L., Camberlin, P., Fernandez-Prieto, D., Kerr, Y.H., Massari, C., Panthou, G., Philippon, N., Quantin, G., 2020, The Precipitation Inferred from Soil Moisture (PrISM) near Real-Time Rainfall Product_ Evaluation and Comparison,
Remote sensing (Basel) (2020). doi_10.3390/rs12030481,
DOI: 10.3390%2Frs12030481
Abstract
Near real-time precipitation is essential to many applications. In Africa, the lack of dense rain-gauge ...
Near real-time precipitation is essential to many applications. In Africa, the lack of dense rain-gauge networks and ground weather radars makes the use of satellite precipitation products unavoidable. Despite major progresses in estimating precipitation rate from remote sensing measurements over the past decades, satellite precipitation products still suffer from quantitative uncertainties and biases compared to ground data. Consequently, almost all precipitation products are provided in two modes_ a real-time mode (also called early-run or raw product) and a corrected mode (also called final-run, adjusted or post-processed product) in which ground precipitation measurements are integrated in algorithms to correct for bias, generally at a monthly timescale. This paper describes a new methodology to provide a near-real-time precipitation product based on satellite precipitation and soil moisture measurements. Recent studies have shown that soil moisture intrinsically contains information on past precipitation and can be used to correct precipitation uncertainties. The PrISM (Precipitation inferred from Soil Moisture) methodology is presented and its performance is assessed for five in situ rainfall measurement networks located in Africa in semi-arid to wet areas_ Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, and East Africa. Results show that the use of SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) satellite soil moisture measurements in the PrISM algorithm most often improves the real-time satellite precipitation products, and provides results comparable to existing adjusted products, such as TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission), GPCC (Global Precipitation Climatology Centre) and IMERG (Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM), which are available a few weeks or months after their detection.
Modanesi, S., Massari, C., Camici, S., Brocca, L., Amarnath, G., 2020, Do satellite surface soil moisture observations better retain information about crop-yield variability in drought conditions?,
Advances in water resources (2020). doi_10.1029/2019WR025855,
DOI: 10.1029%2F2019WR025855
Abstract
Soil moisture is a highly suitable indicator for assessing agricultural drought, as plants start to ...
Soil moisture is a highly suitable indicator for assessing agricultural drought, as plants start to wilt when there is not sufficient soil water to meet evapotranspiration demand. In this study, we provide insights on information obtained from satellite surface soil moisture observations (as compared to modelled soil moisture and observed ground precipitation) on water stress and its impact on crop production variability in India. The analysis involved generating a Standardized Soil Moisture Index (SSI) using 1) satellite soil moisture observations from the European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (CCI); and 2) the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) soil moisture dataset; as well as producing a Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) using ground-based rainfall observations from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Spanning the period from 1998 to 2015, the study covers Maharashtra and Karnataka states. These states were recently hit by a severe drought, resulting in significant crop failure and human losses. Results show that soil moisture is an important limiting factor for crop production. As such, it is more suitable for representing agricultural drought than precipitation during drought conditions, as it correlates more closely with reduced crop yields. Additionally, using the satellite-based SSI seemed to explain crop yield reductions better than when we applied the model-based SSI from MERRA-2, particularly for irrigated crops (i.e., wheat). This preliminary study can underpin future crop-forecasting tools assimilating satellite soil moisture data. In practice, satellite soil moisture may help to improve the efficiency of agricultural and irrigation management practices.
Beccari, Giovanni; Prodi, Antonio; Senatore, Maria Teresa; Balmas, Virgilio; Tini, Francesco; Onofri, Andrea; Pedini, Luca; Sulyok, Michael; Brocca, Luca; Covarelli, Lorenzo, 2020, Cultivation area affects the presence of fungal communities and secondary metabolites in Italian durum wheat grains,
Toxins (Basel) 12 (2020). doi_10.3390/toxins12020097,
DOI: 10.3390%2Ftoxins12020097
Abstract
In this study, durum wheat kernels harvested in three climatically different Italian cultivation areas (Emilia ...
In this study, durum wheat kernels harvested in three climatically different Italian cultivation areas (Emilia Romagna, Umbria and Sardinia) in 2015, were analyzed with a combination of different isolation methods to determine their fungal communities, with a focus on Fusarium head blight (FHB) complex composition, and to detect fungal secondary metabolites in the grains. The genus Alternaria was the main component of durum wheat mycobiota in all investigated regions, with the Central Italian cultivation area showing the highest incidence of this fungal genus and of its secondary metabolites. Fusarium was the second most prevalent genus of the fungal community in all cultivation environments, even if regional differences in species composition were detected. In particular, Northern areas showed the highest Fusarium incidence, followed by Central and then Southern cultivation areas. Focusing on the FHB complex, a predominance of Fusarium poae, in particular in Northern and Central cultivation areas, was found. Fusarium graminearum, in the analyzed year, was mainly detected in Emilia Romagna. Because of the highest Fusarium incidence, durum wheat harvested in the Northern cultivation area showed the highest presence of Fusarium secondary metabolites. These results show that durum wheat cultivated in Northern Italy may be subject to a higher FHB infection risk and to Fusarium mycotoxins accumulation.
Filippucci, Paolo; Tarpanelli, Angelica; Massari, Christian; Serafini, Andrea; Strati, Virginia; Alberi, Matteo; Raptis, Kassandra Giulia Cristina; Mantovani, Fabio; Brocca, Luca, 2020, Soil moisture as a potential variable for tracking and quantifying irrigation_ A case study with proximal gamma-ray spectroscopy data,
Advances in water resources 136 (2020). doi_10.1016/j.advwatres.2019.103502,
DOI: 10.1016%2Fj.advwatres.2019.103502
Abstract
The global warming effects put in danger global water availability and make necessary to decrease ...
The global warming effects put in danger global water availability and make necessary to decrease water wastage, e.g., by monitoring global irrigation. Despite this, global irrigation information is scarce due to the absence of a solid estimation technique. In this study, we applied an innovative approach to retrieve irrigation water from high spatial and temporal resolution Soil Moisture (SM) data obtained from an advanced sensor based on Proximal Gamma-Ray (PGR) spectroscopy, in a field located in Emilia Romagna (Italy). The results show that SM is a key variable to obtain information about the amount of water applied to plants, with Pearson correlation between observed and estimated daily irrigation data ranges from 0.88 to 0.91 by using different calibration methodology. With the aim of reproducing the working conditions of satellites measuring soil moisture, we sub-sampled SM hourly time series at larger time steps. The results demonstrated that the methodology is still capable to perform the daily (weekly) irrigation estimation with Pearson Correlation around 0.6 (0.7) if the time step is not greater than 36 (48) hours.
Acri, F. and Bastianini, M. and Bernardi Aubry, F. and Camatti, E. and Boldrin, A. and Bergami, C. and Cassin, D. and De Lazzeri, A. and Finotto, S. and Minelli, A. and Oggioni, A. and Pansera, M. and Sarretta, A. and Socal, G. and Pugnetti, A., 2020, A long-term (1965–2015) ecological marine database from the LTER-Italy Northern Adriatic Sea site_ plankton and oceanographic observations,
Earth system science data (Internet) 12 (2020): 215–230. doi_10.5194/essd-12-215-2020,
DOI: 10.5194%2Fessd-12-215-2020
Abstract
The present paper describes a database containing observations for 21 parameters of abiotic, phytoplankton, and ...
The present paper describes a database containing observations for 21 parameters of abiotic, phytoplankton, and zooplankton data collected in the northern Adriatic Sea region (Italy) from 1965 to 2015. Due to the long temporal coverage, the majority of parameters changed collection and analysis method over time. These variations are reported in the database and detailed in the paper.
Pagliarulo Rosa, 2020, Report Semestrale del WP8- Definizioni di Procedure Metodologiche per l’analisi dell’instabilità costiera,
2020,
Abstract
Gli studi relativi alle procedure metodologiche per la valutazione delle instabilità costiere nel secondo semestre ...
Gli studi relativi alle procedure metodologiche per la valutazione delle instabilità costiere nel secondo semestre 2019 sono continuati sull'analisi dei processi in corso. L'ultimo scorcio del 2019 è stato caratterizzato da ulteriori crolli lungo la costa salentina del Comune di Melendugno. Dall'osservazione del fenomeno si può notare come l'instabilità si è verificata a seguito di forti mareggiate, che allo stato attuale dello studio, sembra rappresentare il principale fattore di innesco dei crolli. Quindi, come già evidenziato nei precedenti reports il moto ondoso costituisce la più importante causa di dissesto delle pareti rocciose. Le variabili coinvolte sono diverse e comprendono_ a) l'altezza d'onda; b) come l'energia delle onde viene modificata dal fondale prima di raggiungere la costa; c) la dissipazione dell'energia d'onda infranta in prossimità della riva; d) la pressione dinamica delle onde alla base della scogliera; e) l'energia cinetica è dipendente dalla massa d'acqua, dalla sua velocità e dalla durata nel tempo. Tutto ciò produce forti vibrazioni nelle pareti calcarenitiche già indebolite dall'erosione subaerea.
Chieco Michele
De Giorgio Giorgio
Dragone Vittoria
Limoni Pier Paolo
Polemio Maurizio
Romanazzi Annarita
Zuffianò Livia Emanuela
Polemio Maurizio, 2020, Funzionalizzazione del sistema di monitoraggio del sito – STRUMENTI DI STUDIO, DOCUMENTAZIONE E RICERCA A SUPPORTO DELLE POLITICHE REGIONALI VERSO I “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS” E TEST FOCUS SULLA SOSTENIBILITA’ DEL GEOSCAMBIO TERMICO,
2020,
Abstract
La Convenzione operativa "Strumenti di studio, documentazione e ricerca a supporto delle politiche regionali verso ...
La Convenzione operativa "Strumenti di studio, documentazione e ricerca a supporto delle politiche regionali verso i "Sustainable Development Goals" e test focus sulla sostenibilità del geoscambio termico" prevede, nel Work Package 3,
la ricerca in sito sugli effetti ambientali della gestione di impianti geotermici a circuito chiuso.
Il presente Report ha quindi l'obiettivo di illustrare le attività svolte dal CNR-IRPI sia per la scelta del sito pilota di studio sia per la ri-funzionalizzazione del sistema di monitoraggio atto alla implementazione della serie di dati necessari alla modellazione ed alla successiva analisi degli impatti termici.
Daniele Giordan ,Martina Cignetti ,Danilo Godone ,Silvia Peruccacci ,Emanuele Raso ,Giacomo Pepe ,Domenico Calcaterra , Andrea Cevasco, Marco Firpo, Patrizio Scarpellini, Marta Gnone, 2020, A New Procedure for an Effective Management of Geo-Hydrological Risks across the “Sentiero Verde-Azzurro” Trail, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria (North-Western Italy),
Sustainability (Basel) (2020). doi_10.3390/su12020561,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fsu12020561
Abstract
In recent years, Cinque Terre National Park, one of the most famous UNESCO sites in ...
In recent years, Cinque Terre National Park, one of the most famous UNESCO sites in Italy, experienced a significant increase in tourist visits. This unique landscape is the result of the rough morphology of a small coastal basin with a very steep slope and a long-term human impact, mainly represented by anthropic terraces. This setting promotes the activation of numerous geo-hydrological instabilities, primarily related to heavy rainfall events that often affect this area. Currently, the main challenge for the administrators of Cinque Terre National Park is the correct maintenance of this environment along with the functional management of the hiking trail to ensure the safety of tourists. The definition of a methodology for effective management is mandatory for the sustainable administration of this unique site. We implement a new codified procedure based on the combined use of the Operative Monography and the Survey Form, focusing on the "Sentiero Verde-Azzurro" trail, for a proper description of the known landslides affecting the trail and the identification of damage and/or landslides activated by critical meteorological events. This guarantees effective geo-hydrological risk management, which is also applicable to other similar sites in a unique environmental and cultural heritage site such as Cinque Terre Park.
M. Santangelo(1), I. Marchesini(1), F. Bucci(1), M. Cardinali(1), M. Cavalli(2), S. Crema(2), L. Marchi(2), M. Alvioli(1), F. Guzzetti(1), 2020, Exposure to landslides in rural areas in Central Italy,
Journal of maps (Stud. ed.) (2020): 1–35.,
Abstract
Starting on 24th August 2016, Central Italy was struck by a six-months earthquake sequence that ...
Starting on 24th August 2016, Central Italy was struck by a six-months earthquake sequence that caused 303 victims and extensive major damages to urban areas and infrastructures, in some cases entire villages needed complete rebuilding. In this paper we present a map that portrays the overall susceptibility to multiple landslide types and the exposure to landslides of the rural-urban areas of the Castelsantangelo sul Nera Municipality, a typical village of the northern Italian Apennine. The map is based on a procedure that ingests geomorphological data and models and groups the individual landslide susceptibility maps in a joint susceptibility and exposure map based on
expert-defined criteria. The procedure has been applied to built-up and to undeveloped areas to highlight their exposure and was used as a tool for planning post-seismic reconstruction. We advise that such maps are used also as basic tool for ordinary urban planning.
GIORDAN Daniele, BALDO Marco, GODONE Danilo, DEMATTEIS Niccolò, ALLASIA Paolo, 2020, Attività di ricerca svolte dal CNR IRPI nell’ambito del progetto ARS,
2020,
Abstract
Il presente documento sintetizza le attività del CNR IRPI nell'ambito del progetto ARS. Tali attività ...
Il presente documento sintetizza le attività del CNR IRPI nell'ambito del progetto ARS. Tali attività si sono concentrate nello sviluppo e test di sistemi tecnologicamente avanzati per il rilevamento in galleria di un modello digitale del terreno e di un'immagine solida, al fine di valutarne potenzialità e limitazioni d'uso.
Martina Cignetti, Diego Guenzi, Francesca Ardizzone, Paolo Allasia, Daniele Giordan, 2020, An Open-Source Web Platform to Share Multisource, Multisensor Geospatial Data and Measurements of Ground Deformation in Mountain Areas,
ISPRS international journal of geo-information 9 (2020). doi_10.3390/ijgi9010004,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fijgi9010004
Abstract
Nowadays, the increasing demand to collect, manage and share archives of data supporting geo-hydrological processes ...
Nowadays, the increasing demand to collect, manage and share archives of data supporting geo-hydrological processes investigations requires the development of spatial data infrastructure able to store geospatial data and ground deformation measurements, also considering multisource and heterogeneous data. We exploited the GeoNetwork open-source software to simultaneously organize in-situ measurements and radar sensor observations, collected in the framework of the HAMMER project study areas, all located in high mountain regions distributed in the Alpines, Apennines, Pyrenees and Andes mountain chains, mainly focusing on active landslides. Taking advantage of this free and internationally recognized platform based on standard protocols, we present a valuable instrument to manage data and metadata, both in-situ surface measurements, typically acquired at local scale for short periods (e.g., during emergency), and satellite observations, usually exploited for regional scale analysis of surface displacement. Using a dedicated web-interface, all the results derived by instrumental acquisitions and by processing of remote sensing images can be queried, analyzed and downloaded from both expert users and stakeholders. This leads to a useful instrument able to share various information within the scientific community, including the opportunity of reprocessing the raw data for other purposes and in other contexts.
Davide Notti 1 ,Alberto Cina 2, Ambrogio Manzino 2, Alessio Colombo 3, Iosif Horea Bendea 2 ,Paolo Mollo 4, Daniele Giordan 1, 2020, Low-Cost GNSS Solution for Continuous Monitoring of Slope Instabilities Applied to Madonna Del Sasso Sanctuary (NW Italy),
Sensors (Basel) 20 (2020). doi_10.3390/s20010289,
DOI: 10.3390%2Fs20010289
Abstract
In recent years, the development of low-cost GNSS sensors allowed monitoring in a continuous way ...
In recent years, the development of low-cost GNSS sensors allowed monitoring in a continuous way movement related to natural processes like landslides with increasing accuracy and limited efforts. In this work, we present the first results of an experimental low-cost GNSS continuous monitoring applied to an unstable slope affecting the Madonna del Sasso Sanctuary (NW Italy). The courtyard of Sanctuary is built on two unstable blocks delimited by a high cliff. Previous studies and non-continuous monitoring showed that blocks suffer a seasonal cycle of thermal expansion and a long-term trend to downslope a few millimeters (2/3) per year. The presence of a continuous monitoring solution could be an essential help to better understand the kinematics of unstable slope. Continuous monitoring could help to forecast a possible paroxysm phase that could end with a failure of the unstable area. The first year of experimental measurements shows a millimetric accuracy of low-cost GNSS, and the long-term trend is in agreement with other monitoring data. We also propose a methodological approach that considers the use of semi-automatized procedures for the identification of anomalous trends and a risk communication strategy. Pro and cons of the proposed methodology are also discussed
Guido Nigrelli, Marta Chiarle, Marco Ferrazzoli, Anna Capasso, Gaetano Massimo Macrì, Marina Iorio, 2020, Progetto RiST2, un breve video di fine progetto,
2020,
Abstract
Progetto di ricerca RiST2_ ricerca scientifica e tecnologica nel bacino glaciale della Bessanese (TO). Un ...
Progetto di ricerca RiST2_ ricerca scientifica e tecnologica nel bacino glaciale della Bessanese (TO). Un breve video di fine progetto in cui sono descritte le principali attività svolte e i principali risultati ottenuti. Le interviste e i girati sono stati realizzati nel bacino sperimentale del gruppo di ricerca GeoClimAlp del CNR-IRPI di Torino, area sperimentale di alta quota in cui si è svolto il progetto RiST2.
Guido Nigrelli, Marta Chiarle, Marco Ferrazzoli, Anna Capasso Gaetano Massimo Macrì, 2020, RiST2: ricerca scientifica e tecnologica nel bacino glaciale della Bessanese (TO),
2020,
Abstract
Progetto di ricerca RiST2_ ricerca scientifica e tecnologica nel bacino glaciale della Bessanese (TO). Filmato ...
Progetto di ricerca RiST2_ ricerca scientifica e tecnologica nel bacino glaciale della Bessanese (TO). Filmato di fine progetto in cui sono descritte le principali attività svolte e i principali risultati ottenuti. Le interviste e i girati sono stati realizzati nel bacino sperimentale del gruppo di ricerca GeoClimAlp del CNR-IRPI di Torino, area sperimentale di alta quota in cui si è svolto il progetto RiST2.
Afshin Shayeghi, Asghar Azizian, Luca Brocca, 2020, Reliability of reanalysis and remotely sensed precipitation products for hydrological simulation over the Sefidrood River Basin, Iran,
Hydrological sciences journal (2020). doi_10.1080/02626667.2019.1691217,
DOI: 10.1080%2F02626667.2019.1691217
Abstract
Hydrological models require different inputs for the simulation of processes, among which precipitation is essential. ...
Hydrological models require different inputs for the simulation of processes, among which precipitation is essential. For hydrological simulation, four different precipitation products - Asian Precipitation Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water Resources (APHRODITE); European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim); Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) real time (RT); and Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN) - are compared against ground-based datasets. The variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model was calibrated for the Sefidrood River Basin (SRB), Iran. APHRODITE and ERA-Interim gave better rainfall estimates at daily time scale than other products, with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) values of 0.79 and 0.63, and correlation coefficient (CC) of 0.91 and 0.82, respectively. At the monthly time scale, the CC between all rainfall datasets and ground observations is greater than 0.9, except for TMPA-RT. Hydrological assessment indicates that PERSIANN is the best rainfall dataset for capturing the streamflow and peak flows for the studied area (CC: 0.91, NSE_ 0.80).
Alessio Cislaghi, Daniele Masseroni, Christian Massari, Stefania Camici, Luca Brocca, 2020, Combining a rainfall-runoff model and a regionalization approach for flood and water resource assessment in the western Po Valley, Italy,
Hydrological sciences journal (2020). doi_10.1080/02626667.2019.1690656,
DOI: 10.1080%2F02626667.2019.1690656
Abstract
Selecting the best structure and parameterization of rainfall-runoff models is not straightforward and depends on ...
Selecting the best structure and parameterization of rainfall-runoff models is not straightforward and depends on a broad number of factors. In this study, the "Modello Idrologico Semi-Distribuito in continuo" (MISDc) was tested on 63 mountainous catchments in the western Po Valley (Italy) and the optimal model parameters were regionalized using different strategies. The model performance was evaluated through several indexes analysing hydrological regime, high-flow condition and flow-duration curve (FDC). In general, MISDc provides a good fit behaviour with a Kling-Gupta Efficiency index greater than 0.5 for 100% and 84% of cases for calibration and validation respectively. Concerning the regionalization, spatial proximity approach is the most accurate solution obtaining satisfactory performance. Lastly, the predicted FDCs showed an excellent similarity with the observed ones. Results encourage to apply MISDc over the study area for flood forecasting and for assessing water resources availability thanks to the modest computational efforts and data requirements.
Song, S., Brocca, L., Wang, W., Cui, W., 2020, Testing the potential of soil moisture observations to estimate rainfall in a soil tank experiment,
Journal of hydrology (Amst.) (2020). doi_10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124368,
DOI: 10.1016%2Fj.jhydrol.2019.124368
Abstract
An experimental loamy sand soil tank (12m long × 1.5m wide × 1.5m deep) with ...
An experimental loamy sand soil tank (12m long × 1.5m wide × 1.5m deep) with a slope of 3 ° was designed to conduct artificial rainfall-runoff experiments and continuously monitor soil moisture (SM), rainfall, surface runoff (SR) and subsurface runoff (SSR). A total of 28 rainfall-runoff events are analysed to investigate the capability of estimating rainfall from SM observations through SM2RAIN algorithm which is then adjusted in SM2RAIN-exp according to the conditions of the artificial rainfall-runoff experiment, i.e., including the SR and SSR component. The main purpose of this study is to test the underlying hypotheses of SM2RAIN algorithm in a controlled experiment to better understand the most important processes driving the relationship between SM and rainfall.
Results suggest that SM2RAIN-exp demonstrates satisfactory performance in estimating rainfall with respect to the observed data. When the aggregation intervals of rainfall increase, the SM2RAIN-exp performances improve. The integration of 10cm and 30cm SM data yields performance scores better than using the sensor at 10cm and 30cm depth alone. The lagged response of 30cm SM sensor has a slight influence on the results. In addition, the major contribution to the estimated rainfall is provided by the term incorporating the SM variations (~85%), followed by the SR (12%), which is different from the hypothesis of neglecting SR made in the classical SM2RAIN. By comparing the results obtained by SM2RAIN and SM2RAIN-exp, SM2RAIN-exp is proved more stable and accurate. The recognition of the more suitable soil depth needed for obtaining good results, and of the important SR contribution, could help to clarify some important aspects related to the usage of satellite surface SM data for estimating rainfall.
