Search results for "Geophysic"
showing 10 items of 2684 documents
Microstructure, porosity and mineralogy around fractures in Olkiluoto bedrock
2012
3D distributions of minerals and porosities were determined for rock-core samples that included water-conducting fractures. The analysis of these samples was performed using conventional petrography methods, C-14-PMMA porosity analysis and X-ray tomography. It seems that the properties of rock around a water-conducting fracture depend on so many uncorrelated factors that no clear pattern emerged even for rock samples with a given type of fracture. We can conclude, however, that the present combination of methods can be used to infer novel structural information about alteration zones adjacent to fracture surfaces.
Millennial-scale climate variability during the last 12.5 ka recorded in a Caribbean speleothem
2013
Abstract We present a speleothem stable oxygen isotope record for the last 12.5 ka based on two stalagmites from western Cuba. The δ18O signal is interpreted to represent past precipitation variability. Both stalagmites show a pronounced transition from higher δ18O values (indicating drier conditions) to more negative δ18O values (suggesting wetter conditions) between 10 and 6 ka. This transition is also visible in a planktonic δ18O record off Haiti. On orbital timescales, the δ18O value of Caribbean precipitation, thus, strongly resembles the oxygen isotope composition of Caribbean surface water. On millenial timescales, the speleothem δ18O record shows a high correlation to a North Atlant…
Ice age at the Middle–Late Jurassic transition?
2003
A detailed record of sea surface temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere based on migration of marine invertebrate fauna (ammonites) and isotopic thermometry (δ18O values of shark tooth enamel) indicates a severe cooling at the Middle–Late Jurassic transition (MLJT), about 160 Ma ago. The magnitude of refrigeration (1–3°C for lower middle latitudes) and its coincidence in time with an abrupt global-scale fall of sea level documented through sequence stratigraphy are both suggestive of continental ice formation at this time. Ice sheets may have developed over the high-latitude mountainous regions of Far-East Russia. The drastic cooling just post-dated the Middle–Late Callovian widespread dep…
Comparative tests on different multi-electrode arrays using models in near-surface geophysics
2008
In this paper, the response of different synthetic models to geoelectrical multi-electrode surveys is studied. The models considered are related to two main problems, which are very common in geophysical research regarding hydrogeology and engineering. The first class of models represents buried walls, similar archaeological remains or remains of buried foundations; the other class corresponds to a sea-water intrusion of a fresh water aquifer, which is generally studied in hydrogeophysics. A set of 2D simulations, starting from the synthetic models, was carried out to compare the behaviour of the different arrays when acquiring measurements of electrical resistivity tomography. For each mod…
Effects of the 6th September 2002 earthquake: damage amplification in the south-eastern sector of Palermo explained by GIS technology
2009
During the 6th September 2002 earthquake the highest damage level in Palermo was observed in the SE sector. This is a recent urbanization area where reinforced concrete structures predominate. A detailed analysis of soil properties in Palermo was carried out by City-GIS to investigate a possible role of nearsurface geology on earthquake effects. City-GIS is a tool dedicated to natural hazard evaluation in urban areas. The availability of high density of well log data (stratigraphic and geotechnical) allowed a realistic modeling of surface geology and physical-mechanical properties that control the seismic response. In wide zones of the above mentioned sector of…
Experimental deformation of deuterated ice in 3D and 2D: identification of grain-scale processes
2015
Major polar ice sheets and ice caps experience cycles of variable flow during different glacial periods and as a response to past warming. The rate and localisation of deformation inside an ice body controls the evolution of ice microstructure and crystallographic fabric. This is critical for interpreting proxy signals for climate change, with deformation overprinting and disrupting stratigraphy deep under ice caps due to the nature of the flow. The final crystallographic fabric in polar ice sheets provides a record of deformation history, which in turn controls the flow properties of ice during further deformation and affects geophysical sensing of ice sheets. For example, identification o…
Evaporite karst in Italy: A review
2017
none 16 si Although outcropping rarely in Italy, evaporite (gypsum and anhydrite) karst has been described in detail since the early 20th century. Gypsum caves are now known from almost all Italian regions, but are mainly localised along the northern border of the Apennine chain (Emilia Romagna and Marche), Calabria, and Sicily, where the major outcrops occur. Recently, important caves have also been discovered in the underground gypsum mines in Piedmont. During the late 80s and 90s several multidisciplinary studies were carried out in many gypsum areas, resulting in a comprehensive overview, promoting further research in these special karst regions. More recent and detailed studies focused…
Coastal high-frequency radars in the Mediterranean – Part 1: Status of operations and a framework for future development
2022
Due to the semi-enclosed nature of the Mediterranean Sea, natural disasters and anthropogenic activities impose stronger pressures on its coastal ecosystems than in any other sea of the world. With the aim of responding adequately to science priorities and societal challenges, littoral waters must be effectively monitored with high-frequency radar (HFR) systems. This land-based remote sensing technology can provide, in near-real time, fine-resolution maps of the surface circulation over broad coastal areas, along with reliable directional wave and wind information. The main goal of this work is to showcase the current status of the Mediterranean HFR network and the future roadmap for orches…
Coastal high-frequency radars in the Mediterranean - Part 2: Applications in support of science priorities and societal needs
2022
The Mediterranean Sea is a prominent climate-change hot spot, with many socioeconomically vital coastal areas being the most vulnerable targets for maritime safety, diverse met-ocean hazards and marine pollution. Providing an unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution at wide coastal areas, high-frequency radars (HFRs) have been steadily gaining recognition as an effective land-based remote sensing technology for continuous monitoring of the surface circulation, increasingly waves and occasionally winds. HFR measurements have boosted the thorough scientific knowledge of coastal processes, also fostering a broad range of applications, which has promoted their integration in coastal ocean …
Hillslope degradation in representative Italian areas. Just soil erosion risk or opportunity for development?
2018
In recent years, much research have dealt with the impact of human and climate change on the morpho-evolution of Mediterranean catchments characterized by high ecological and cultural value. In this paper, we speculated how humans can influence hillslope degradation by reviewing the relationships between denudation processes and land use changes in some representative areas located in different Italian regions (i.e., Liguria, Tuscany, Basilicata, and Sicily). The selected study cases are characterized by different climatic and geological features, land use, and land management and can be considered indicative of the hillslope degradation issues that affected the Apennines during the last ce…