Thèses sur le sujet « Dati A Terra »

L' Italia rappresenta una zona chiave per capire la complessa dinamica dell'Area Mediterranea. La disponibilità di reti GPS sempre più dense e dati sismici precisi, permette di avere informazioni sul campo di deformazione asismica, che è l'elemento principale per capire il potenziale sismico delle strutture sismogenetiche.

Gli esopianeti orbitanti in sistemi multipli offrono un’opportunità unica per condurre analisi comparative e indagare i processi di formazione ed evoluzione planetaria. Lo studio dei sistemi multipli può aiutare a delineare e testare nuove teorie e modelli. Per questo, è essenziale costruire un campione significativo di sistemi multipli caratterizzati con precisione. Oggi, grazie a strumenti tecnologicamente sempre più avanzati, possiamo determinare con precisione raggio, massa e densità media di un numero crescente di esopianeti. Dalla densità si può stimare la composizione interna, un dato fondamentale per ottenere una visione completa di un sistema, insieme alla determinazione della sua architettura. Questa tesi si basa sull'ampliamento della conoscenza dei sistemi planetari multipli e si sviluppa su due fronti. Da un lato, ci siamo concentrati sulla caraterizzazione di un nuovo sistema planetario orbitante la stella TOI-561. Questa stella è stata osservata dal satellite TESS, che ha identificato tre candidati pianeti transitanti. Abbiamo poi osservato TOI-561 con lo spettroscopio HARPS-N, ottenendo 82 velocità radiali (RV). TOI-561 è una delle poche stelle appartenti alla popolazione galattica di ‘‘thick-disk’’ ad ospitare un sistema multiplo. Dall’analisi delle RV abbiamo identificato due nuovi pianeti esterni, ma non è stato possibile identificare il segnale del terzo candidato indicato da TESS, che avrebbe inoltre reso il sistema dinamicamente instabile. Abbiamo dimostrato che i due transiti inizialmente associati a questo candidato erano transiti singoli dei due pianeti identificati nelle RV. La nostra configurazione finale prevede la presenza di quattro pianeti transitanti: una super-Terra a periodo ultra breve (TOI-561 b) e tre mini-Nettuni (TOI-561 c, d, e). Data la peculiarità di TOI-561 b, avente la densità più bassa tra tutti i pianeti noti a periodo ultra breve, e l'interessante architettura del sistema, abbiamo ottenuto 62 nuove RV di TOI-561 con HARPS-N. Inoltre, abbiamo raccolto dati con il telescopio spaziale CHEOPS, ottenendo fotometria ad altissima precisione di TOI-561 b, c ed osservando un secondo transito di TOI-561 d, che presentava solamente un transito nella curva di luce TESS. La nostra nuova analisi, con anche nuove osservazioni TESS, ha confermato la configuazione a quattro pianeti, così come il primato di TOI-561 b per la minor densità. Grazie alla precisione ottenuta nelle misure di raggio e massa dei quattro pianeti, abbiamo potuto modellare la loro struttura interna e la loro evoluzione atmosferica. Infine, abbiamo identificato nelle RV un segnale a lungo periodo, spiegabile sia dalla presenza di un pianeta esterno sia ad attività magnetica stellare. Dall’altro lato, abbiamo sviluppato un software per l’analisi di sistemi multipli con pianeti che interagiscono gravitazionalmente e che mostrano variazioni dei tempi di transito. In questo caso, l’approccio più coerente ed informativo è il cosiddetto metodo fotodinamico, che permette di combinare analisi fotometrica e dinamica per determinare simultaneamente raggio e massa della stella e dei pianeti, tenendo conto delle interazioni gravitazionali mutue grazie ad una simulazione ad N-corpi. Abbiamo implementato la nostra versione in Python di un codice fotodinamico, usando il software batman per l’analisi fotometrica, l’integratore numerico rebound per l’integrazione ad N-corpi e utilizzando metodi Bayesiani per ottenere la miglior combinazione dei parametri orbitali. Abbiamo iniziato a testare il codice sul noto sistema WASP-47, con risultati promettenti. Abbiamo poi utilizzato alcune sue funzionalità per analizzare dinamicamente i sistemi multipli TOI-836 e Kepler-37. Una volta terminato, ottimizzato e validato in maniera definitiva, renderemo il codice pubblicamente usufruibile perchè diventi un importante strumento per la caratterizzazione di sistemi multipli interagenti.
Planets in multiplanetary systems offer a unique opportunity for comparative planetology. The study of well-characterized systems allow us to investigate the formation and evolution processes, by constraining theory and helping to discriminate among competing models. To better understand exoplanetary systems complexity, it is essential to build a robust sample of well-characterized multiplanetary systems. Currently, ultra-precise photometers and high-resolution spectrographs can be used to infer accurate planetary radii and masses, needed to determine the average density and provide clues on the inner bulk composition, which is fundamental to obtain a complete characterization of a system in combination with the orbital architecture. This thesis is motivated by improving our knowledge of multiplanetary systems. On one side, we focused on the characterization of a new multiplanetary system orbiting the star TOI-561. This star was initially observed by TESS, which identified the presence of three transiting candidates. We followed-up the system with HARPS-N, collecting 82 high-resolution radial velocities (RVs). TOI-561, an old, metal-poor, and alpha-enhanced late-G dwarf, belongs to the thick-disk, and it is one of the few stars of this Galactic population that hosts a multiplanetary system. From the RV analysis we discovered two additional external planets. However, RVs could not confirm the outermost TESS candidate, which would also make the system dynamically unstable. We demonstrated that the two transits initially associated with this candidate are instead due to single transits of the two planets discovered using RVs. We proposed a final configuration with four transiting planets: an ultra-short period (USP) super-Earth (TOI-561 b) and three mini-Neptunes (TOI-561 c, d, and e). The unusual density of TOI-561 b, which is the lowest density USP planet known to date, and the interesting system configuration called for follow-up studies. We therefore collected a second season of 62 HARPS-N RVs. Moreover, we collected ultra-high precision photometric data with CHEOPS, observing various transits of TOI-561 b and c, and one transit of the previously single-transiting planet TOI-561 d. Our global analysis, including also new TESS observations, confirmed the four-planet configuration, as well as the low density of TOI-561 b, which, given the low stellar metallicity, is effectively consistent with the general bulk density-stellar metallicity trend. The precise masses and radii obtained for the four planets allowed us to conduct interior structure and atmospheric escape modelling. Finally, we identified an additional long-period signal in the RVs, which could be due to either an external planetary companion or to stellar magnetic activity. In the second part of the thesis, we focused on the development of a new tool for the characterization of interacting multiplanetary systems showing transit time variations (TTVs). In presence of mutual gravitational interactions, the most consistent way to analyze photometric and spectroscopic data is through the photodynamical approach, which combines photometric and dynamical analysis to simultaneously determine mass and radius of both the star and planets accounting for the gravitational dynamic interactions via an N-body simulations. We implemented our Python version of a photodynamical code, using the the batman package for transit modelling, the orbital integrator rebound for N-body integration, and determining the best combination of the orbital parameters using a Bayesian analysis. We started testing the code on the well-known WASP-47 system, obtaining promising results. We also used some code functionalities to perform new dynamical analysis of the TOI-836 and Kepler-37 systems. Once completed, optimized, and definitely validated, we will publicly release the code, which will be an an important tool for the characterization of known and newly-detected systems showing TTVs.

La valutazione dell’intensità secondo una procedura formale trasparente, obiettiva e che permetta di ottenere valori numerici attraverso scelte e criteri rigorosi, rappresenta un passo ed un obiettivo per la trattazione e l’impiego delle informazioni macrosismiche. I dati macrosismici possono infatti avere importanti applicazioni per analisi sismotettoniche e per la stima della pericolosità sismica. Questa tesi ha affrontato il problema del formalismo della stima dell’intensità migliorando aspetti sia teorici che pratici attraverso tre passaggi fondamentali sviluppati in ambiente MS-Excel e Matlab: i) la raccolta e l’archiviazione del dataset macrosismico; ii), l’associazione (funzione di appartenenza o membership function) tra effetti e gradi di intensità della scala macrosismica attraverso i principi della logica dei fuzzy sets; iii) l’applicazione di algoritmi decisionali rigorosi ed obiettivi per la stima dell’intensità finale. L’intera procedura è stata applicata a sette terremoti italiani sfruttando varie possibilità, anche metodologiche, come la costruzione di funzioni di appartenenza combinando le informazioni macrosismiche di più terremoti: Monte Baldo (1876), Valle d’Illasi (1891), Marsica (1915), Santa Sofia (1918), Mugello (1919), Garfagnana (1920) e Irpinia (1930). I risultati ottenuti hanno fornito un buon accordo statistico con le intensità di un catalogo macrosismico di riferimento confermando la validità dell’intera metodologia. Le intensità ricavate sono state poi utilizzate per analisi sismotettoniche nelle aree dei terremoti studiati. I metodi di analisi statistica sui piani quotati (distribuzione geografica delle intensità assegnate) si sono rivelate in passato uno strumento potente per analisi e caratterizzazione sismotettonica, determinando i principali parametri (localizzazione epicentrale, lunghezza, larghezza, orientazione) della possibile sorgente sismogenica. Questa tesi ha implementato alcuni aspetti delle metodologie di analisi grazie a specifiche applicazioni sviluppate in Matlab che hanno permesso anche di stimare le incertezze associate ai parametri di sorgente, grazie a tecniche di ricampionamento statistico. Un’analisi sistematica per i terremoti studiati è stata portata avanti combinando i vari metodi per la stima dei parametri di sorgente con i piani quotati originali e ricalcolati attraverso le procedure decisionali fuzzy. I risultati ottenuti hanno consentito di valutare le caratteristiche delle possibili sorgenti e formulare ipotesi di natura sismotettonica che hanno avuto alcuni riscontri indiziali con dati di tipo geologico e geologico-strutturale. Alcuni eventi (1915, 1918, 1920) presentano una forte stabilità dei parametri calcolati (localizzazione epicentrale e geometria della possibile sorgente) con piccole incertezze associate. Altri eventi (1891, 1919 e 1930) hanno invece mostrato una maggiore variabilità sia nella localizzazione dell’epicentro che nella geometria delle box: per il primo evento ciò è probabilmente da mettere in relazione con la ridotta consistenza del dataset di intensità mentre per gli altri con la possibile molteplicità delle sorgenti sismogenetiche. Anche l’analisi bootstrap ha messo in evidenza, in alcuni casi, le possibili asimmetrie nelle distribuzioni di alcuni parametri (ad es. l’azimut della possibile struttura), che potrebbero suggerire meccanismi di rottura su più faglie distinte.

La valutazione dell’intensità secondo una procedura formale trasparente, obiettiva e che permetta di ottenere valori numerici attraverso scelte e criteri rigorosi, rappresenta un passo ed un obiettivo per la trattazione e l’impiego delle informazioni macrosismiche. I dati macrosismici possono infatti avere importanti applicazioni per analisi sismotettoniche e per la stima della pericolosità sismica. Questa tesi ha affrontato il problema del formalismo della stima dell’intensità migliorando aspetti sia teorici che pratici attraverso tre passaggi fondamentali sviluppati in ambiente MS-Excel e Matlab: i) la raccolta e l’archiviazione del dataset macrosismico; ii), l’associazione (funzione di appartenenza o membership function) tra effetti e gradi di intensità della scala macrosismica attraverso i principi della logica dei fuzzy sets; iii) l’applicazione di algoritmi decisionali rigorosi ed obiettivi per la stima dell’intensità finale. L’intera procedura è stata applicata a sette terremoti italiani sfruttando varie possibilità, anche metodologiche, come la costruzione di funzioni di appartenenza combinando le informazioni macrosismiche di più terremoti: Monte Baldo (1876), Valle d’Illasi (1891), Marsica (1915), Santa Sofia (1918), Mugello (1919), Garfagnana (1920) e Irpinia (1930). I risultati ottenuti hanno fornito un buon accordo statistico con le intensità di un catalogo macrosismico di riferimento confermando la validità dell’intera metodologia. Le intensità ricavate sono state poi utilizzate per analisi sismotettoniche nelle aree dei terremoti studiati. I metodi di analisi statistica sui piani quotati (distribuzione geografica delle intensità assegnate) si sono rivelate in passato uno strumento potente per analisi e caratterizzazione sismotettonica, determinando i principali parametri (localizzazione epicentrale, lunghezza, larghezza, orientazione) della possibile sorgente sismogenica. Questa tesi ha implementato alcuni aspetti delle metodologie di analisi grazie a specifiche applicazioni sviluppate in Matlab che hanno permesso anche di stimare le incertezze associate ai parametri di sorgente, grazie a tecniche di ricampionamento statistico. Un’analisi sistematica per i terremoti studiati è stata portata avanti combinando i vari metodi per la stima dei parametri di sorgente con i piani quotati originali e ricalcolati attraverso le procedure decisionali fuzzy. I risultati ottenuti hanno consentito di valutare le caratteristiche delle possibili sorgenti e formulare ipotesi di natura sismotettonica che hanno avuto alcuni riscontri indiziali con dati di tipo geologico e geologico-strutturale. Alcuni eventi (1915, 1918, 1920) presentano una forte stabilità dei parametri calcolati (localizzazione epicentrale e geometria della possibile sorgente) con piccole incertezze associate. Altri eventi (1891, 1919 e 1930) hanno invece mostrato una maggiore variabilità sia nella localizzazione dell’epicentro che nella geometria delle box: per il primo evento ciò è probabilmente da mettere in relazione con la ridotta consistenza del dataset di intensità mentre per gli altri con la possibile molteplicità delle sorgenti sismogenetiche. Anche l’analisi bootstrap ha messo in evidenza, in alcuni casi, le possibili asimmetrie nelle distribuzioni di alcuni parametri (ad es. l’azimut della possibile struttura), che potrebbero suggerire meccanismi di rottura su più faglie distinte.

Ricercare eventuali variazioni o trend nei fenomeni meteorologici è sempre stato uno degli obiettivi degli studi di ricerca. Il dibattito in letteratura evidenzia la difficoltà nell’individuare in maniera univoca un trend relativo agli eventi precipitativi. Nonostante la grande variabilità climatica, la diminuzione delle precipitazioni in inverno e primavera negli ultimi decenni, nel sud Europa e nella parte occidentale del bacino del Mediterraneo, è stata ampiamente confermata. Inoltre, è sempre più importante osservare come eventuali variazioni nelle precipitazioni possano influenzare variazioni di portata volumetrica di un fiume. Il presente studio ha l’obiettivo di individuare eventuali variazioni nelle precipitazioni e nel regime idraulico del bacino di Imola. Lo studio ha preso in considerazione gli eventi precipitativi dagli anni ’20 al 2014 sul bacino del Santerno, localizzato nelle aree montane centro orientali dell’Emilia-Romagna. Dopo aver effettuato il controllo qualità e di omogeneità sui dati ne è stata fatta un’analisi statistica da cui è risultato, in accordo con la letteratura, una diminuzione delle precipitazioni cumulate invernali e del numero di giorni piovosi annuali per alcune stazioni considerate. Attraverso l’uso del modello TOPKAPI, sono state ricostruite alcune variabili idrologiche, come la portata del fiume in una particolare sezione di chiusura, l’umidità del suolo, l’evapotraspirazione potenziale ed effettiva, così da poterne valutare i trend stagionali e annuali. Non è stata rilevata alcuna variazione sia nella portata massima e minima annuale che in quella oraria, mentre è stato identificato un aumento significativo nell’evapotraspirazione potenziale in tutte le stagioni ad eccezione dell’autunno e una diminuzione della saturazione del suolo in inverno e primavera. Infine, le analisi sulle precipitazioni aggregate hanno confermato i risultati ottenuti nella prima parte dello studio. Per concludere, nonostante siano stati evidenziati alcuni cambiamenti significativi nelle precipitazioni cumulate stagionali, non è stata riscontrata alcuna variazione apprezzabile della portata per la sezione di chiusura considerata.

Questa tesi tratta lo sviluppo e l'applicazione di tecniche di clustering a dati macrosismici di risentimento individuali, ovvero dei singoli utenti, raccolti su piattaforme internet e l'uso di dati di intensità per ricavare informazioni su localizzazione e magnitudo dei terremoti. La procedura si articola in 2 step principali: raggruppamento delle singole intensità individuali (IDPs) attraverso metodi di clustering per ricavare intensità macrosismiche (MDPs) simili alle località secondo le definizioni delle scale macrosismiche (MCS, EMS); elaborazione di tali intensità (MDPs) mediante l'applicazione del codice Boxer (Gasperini et al.,1999; 2010). Sono stati analizzati 9 terremoti in totale avvenuti in Italia dal 2016. Sono state utilizzate 5 tecniche per ricavare intensità MDPs dalle intensità IDPs di EMSC e HSIT, piattaforme di raccolta di IDPs web-based. Le tecniche applicate sono state sviluppate in Matlab e sono: grid-based spaziali con celle equiareali quadrate ed esagonali; aree circolari con raggio proporzionale alla densità; tecniche miste (cerchi+celle equiareali); tecnica DBSCAN. Le MDPs costruite da dati EMSC sono state poi elaborate con il codice Boxer e i risultati ottenuti confrontati con i parametri ricavati per le MDPs di HSIT e con i dati strumentali. La tesi è strutturata i 4 capitoli: 1) trattazione generale sulla fisica del fenomeno sismico e descrizione di cause ed effetti. Vengono descritti i parametri sintetici strumentali e gli equivalenti macrosismici. Viene quindi descritto l'algoritmo di Boxer utilizzato. 2) trattazione sui felt report raccolti da Internet come dati macrosismici con proprie caratteristiche e problematiche specifiche. 3) definizione della trasformazione tra IDPs e MDPs e principali tipologie di tecniche di clustering per effettuarla. 4) descrizione dei dataset dei terremoti utilizzati, dell'elaborazione e dell'analisi condotte.

L'elaborato tratta della verifica preliminare della catena ricettiva dell'Alma Mater Ground Station. La catena ricettiva comprende tutti gli elementi, hardware e software, necessari per permettere la ricezione e la decodifica di segnali radio provenienti da piccoli satelliti in orbita bassa. La tesi contiene descrizioni in dettaglio dei differenti elementi hardware e software, della loro interazione e del loro utilizzo. La stazione di terra costituirà un importante riferimento per il controllo e l'analisi dei dati provenienti dai satelliti nell'ambito delle operazioni internazionali ESEO e microHETsat. La natura manualistica dell'elaborato è finalizzata alla stesura di un manuale d'uso della stazione di terra. La tesi presenta in dettaglio le differenti configurazioni che hanno permesso di ricevere con successo i dati telemetrici inviati dal piccolo satellite UNISAT-6, oltre a contenere informazioni relative a passate configurazioni della stazione di terra e accenni riguardanti le modifiche che ne renderanno maggiormente efficiente l'operatività.

L'Italia è spesso sede di eventi d'intensa precipitazione, frequentemente associati ad alluvioni con conseguente perdita di vite umane e gravi danni economici. È quindi di fondamentale importanza poter prevedere questi eventi con un adeguato anticipo. Allo stato attuale, i modelli meteorologici non permettono sempre di raggiungere tale obbiettivo e, di conseguenza, è in atto un'intensa attività di ricerca al fine di di renderne più accurata la previsione, sia attraverso il miglioramento dei modelli stessi, sia sviluppando l'assimilazione dati, la quale riduce l'incertezza della condizione iniziale da cui parte la previsione. All'interno di questo contesto, la tesi si prefigge l'obiettivo di studiare gli effetti dell'assimilazione di dati di precipitazione, effettuata mediante uno schema di nudging, nel modello non idrostatico MOLOCH. Al fine di ottimizzare lo schema e di valutarne l'impatto, sono stati simulati tutti gli eventi di maltempo di ottobre e novembre del 2014 che hanno interessato la Liguria, area frequentemente soggetta ad alluvioni. Dalla sistematica verifica dei risultati, effettuata sia qualitativamente che mediante numerosi metodi statistici (tra cui la tecnica SAL basata sull'individuazione dei nuclei di precipitazione), si riscontra un generale miglioramento della previsione della precipitazione anche se limitato alle prime ore dopo la fine del periodo di assimilazione. L'impatto dello schema di nudging varia a seconda dell'evento e, in particolare, si osserva una certa correlazione tra il miglioramento ottenuto e la tipologia di evento, come descritto dalla teoria dell'equilibrio convettivo e come riportato in alcuni studi analoghi recentemente comparsi in letteratura. La ricaduta del miglioramento della previsione meteorologica è stata valutata anche in termini di impatti al suolo accoppiando il modello meteorologico con il modello idrologico utilizzato dal Centro Funzionale della Regione Liguria, con risultati abbastanza positivi.

2013/2014
La domanda alla base di questa ricerca è stata se il metodo della gravimetria satellitare possa essere utilizzato per seguire le unità geologiche anche in luoghi difficilmente accessibili. L’obiettivo di questa ricerca è di verificare se le missioni satellitari di nuova generazione permettano di identificare la più grande delle province ignee della Terra (Bertrand et al., 2013), nota come CAMP (Central Atlantic Magmatic Province) in Africa nord-occidentale. Oltre alle motivazioni scientifiche, una possibile applicazione è l’esplorazione di risorse minerarie e lo sfruttamento di energia geotermica. Tale provincia ignea è una LIP (Large Igneous Province) che si estende in Nord e Sud America, Atlantico, Europa ed Africa (istituita in Marzoli et al. 1999). Essa si è sviluppata a seguito della frammentazione del super-continente Pangea al limite Triassico-Giurassico, ca. 200 Ma fa. A causa probabilmente del riscaldamento globale del mantello e/o dalla convezione dello stesso innescata da dislivelli di blocchi litosferici, dai dicchi-sorgente si produssero i cosiddetti basalti da flusso e si verificò un intenso vulcanismo con imponenti colate laviche tali da suggerire a taluni ricercatori che gli elementi volatili presenti nel magma abbiano contribuito ad aumentare i gas serra con conseguenze nel clima globale e nelle estinzioni di massa. I depositi in esame sono costituiti da lave, tholeiti continentali, doleriti, basalti e gabbri. Ciò che rimane di questa attività vulcanica sono dicchi singoli o in sciami, batoliti, sill, colate laviche e plateau basaltici (nei fondali oceanici). L’Africa nord-occidentale è costituita principalmente da un cratone composto da rocce molto antiche dell’Archeano (3000-2500 Ma). Esso emerge a nord nello scudo Reguibat e, a sud, la dorsale dell’Uomo o del Leone (Lucazeau et al., 1991). Il cratone è circondato dalle zone di geosutura (greenstone e cinture mobili) associate al cosiddetto evento termo-tettonico Pan-Africano, verificatosi ca. 650 Ma fa con l’assemblaggio del continente africano da blocchi crostali più piccoli. Nelle Mauritanidi affiora il basamento ercinico (ca. 350 Ma) mentre negli Atlas e nelle Magrebidi prevalgono rocce più recenti connesse all’orogenesi alpina (0-150 Ma). Al centro del cratone si trova il bacino paleozoico Taoudenni che riempie una vasta area depressa. Tutto il territorio in esame è caratterizzato da una forte presenza di rocce metamorfiche dense e magmatiche di ogni età, con presenza di più di un “punto caldo” che potrebbe essere definito un terreno igneo (Bryan et al. (2008) con più LIP spesso sovrapposte o limitrofe. Mediamente, tutte queste rocce magmatiche e metamorfiche hanno una densità di 3000 kg/m3 (Kröner, 1977 ), maggiore di quella della crosta standard e dei sedimenti. Particolare attenzione è stata dedicata ad un lineamento tettonico noto come Pelusium Megashare System (PMS) che attraversa tutta l’Africa nord-occidentale (Neev et al., 1982) chiaramente visibile in tutte le immagini satellitari di Google Earth ma che è riportato solo in pochissime pubblicazioni. Per la prima volta in questa tesi si ipotizza un collegamento tra la CAMP e PMS. La gravimetria satellitare consente di rilevare variazioni di densità nella crosta terrestre. Ove vi sono rocce più dense, il segnale rilevato (detto anomalia gravimetrica) è positivo e viceversa. La gravimetria da satellite si è rivelata un valido strumento per identificare le aree con surplus di massa. La risposta all’interrogativo iniziale è dunque affermativa anche se, da quanto esposto, risulta difficile o impossibile associare ad un certo segnale positivo una data LIP. L’elaborazione dei segnali è avvenuta partendo dai dati del satellite GOCE (ultima generazione, a un’orbita di 250 km ma già ammarato) e GRACE (obsoleto ma tuttora in orbita a ca. 450 km). I dati utilizzati sono dei modelli del campo di gravità terrestre che contengono i coefficienti di Stokes per lo sviluppo in armoniche sferiche del potenziale. I modelli utilizzati sono l’EGM2008 (comprendente anche dati di terra, con risoluzione massima 10 km se sviluppato al massimo ordine di 2159) e GOCO TIM R4 (con una risoluzione massima di 80 km, la migliore mai ottenuta da dati satellitari globali). Il modello EGM2008 è stato sviluppato fino all’ordine e grado 720 per eliminare dati spuri (Pavlis, 2012) e, in tal modo, ha permesso di raggiungere una risoluzione di ca. 27 km se si considera metà lunghezza d’onda. Dopo il controllo della qualità dei dati, essi sono stati elaborati nel seguente modo, come esposto nei capitoli 2, 3 e 4. Ai dati grezzi sono state applicate tre riduzioni per sottrarre gli effetti di gravità indesiderati che mascherano il segnale cercato più debole. È stato sottratto l’effetto di gravità della topografia, dei sedimenti e dell’interfaccia crosta-mantello (ICM). Partendo dall’anomalia “in aria libera” (FA), è stata quindi ottenuta l’anomalia di Bouguer (BA) e la BA corretta per i sedimenti. Poi, calcolata la Moho (ICM) isostatica, si è prodotto il residuo isostatico corretto per i sedimenti. I campi elaborati sono la gravità gz (espressa in milli Gal, mGal) ed il gradiente Tzz (misurato in Eötvös, E). Sono state usate le risoluzioni di 0.5° e di 0.05°, computati ad una quota di 4000 m s.l. m perché maggiore del più altro rilievo montuoso dell’area. Dopo aver modellato dei casi a geometria semplice (cap. 6) si è passati alla modellizzazione di tre casi reali. I tre siti scelti per l’approfondimento sono: Tindouf (Algeria), Taoudenni (Mali), Timbuktu (Mali). Nel bacino di Tindouf un sill doleritico CAMP è annesso al suo probabile dicco-sorgente reso evidente dalla gravimetria che identifica bene anche una vicina miniera di Ferro. Nel bacino Taoudenni, le due anomalie principali suggeriscono la presenza di cumuliti magmatici spessi una dozzina di chilometri e connessi con la superficie attraverso dicchi obliqui. Il sito presso Timbuktu è trattato nel dettaglio perché al di sotto del vicino lago Faguibine è stata rivelata un’intrusione magmatica lunga ca. 250 km. In superficie vi sono evidenze di magmatismo (per es. fumarole) tali da preoccupare le popolazioni locali (El Abbass et al., 1993). Tra i risultati inaspettati, si ricorda il forte segnale gravimetrico generato dalle peridotiti in Marocco ed un’importante anomalia (80 mGal) nel Grand Erg Occidental (Algeria) al di sotto del Sahara che sembrerebbe essere causata da un corpo denso lungo ca. 600 km.
The question behind this research was whether the method of satellite gravimetry can be used to follow the geological units even in inaccessible places. The goal of this research is to verify if the new generation of satellite missions serve to identify the largest of the Earth's igneous provinces (Bertrand et al., 2013), known as CAMP (Central Atlantic Magmatic Province) in Northwest Africa . Besides the scientific reasons, a possible application is the exploration of mineral resources and the exploitation of geothermal energy. This is an igneous province (LIP Large Igneous Provinces) that extends throughout North and South America, the Atlantic Ocean, Europe and Africa (established in Marzoli et al. 1999). It developed as a result of the fragmentation of the super-continent Pangea at Triassic-Jurassic limit, ca. 200 My ago. Probably because of mantel global warming and/or its convection triggered by differences in thickness of lithospheric blocks, from source-dikes were produced the so-called continental flow basalts (CFB) and there was an intense volcanism with massive lava flows that this would suggest to certain researchers volatile elements present in the magma have contributed to increasing greenhouse gases with consequences in the global climate and mass extinctions. The deposits in question consist of lavas, tholeites continental dolerites, basalts and gabbros. What remains of this volcanic activity are individual dykes or in swarms, batholiths, sills, lava flows and basaltic plateau (in the ocean). The north-western Africa consists mainly of a craton made of most ancient rocks dell'Archean (3000-2500 Ma). It emerges in the shield Reguibat north and on the south, the Man or the Lion shield (Lucazeau et al., 1991). The craton is surrounded by areas of geosutura (greenstone belts and mobile belts) associated with the so-called Pan-African thermo-tectonic event, occurred ca. 650 Ma ago with the assembly of the African continent by smaller crustal blocks. Mauritanides emerges in the Hercynian basement (ca. 350 Ma) while in the Atlas and Magrebides prevail younger rocks (Alpine orogenesis, 0-150 Ma). At the center of the craton is the Paleozoic basin Taoudenni that fills a large area depressed. All the territory concerned is characterized by a strong presence of dense magmatic and metamorphic rocks of all ages, with the presence of more than a "hot spot" that could be called “igneous terrane” (Bryan et al. (2008) with more LIPs overlapping or adjacent. On average, these igneous and metamorphic rocks have a density of 3000 kg / m3 (Kröner, 1977), greater than that of the standard crust and the sediments. Particular attention was dedicated to a tectonic lineament known as Pelusium Megashare System (PMS) that runs through the north-western Africa (Neev et al., 1982) clearly visible in all the satellite images of Google Earth but is reported only in very few publications. For the first time this thesis suggests a link between CAMP and PMS. Satellite gravimetry can detect density variations in the Earth's crust. Where there are rocks denser, the detected signal (called gravity anomaly) is positive and vice versa. The gravimetry by satellite has proved a valuable tool to identify areas with surplus Mass. The initial response to the question is therefore affirmative although, from the above, it is difficult or impossible to associate a positive signal a date LIP. Signals processing occurred from the data of the GOCE satellite (last generation, in an orbit of 250 km, mission already finished) and GRACE (obsolete but still in orbit at ca. 450 km). The data used are the models of the Earth's gravity field containing the coefficients of Stokes for the development of potential in spherical harmonics. The models used are the EGM2008 (also including land data, with a maximum resolution 10 km if developed to the maximum order of 2159) and TIM GOCO R4 (with a maximum resolution of 80 km, the best ever obtained by global satellite data). The model EGM2008 has been developed up to the order and degree 720 to remove spurious data (Pavlis, 2012) and, thus, allowed to reach a resolution of ca. 27 km considering half wavelength. After quality control of the data, they were processed in the following flowchart, as discussed in Chapters 2, 3 and 4. Raw data were processed applying three reductions to subtract the effects of gravity that mask the signal. It was reduced by the effect of gravity of the topography, sediment and crust-mantle interface (CMI). Starting by the anomaly "free air" (FA), was thus obtained the Bouguer anomaly (BA) and BA correct for sediment. Then, once calculated the isostatic Moho (CMI), has produced the sediment-corrected-isostatic residual. The fields processed are gravity gz (in milli Gal, mGal) and gradient tzz (measured in Eötvös, E). It has been used the resolutions of 0.5 ° and 0.05 °, computed at an altitude of 4000 m a.s.l., higher of mountains in the area. After mng cases with simple geometry (ch. 6) we moved to the modeling of three real case histories. The three sites chosen for the study are: Tindouf (Algeria), Taoudenni (Mali), Timbuktu (Mali). In the basin of Tindouf a CAMP doleritic sill is attached to its likely source source-dyke evident by gravimetry that identifies well a nearby mine of Iron. In the Taoudenni basin, the two main anomalies suggest the presence of magmatic cumulites a dozen kilometers thick and connected with the surface through oblique dikes. The site at Timbuktu is discussed in detail because in the nearby lake Faguibine was revealed a magmatic intrusion long ca. 250 km. On the surface there is evidence of magmatism (e.g. Fumaroles) such that worry local populations (El Abbass et al., 1993) .Among the unexpected results, please note the strong signal generated by gravimetric peridotites in Morocco and a major anomaly (80 mGal) in the Grand Erg Occidental (Algeria) below the Sahara that would seem to be caused by a dense body ca. 600 km long.
XXVI Ciclo
1972

La presente tesi di dottorato ha avuto come oggetto principale dell attività di ricerca lo studio della geomatica l.s. quale strumento fondamentale utile all archiviazione, trattazione, elaborazione e sviluppo di tecniche di interpolazione ed analisi quantitativa di dati provenienti da diverse fonti di acquisizione in campo geoscientifico. La geomatica, è stata qui intesa quale strumento di sintesi tra, l insieme delle conoscenze derivanti dalle discipline del rilevamento geologico, con quelle discipline geoscientifiche relative all acquisizione e al trattamento di dati alla scala micrometrica (ad es. Petrografia, Geochimica, Petrologia etc ) al fine di sviluppare una serie di protocolli e strumenti atti a collegare in maniera interoperabile (i.e. in grado di far dialogare in modo automatico i sistemi informatici) e completa dati articolati e complessi, comunque riconducibili ad una primitiva geografica, identificata dal punto di campionamento. Su tale base l attività di ricerca, basata su tre fasi distinte, ha consentito di: I. sviluppare un geo-database prototipale contenente tutte le informazioni relative alle analisi dei campioni di roccia alle diverse scale di osservazione, provenienti da diverse fonti strumentali; II. applicare ad un area pilota (il batolite di Squillace-Petrizzi Calabria centro orientale) alcune tecniche di interpolazione in grado di minimizzare i limiti intrinseci di una campionatura in campo geologico (ad es. distribuzione randomica e discontinua dei punti di campionamento), affiancando a queste tecniche lo sviluppo di un nuovo algoritmo atto a realizzare in maniera automatica mappe geo-litologiche su base TAS (Total Alkali Silica); III. sviluppare un insieme di strumenti in parte originali, atti ad analizzare, attraverso tecniche di analisi statistica multivariata, immagini a raggi X di campioni di rocce metamorfiche provenienti dall area di Mammola (zona meridionale del Massiccio delle Serre Calabria) con lo scopo di integrare i dati minero-chimici puntuali con mappe micro-tessiturali di tipo quantitativo ottenute su metapeliti a granato. I risultati ottenuti alla fine del triennio di attività hanno consentito di verificare come la geomatica, intesa nella sua trasversalità più ampia, sia ancora alle fasi iniziali del suo sviluppo, specialmente in alcuni campi geoscientifici. In tale contesto, scopo principale della presente tesi è stato quello di fornire al lettore uno strumento completo e versatile sullo stato dell arte ad oggi dell utilizzo delle tecniche geomatiche in campo geoscientifico, con particolare riferimento all ambito geo-petrologico. A tale obiettivo è stato altresì affiancato quello di testare ed in parte integrare, con nuovi ed opportuni algoritmi, nuove tecniche geomatiche in grado di: gestire, interpolare e trattare dati geo-petrologici a scala variabile da quella dell affioramento a quella della sezione sottile.

In this thesis are shown the results of a multidisciplinary research, including geophysical, structural and geodetic surveys, carried out along the Tremestieri-Trecastagni-San Gregorio-Acitrezza fault system with the aim to provide additional insightful about its geometry and kinematics; also, additional geophysical surveys were performed at various sites of the municipalities most affected by the fault segments presence in order to obtain information on site response. This fault system, considered as "laboratory structure", was selected for the different kinematic characteristics and different modes of strain-energy release, that characterized its fault segments. In the northernmost portion, this system has a kinematic behavior of normal fault and releases energy during coseismic deformation, while in the southernmost portion presents a kinematic behavior of a right-lateral strike-slip fault with releases energy during aseismic creep. Furthermore, this fault system, which can be considered the southern boundary of the sliding of Etnean eastern slope, was less studied than the northern sliding boundary and very little is known about the depth geometry of its fault segments. The surveys were performed after an analysis of the data relating to shallow geology and to morphological, structural, stratigraphic, geophysical and seismological aspects; these detailed surveys have confirmed and highlighted a variety of geological and geomorphological conditions that can determine the existence of different stress following the occurrence of an earthquake. After have performed a detailed structural survey, the project has planned the acquisition and analysis of many ambient noise samplings, and of other geophysical surveys, undertaken within the municipalities affected by the presence of the fault segments, increasing the surveys near the fault. All this in order to reconstruct the resonance frequency distribution and detect the possible presence of areas affected by amplification effects. Moreover, in some areas, the surface deformation process was characterized through the design, implementation and installation, across the fault segments, of a geodetic monitoring network, in order to obtain information on the fault kinematics and on the local stress field. The integration of the results obtained from structural, geological and geophysical surveys, with a complete literature review has provided important information on the development in depth of the fault segments; it was thus possible to reconstruct a 3D model of geometry that characterized the southern boundary of Etnean eastern slope sliding. Various deformation data such as GPS displacements, InSAR images, level data and measures with extensometers suggest that the slip along the fault system is not uniform, but can be better described by a distribution of dislocation sources along the fault surfaces. In order to model the slip distribution along the fault surfaces, an inverse modeling of DInSAR deformation data was carried out. This project was aimed to the recognizing site effects, that characterize the studied areas, in order to highlight the seismo-stratigraphic and tectonic behavior of subsoil, as well as, to the characterization of the deformation field related to the fault segments, through the implementation of a new geodetic monitoring network (GEO-UNICT geodetic network). The results allowed to obtain important information on all parameters that can increment the local seismic hazard; all these different but converging approaches, have permitted a complete study of the investigated area. This study providing essential information for a proper land use planning, having as main objective the mitigation of risks that can affect the population.

2007/2008
The main aim of this thesis has been to find a cosmologically motivated infall law to understand if the CDM cosmology can reproduce the main chemical characteristics of a Milky Way-like spiral galaxy. We have tested several gas infall laws, starting from that suggested in the two-infall model of Chiappini et al. (1997) for the chemical evolution of the Milky Way, but focusing on laws derived from cosmological simulations which follow a concordance CDM cosmology. By means of a detailed chemical evolution model for the solar vicinity, we have studied the effects of the different gas infall laws on the abundance patterns and the G-dwarf metallicity distribution. Our best cosmological infall law, derived from dark matter halos having properties compatible with the formation of a disk galaxy like the Milky Way, and assuming that the baryons assemble like dark matter, resembles the infall law suggested by the two-infall model. It predicts two main gas accretion episodes. Minor infall episodes are predicted to have followed the second main one but they are of little significance compared to the previous two. By means of this cosmologically motivated infall law, we have studied the star formation rate, the SNIa and SNII rate, the total amount of gas and stars in the solar neighbourhood and the behaviour of several chemical abundances (O, Mg, Si, C, N, Fe). We have found that the results of the two-infall model are fully compatible with the evolution of the Milky Way with cosmological accretion laws. We have derived that the timescale for the formation of the stellar halo and the thick disk must have not been longer than 2 Gyr, whereas the disk in the solar vicinity assembled on a much longer timescale (∼ 6 Gyr). Then we have studied the abundance gradients along the Galactic disk produced by our best cosmological model and their dependence upon several parameters: a threshold in the surface gas density regulating star formation, the star formation efficiency, the timescale for the formation of the thin disk and the total surface mass density of the stellar halo. We have found that to reproduce at the same time the abundance, star formation rate and surface gas density gradients along the Galactic disk it is necessary to assume an inside-out formation for the disk. The threshold in the gas density is not necessary and the same effect could be reached 2 by assuming a variable star formation efficiency. However the derived new cosmological infall law contains a mild inside-out formation and is still not enough to reproduce the disk properties at best. We have also studied the effect of a cosmologically motivated infall law for the formation of a massive elliptical galaxy in order to understand the impact on the formation of the spheroids. We have found that such a model predicts a too low mean stellar value for the [Mg/Fe] ratio. This is, according to us, the most important result of our cosmological model applied to an early-type galaxy indicating that perhaps the hierarchical paradigm of galaxy formation should be revised for ellipticals. Moreover we have found that models for ellipticals without a galactic wind predict a too large current SNIa rate. In particular, the cosmological model produces a current SNIa which is about ten times higher than the observed values and predicts a large current SNII rate which is not observed. The predicted SNII rate for models with galactic wind is also in contrast with the actual star formation mesured by GALEX. The conclusions of our work are that a gas assembly history derived from a DM halo, compatible with the formation of a late-type galaxy from the morphological point of view, can produce chemical properties in agreement with the available observations. Moreover, a cosmologically derived infall law with an inside-out process for the disk formation and a variable star formation efficiency can indeed well reproduce all the properties of the disk. Higher resolution cosmological simulations, however, are necessary to better trace the radial properties of disk galaxies. Finally, a cosmologically derived infall law for an elliptical galaxy cannot well reproduce all the chemical constraints given by observations and this is an important result.
XXI Ciclo
1981

2010/2011
Riassunto: La finalità di questo studio è la caratterizzazione della litosfera sottostante il bacino intracratonico del Paraná. I modelli gravimetrici adottati sono vincolati ai dati geofisici tra i quali quelli sismologici più recenti (Lloyd et al., 2010) e sono corroborati dai modelli petrografici (Bryan & Ernst, 2008). Si offre un approccio che include la comparazione isostatica a quella sismologica al fine di interpretare al meglio la struttura litosferica nell’area del bacino in analisi e di comprendere le variazioni geodinamiche legate alle province geologiche ivi presenti. Il bacino del Paraná (Sud America) è ubicato nella piattaforma stabile del Sud America, ed è circondato da cratoni tra i quali: il cratone amazzonico, il cratone di San Francisco e il Rio de La Plata. La sua genesi in epoca paleozoica è quella di vasto bacino sedimentario, sul quale però durante il Mesozoico (Cretaceo inferiore) si è sviluppata un’intensa attività vulcanica (Capitolo 3). Quest’attività effusiva lo classifica tra le maggiori LIP (Large Igneous Province) mondiali, provincie magmatiche con volume di materiale espulso superiore a 0.1 Mkm3 (Bryan & Ernst, 2008). L’analisi effettuata in questo lavoro è eseguita tramite lo studio del campo gravimetrico da modelli di nuova generazione derivanti dal satellite GOCE (Gravity field and steady state Ocean Circulation Explorer) e GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). I prodotti gravimetrici satellitari di GOCE possiedono una risoluzione senza precedenti (mezza lunghezza d’onda 80 km): ciò consente di validare i modelli gravimetrici precedenti (280 km, EGM08, Pavlis et al., 2008) che per offrire una maggior dettaglio nelle anomalie integravano ai dati satellitari di GRACE le campagne gravimetriche terrestri, non sempre complete e quindi globalmente precise e di adempire agli indispensabile fini di interpretazione geodinamica. La descrizione dei modelli e la validazione degli stessi sono offerte nel Capitolo 2. I campi potenziali studiati per le principali province geologiche sono illustrati nel Capitolo 5; mentre nel Capitolo 6 si applica la metodologia spettrale sulla seconda derivata verticale del potenziale per discernere le diverse litologie individuate nell’area di studio. L’anomalia di Bouguer calcolata tramite sviluppo in armoniche sferiche viene corretta sia in superficie e in profondità stimando l’effetto di gravità dei sedimenti conosciuti (Capitolo 4) e le conoscenze geofisiche note. Il bacino è composto da: i sedimenti pre-vulcanici paleozoici di spessore pari a circa 3500 m, la Formazione Serra Geral composta principalmente da basalti tholeiitici del cretaceo inferiore (~1500 m di spessore), ed infine i sedimenti post-vulcanici del cretaceo superiore appartenenti al Gruppo Bauru, solo 300 m di spessore (Capitolo 3). Sfruttando i modelli sismologici regionali è stato infine possibile valutare anche il contributo gravimetrico dello spessore crostale stimato con la sismologia. Con questi elementi viene calcolata la Bouguer residua, che è interpretata come anomalia isostatica e quindi correlata alle strutture geologiche locali e regionali. Questo comporta il riconoscimento di una struttura anomala sotto la parte settentrionale del bacino del Paraná comprendente anche parte del settore adiacente Blocco del Guaporé. L’inquadramento a scala maggiore però permette di evidenziare un’area molto più ampia di quanto riconosciuto in prima istanza. Tale anomalia è centrata infatti nel nucleo archeano del cratone amazzonico, di cui quindi il bacino del Paraná risulta solamente il suo braccio più meridionale. In assenza di attività tettonica-magmatica recente (ultima risale 50 Ma) ed in mancanza di grandi anomalie superficiali, tale anomalia positiva potrebbe essere inserita in un contesto regionale e più profondo, rappresentando delle dinamiche di mantello. Infine tramite inversione gravimetrica è stata quantificata numericamente l’anomalia nel bacino di studio utilizzando la geometria semplice di un tronco di cono. La quantità di materiale in presunto underplating che dovrebbe spiegare l’anomalia positiva è compatibile ai modelli petrografici conosciuti. Tali modelli sottolineano come la presenza di un magmatismo noto in superficie rappresenti solo una piccola parte di quello che dovrebbe trovarsi in intrusione: è stato calcolato infatti che il magmatismo superficiale potrebbe rappresentare solo la decima parte di quello associato in profondità.
Abstract: Goal of this study is the characterization of the lithosphere beneath the intracratonic area of Paraná basin. We formulate gravimetric models constrained by geophysical data and new seismological models (Lloyd et al., 2010) and also underpinned by petrographic models (Bryan & Ernst, 2008). Our approach includes isostatic Moho to seismological Moho comparison to better understand lithospheric structures in the area of basin, and geodynamic context of the local geological province. Paraná basin (South America) is located on the stable South American platform, and it is surrounded by some craton areas, as: the Amazon craton, the San Francisco craton and the Rio de La Plata Craton. During Paleozoic epoch the Paraná region was a wide sedimentary basin, while in the Mesozoic (Early Cretaceous) a significant volcanic activity developed on it. This effusive phase classifies the basin between the greatest LIP (Large Igneous Province) worldwide known, where the magmatism volume is greater than 0.1 Mkm3(Bryan & Ernst, 2008). We analyzed gravimetric field using new generation satellite models as GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) and GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). GOCE’s products gives unprecedented resolution (half wavelength: 80 km) helping to validate previous global gravity models as EGM08 (Pavlis et al., 2008). The 280 km satellite- only resolution was increased by integration of terrestrial gravity fields data, but this methodology added some problems during processing, where the terrestrial information is not complete or precise. On Chapter 2 some descriptions and validation among models are shown. We calculated potential field for the main geological provinces of Chapter 5; while in Chapter 6, using spectral methodology on the second vertical derivatives of potential field, we identify main lithologic units. The Bouguer anomaly calculated with the spherical harmonics expansion of the potential field is corrected by known stratigraphic units. The basin is made by pre-volcanic sediments of Paleozoic age, with over 3500 m of thickness, Serra Geral Formation, mainly tholeiitic basalts of Early Cretaceous (~1500 m), and post-volcanic sediment of Bauru Group, only 300 m of thickness. We evaluate the effect of crustal thickness variations on the gravity field by using the seismological crustal model. Removing these elements from the Bouguer anomaly, we obtain the residual Bouguer anomaly. Further we calculate the isostatic anomaly and we correlate it to the local and regional geological framework. This helps to recognize a positive residual anomaly on the northern part of the Paraná basin, including the nearby Guaporé Block. Setting a major scale we see the same phenomenon: it is in agreement with the archean nucleus of the Amazon craton, so we can claim that the anomaly on the Paraná is only the southern part of a greater positive area. The relative gravity positive anomaly in the Paraná basin is not very extended and lack of tectonic activity since50 Ma makes us consider that this anomaly is part of a deeper and greater anomaly, maybe due to mantle dynamic effects. We quantified the intracrustal density anomaly using gravity inversion and adopting a truncated cone geometry and volume in accord to petrographic models. It is known that an underplated magmatic body can be up to 10 time larger than the associated extrusive volume and this corroborates our models.
XXIV Ciclo
1979

By the end of the 19th century, geodesy has contributed greatly to the knowledge of regional tectonics and fault movement through its ability to measure, at sub-centimetre precision, the relative positions of points on the Earth’s surface. Nowadays the systematic analysis of geodetic measurements in active deformation regions represents therefore one of the most important tool in the study of crustal deformation over different temporal scales [e.g., Dixon, 1991]. This dissertation focuses on motion that can be observed geodetically with classical terrestrial position measurements, particularly triangulation and leveling observations. The work is divided into two sections: an overview of the principal methods for estimating longterm accumulation of elastic strain from terrestrial observations, and an overview of the principal methods for rigorously inverting surface coseismic deformation fields for source geometry with tests on synthetic deformation data sets and applications in two different tectonically active regions of the Italian peninsula. For the long-term accumulation of elastic strain analysis, triangulation data were available from a geodetic network across the Messina Straits area (southern Italy) for the period 1971 – 2004. From resulting angle changes, the shear strain rates as well as the orientation of the principal axes of the strain rate tensor were estimated. The computed average annual shear strain rates for the time period between 1971 and 2004 are γ˙1 = 113.89 ± 54.96 nanostrain/yr and γ˙2 = -23.38 ± 48.71 nanostrain/yr, with the orientation of the most extensional strain (θ) at N140.80° ± 19.55°E. These results suggests that the first-order strain field of the area is dominated by extension in the direction perpendicular to the trend of the Straits, sustaining the hypothesis that the Messina Straits could represents an area of active concentrated deformation. The orientation of θ agree well with GPS deformation estimates, calculated over shorter time interval, and is consistent with previous preliminary GPS estimates [D’Agostino and Selvaggi, 2004; Serpelloni et al., 2005] and is also similar to the direction of the 1908 (MW 7.1) earthquake slip vector [e.g., Boschi et al., 1989; Valensise and Pantosti, 1992; Pino et al., 2000; Amoruso et al., 2002]. Thus, the measured strain rate can be attributed to an active extension across the Messina Straits, corresponding to a relative extension rate ranges between < 1mm/yr and up to ~ 2 mm/yr, within the portion of the Straits covered by the triangulation network. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the Messina Straits is an important active geological boundary between the Sicilian and the Calabrian domains and support previous preliminary GPS-based estimates of strain rates across the Straits, which show that the active deformation is distributed along a greater area. Finally, the preliminary dislocation modelling has shown that, although the current geodetic measurements do not resolve the geometry of the dislocation models, they solve well the rate of interseismic strain accumulation across the Messina Straits and give useful information about the locking the depth of the shear zone. Geodetic data, triangulation and leveling measurements of the 1976 Friuli (NE Italy) earthquake, were available for the inversion of coseismic source parameters. From observed angle and elevation changes, the source parameters of the seismic sequence were estimated in a join inversion using an algorithm called “simulated annealing”. The computed optimal uniform–slip elastic dislocation model consists of a 30° north-dipping shallow (depth 1.30 ± 0.75 km) fault plane with azimuth of 273° and accommodating reverse dextral slip of about 1.8 m. The hypocentral location and inferred fault plane of the main event are then consistent with the activation of Periadriatic overthrusts or other related thrust faults as the Gemona- Kobarid thrust. Then, the geodetic data set exclude the source solution of Aoudia et al. [2000], Peruzza et al. [2002] and Poli et al. [2002] that considers the Susans-Tricesimo thrust as the May 6 event. The best-fit source model is then more consistent with the solution of Pondrelli et al. [2001], which proposed the activation of other thrusts located more to the North of the Susans-Tricesimo thrust, probably on Periadriatic related thrust faults. The main characteristics of the leveling and triangulation data are then fit by the optimal single fault model, that is, these results are consistent with a first-order rupture process characterized by a progressive rupture of a single fault system. A single uniform-slip fault model seems to not reproduce some minor complexities of the observations, and some residual signals that are not modelled by the optimal single-fault plane solution, were observed. In fact, the single fault plane model does not reproduce some minor features of the leveling deformation field along the route 36 south of the main uplift peak, that is, a second fault seems to be necessary to reproduce these residual signals. By assuming movements along some mapped thrust located southward of the inferred optimal single-plane solution, the residual signal has been successfully modelled. In summary, the inversion results presented in this Thesis, are consistent with the activation of some Periadriatic related thrust for the main events of the sequence, and with a minor importance of the southward thrust systems of the middle Tagliamento plain.

By the end of the 19th century, geodesy has contributed greatly to the knowledge of regional tectonics and fault movement through its ability to measure, at sub-centimetre precision, the relative positions of points on the Earth’s surface. Nowadays the systematic analysis of geodetic measurements in active deformation regions represents therefore one of the most important tool in the study of crustal deformation over different temporal scales [e.g., Dixon, 1991]. This dissertation focuses on motion that can be observed geodetically with classical terrestrial position measurements, particularly triangulation and leveling observations. The work is divided into two sections: an overview of the principal methods for estimating longterm accumulation of elastic strain from terrestrial observations, and an overview of the principal methods for rigorously inverting surface coseismic deformation fields for source geometry with tests on synthetic deformation data sets and applications in two different tectonically active regions of the Italian peninsula. For the long-term accumulation of elastic strain analysis, triangulation data were available from a geodetic network across the Messina Straits area (southern Italy) for the period 1971 – 2004. From resulting angle changes, the shear strain rates as well as the orientation of the principal axes of the strain rate tensor were estimated. The computed average annual shear strain rates for the time period between 1971 and 2004 are γ˙1 = 113.89 ± 54.96 nanostrain/yr and γ˙2 = -23.38 ± 48.71 nanostrain/yr, with the orientation of the most extensional strain (θ) at N140.80° ± 19.55°E. These results suggests that the first-order strain field of the area is dominated by extension in the direction perpendicular to the trend of the Straits, sustaining the hypothesis that the Messina Straits could represents an area of active concentrated deformation. The orientation of θ agree well with GPS deformation estimates, calculated over shorter time interval, and is consistent with previous preliminary GPS estimates [D’Agostino and Selvaggi, 2004; Serpelloni et al., 2005] and is also similar to the direction of the 1908 (MW 7.1) earthquake slip vector [e.g., Boschi et al., 1989; Valensise and Pantosti, 1992; Pino et al., 2000; Amoruso et al., 2002]. Thus, the measured strain rate can be attributed to an active extension across the Messina Straits, corresponding to a relative extension rate ranges between < 1mm/yr and up to ~ 2 mm/yr, within the portion of the Straits covered by the triangulation network. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the Messina Straits is an important active geological boundary between the Sicilian and the Calabrian domains and support previous preliminary GPS-based estimates of strain rates across the Straits, which show that the active deformation is distributed along a greater area. Finally, the preliminary dislocation modelling has shown that, although the current geodetic measurements do not resolve the geometry of the dislocation models, they solve well the rate of interseismic strain accumulation across the Messina Straits and give useful information about the locking the depth of the shear zone. Geodetic data, triangulation and leveling measurements of the 1976 Friuli (NE Italy) earthquake, were available for the inversion of coseismic source parameters. From observed angle and elevation changes, the source parameters of the seismic sequence were estimated in a join inversion using an algorithm called “simulated annealing”. The computed optimal uniform–slip elastic dislocation model consists of a 30° north-dipping shallow (depth 1.30 ± 0.75 km) fault plane with azimuth of 273° and accommodating reverse dextral slip of about 1.8 m. The hypocentral location and inferred fault plane of the main event are then consistent with the activation of Periadriatic overthrusts or other related thrust faults as the Gemona- Kobarid thrust. Then, the geodetic data set exclude the source solution of Aoudia et al. [2000], Peruzza et al. [2002] and Poli et al. [2002] that considers the Susans-Tricesimo thrust as the May 6 event. The best-fit source model is then more consistent with the solution of Pondrelli et al. [2001], which proposed the activation of other thrusts located more to the North of the Susans-Tricesimo thrust, probably on Periadriatic related thrust faults. The main characteristics of the leveling and triangulation data are then fit by the optimal single fault model, that is, these results are consistent with a first-order rupture process characterized by a progressive rupture of a single fault system. A single uniform-slip fault model seems to not reproduce some minor complexities of the observations, and some residual signals that are not modelled by the optimal single-fault plane solution, were observed. In fact, the single fault plane model does not reproduce some minor features of the leveling deformation field along the route 36 south of the main uplift peak, that is, a second fault seems to be necessary to reproduce these residual signals. By assuming movements along some mapped thrust located southward of the inferred optimal single-plane solution, the residual signal has been successfully modelled. In summary, the inversion results presented in this Thesis, are consistent with the activation of some Periadriatic related thrust for the main events of the sequence, and with a minor importance of the southward thrust systems of the middle Tagliamento plain.

L'obiettivo di questo lavoro di tesi è la progettazione di un Data Mart del Datawarehouse dell'Università di Bologna, nello specifico dell'ambito "Ricerca e Terza Missione". Sono descritti le principali fasi del progetto, quali analisi dei requisiti, modellazione concettuale e logica, progettazione dell'ETL e infine la fase di testing.

For its particular position and the complex geological history, the Northern Apennines has been considered as a natural laboratory to apply several kinds of investigations. By the way, it is complicated to joint all the knowledge about the Northern Apennines in a unique picture that explains the structural and geological emplacement that produced it. The main goal of this thesis is to put together all information on the deformation - in the crust and at depth - of this region and to describe a geodynamical model that takes account of it. To do so, we have analyzed the pattern of deformation in the crust and in the mantle. In both cases the deformation has been studied using always information recovered from earthquakes, although using different techniques. In particular the shallower deformation has been studied using seismic moment tensors information. For our purpose we used the methods described in Arvidsson and Ekstrom (1998) that allowing the use in the inversion of surface waves [and not only of the body waves as the Centroid Moment Tensor (Dziewonski et al., 1981) one] allow to determine seismic source parameters for earthquakes with magnitude as small as 4.0. We applied this tool in the Northern Apennines and through this activity we have built up the Italian CMT dataset (Pondrelli et al., 2006) and the pattern of seismic deformation using the Kostrov (1974) method on a regular grid of 0.25 degree cells. We obtained a map of lateral variations of the pattern of seismic deformation on different layers of depth, taking into account the fact that shallow earthquakes (within 15 km of depth) in the region occur everywhere while most of events with a deeper hypocenter (15-40 km) occur only in the outer part of the belt, on the Adriatic side. For the analysis of the deep deformation, i.e. that occurred in the mantle, we used the anisotropy information characterizing the structure below the Northern Apennines. The anisotropy is an earth properties that in the crust is due to the presence of aligned fluid filled cracks or alternating isotropic layers with different elastic properties while in the mantle the most important cause of seismic anisotropy is the lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of the mantle minerals as the olivine. This last is a highly anisotropic mineral and tends to align its fast crystallographic axes (a-axis) parallel to the astenospheric flow as a response to finite strain induced by geodynamic processes. The seismic anisotropy pattern of a region is measured utilizing the shear wave splitting phenomenon (that is the seismological analogue to optical birefringence). Here, to do so, we apply on teleseismic earthquakes recorded on stations located in the study region, the Sileny and Plomerova (1996) approach. The results are analyzed on the basis of their lateral and vertical variations to better define the earth structure beneath Northern Apennines. We find different anisotropic domains, a Tuscany and an Adria one, with a pattern of seismic anisotropy which laterally varies in a similar way respect to the seismic deformation. Moreover, beneath the Adriatic region the distribution of the splitting parameters is so complex to request an appropriate analysis. Therefore we applied on our data the code of Menke and Levin (2003) which allows to look for different models of structures with multilayer anisotropy. We obtained that the structure beneath the Po Plain is probably even more complicated than expected. On the basis of the results obtained for this thesis, added with those from previous works, we suggest that slab roll-back, which created the Apennines and opened the Tyrrhenian Sea, evolved in the north boundary of Northern Apennines in a different way from its southern part. In particular, the trench retreat developed primarily south of our study region, with an eastward roll-back. In the northern portion of the orogen, after a first stage during which the retreat was perpendicular to the trench, it became oblique with respect to the structure.

For its particular position and the complex geological history, the Northern Apennines has been considered as a natural laboratory to apply several kinds of investigations. By the way, it is complicated to joint all the knowledge about the Northern Apennines in a unique picture that explains the structural and geological emplacement that produced it. The main goal of this thesis is to put together all information on the deformation - in the crust and at depth - of this region and to describe a geodynamical model that takes account of it. To do so, we have analyzed the pattern of deformation in the crust and in the mantle. In both cases the deformation has been studied using always information recovered from earthquakes, although using different techniques. In particular the shallower deformation has been studied using seismic moment tensors information. For our purpose we used the methods described in Arvidsson and Ekstrom (1998) that allowing the use in the inversion of surface waves [and not only of the body waves as the Centroid Moment Tensor (Dziewonski et al., 1981) one] allow to determine seismic source parameters for earthquakes with magnitude as small as 4.0. We applied this tool in the Northern Apennines and through this activity we have built up the Italian CMT dataset (Pondrelli et al., 2006) and the pattern of seismic deformation using the Kostrov (1974) method on a regular grid of 0.25 degree cells. We obtained a map of lateral variations of the pattern of seismic deformation on different layers of depth, taking into account the fact that shallow earthquakes (within 15 km of depth) in the region occur everywhere while most of events with a deeper hypocenter (15-40 km) occur only in the outer part of the belt, on the Adriatic side. For the analysis of the deep deformation, i.e. that occurred in the mantle, we used the anisotropy information characterizing the structure below the Northern Apennines. The anisotropy is an earth properties that in the crust is due to the presence of aligned fluid filled cracks or alternating isotropic layers with different elastic properties while in the mantle the most important cause of seismic anisotropy is the lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of the mantle minerals as the olivine. This last is a highly anisotropic mineral and tends to align its fast crystallographic axes (a-axis) parallel to the astenospheric flow as a response to finite strain induced by geodynamic processes. The seismic anisotropy pattern of a region is measured utilizing the shear wave splitting phenomenon (that is the seismological analogue to optical birefringence). Here, to do so, we apply on teleseismic earthquakes recorded on stations located in the study region, the Sileny and Plomerova (1996) approach. The results are analyzed on the basis of their lateral and vertical variations to better define the earth structure beneath Northern Apennines. We find different anisotropic domains, a Tuscany and an Adria one, with a pattern of seismic anisotropy which laterally varies in a similar way respect to the seismic deformation. Moreover, beneath the Adriatic region the distribution of the splitting parameters is so complex to request an appropriate analysis. Therefore we applied on our data the code of Menke and Levin (2003) which allows to look for different models of structures with multilayer anisotropy. We obtained that the structure beneath the Po Plain is probably even more complicated than expected. On the basis of the results obtained for this thesis, added with those from previous works, we suggest that slab roll-back, which created the Apennines and opened the Tyrrhenian Sea, evolved in the north boundary of Northern Apennines in a different way from its southern part. In particular, the trench retreat developed primarily south of our study region, with an eastward roll-back. In the northern portion of the orogen, after a first stage during which the retreat was perpendicular to the trench, it became oblique with respect to the structure.

Subduction zones are the favorite places to generate tsunamigenic earthquakes, where friction between oceanic and continental plates causes the occurrence of a strong seismicity. The topics and the methodologies discussed in this thesis are focussed to the understanding of the rupture process of the seismic sources of great earthquakes that generate tsunamis. The tsunamigenesis is controlled by several kinematical characteristic of the parent earthquake, as the focal mechanism, the depth of the rupture, the slip distribution along the fault area and by the mechanical properties of the source zone. Each of these factors plays a fundamental role in the tsunami generation. Therefore, inferring the source parameters of tsunamigenic earthquakes is crucial to understand the generation of the consequent tsunami and so to mitigate the risk along the coasts. The typical way to proceed when we want to gather information regarding the source process is to have recourse to the inversion of geophysical data that are available. Tsunami data, moreover, are useful to constrain the portion of the fault area that extends offshore, generally close to the trench that, on the contrary, other kinds of data are not able to constrain. In this thesis I have discussed the rupture process of some recent tsunamigenic events, as inferred by means of an inverse method. I have presented the 2003 Tokachi-Oki (Japan) earthquake (Mw 8.1). In this study the slip distribution on the fault has been inferred by inverting tsunami waveform, GPS, and bottom-pressure data. The joint inversion of tsunami and geodetic data has revealed a much better constrain for the slip distribution on the fault rather than the separate inversions of single datasets. Then we have studied the earthquake occurred on 2007 in southern Sumatra (Mw 8.4). By inverting several tsunami waveforms, both in the near and in the far field, we have determined the slip distribution and the mean rupture velocity along the causative fault. Since the largest patch of slip was concentrated on the deepest part of the fault, this is the likely reason for the small tsunami waves that followed the earthquake, pointing out how much the depth of the rupture plays a crucial role in controlling the tsunamigenesis. Finally, we have presented a new rupture model for the great 2004 Sumatra earthquake (Mw 9.2). We have performed the joint inversion of tsunami waveform, GPS and satellite altimetry data, to infer the slip distribution, the slip direction, and the rupture velocity on the fault. Furthermore, in this work we have presented a novel method to estimate, in a self-consistent way, the average rigidity of the source zone. The estimation of the source zone rigidity is important since it may play a significant role in the tsunami generation and, particularly for slow earthquakes, a low rigidity value is sometimes necessary to explain how a relatively low seismic moment earthquake may generate significant tsunamis; this latter point may be relevant for explaining the mechanics of the tsunami earthquakes, one of the open issues in present day seismology. The investigation of these tsunamigenic earthquakes has underlined the importance to use a joint inversion of different geophysical data to determine the rupture characteristics. The results shown here have important implications for the implementation of new tsunami warning systems – particularly in the near-field – the improvement of the current ones, and furthermore for the planning of the inundation maps for tsunami-hazard assessment along the coastal area.

Subduction zones are the favorite places to generate tsunamigenic earthquakes, where friction between oceanic and continental plates causes the occurrence of a strong seismicity. The topics and the methodologies discussed in this thesis are focussed to the understanding of the rupture process of the seismic sources of great earthquakes that generate tsunamis. The tsunamigenesis is controlled by several kinematical characteristic of the parent earthquake, as the focal mechanism, the depth of the rupture, the slip distribution along the fault area and by the mechanical properties of the source zone. Each of these factors plays a fundamental role in the tsunami generation. Therefore, inferring the source parameters of tsunamigenic earthquakes is crucial to understand the generation of the consequent tsunami and so to mitigate the risk along the coasts. The typical way to proceed when we want to gather information regarding the source process is to have recourse to the inversion of geophysical data that are available. Tsunami data, moreover, are useful to constrain the portion of the fault area that extends offshore, generally close to the trench that, on the contrary, other kinds of data are not able to constrain. In this thesis I have discussed the rupture process of some recent tsunamigenic events, as inferred by means of an inverse method. I have presented the 2003 Tokachi-Oki (Japan) earthquake (Mw 8.1). In this study the slip distribution on the fault has been inferred by inverting tsunami waveform, GPS, and bottom-pressure data. The joint inversion of tsunami and geodetic data has revealed a much better constrain for the slip distribution on the fault rather than the separate inversions of single datasets. Then we have studied the earthquake occurred on 2007 in southern Sumatra (Mw 8.4). By inverting several tsunami waveforms, both in the near and in the far field, we have determined the slip distribution and the mean rupture velocity along the causative fault. Since the largest patch of slip was concentrated on the deepest part of the fault, this is the likely reason for the small tsunami waves that followed the earthquake, pointing out how much the depth of the rupture plays a crucial role in controlling the tsunamigenesis. Finally, we have presented a new rupture model for the great 2004 Sumatra earthquake (Mw 9.2). We have performed the joint inversion of tsunami waveform, GPS and satellite altimetry data, to infer the slip distribution, the slip direction, and the rupture velocity on the fault. Furthermore, in this work we have presented a novel method to estimate, in a self-consistent way, the average rigidity of the source zone. The estimation of the source zone rigidity is important since it may play a significant role in the tsunami generation and, particularly for slow earthquakes, a low rigidity value is sometimes necessary to explain how a relatively low seismic moment earthquake may generate significant tsunamis; this latter point may be relevant for explaining the mechanics of the tsunami earthquakes, one of the open issues in present day seismology. The investigation of these tsunamigenic earthquakes has underlined the importance to use a joint inversion of different geophysical data to determine the rupture characteristics. The results shown here have important implications for the implementation of new tsunami warning systems – particularly in the near-field – the improvement of the current ones, and furthermore for the planning of the inundation maps for tsunami-hazard assessment along the coastal area.

During my PhD, starting from the original formulations proposed by Bertrand et al., 2000 and Emolo & Zollo 2005, I developed inversion methods and applied then at different earthquakes. In particular large efforts have been devoted to the study of the model resolution and to the estimation of the model parameter errors. To study the source kinematic characteristics of the Christchurch earthquake we performed a joint inversion of strong-motion, GPS and InSAR data using a non-linear inversion method. Considering the complexity highlighted by superficial deformation data, we adopted a fault model consisting of two partially overlapping segments, with dimensions 15x11 and 7x7 km2, having different faulting styles. This two-fault model allows to better reconstruct the complex shape of the superficial deformation data. The total seismic moment resulting from the joint inversion is 3.0x1025 dyne.cm (Mw = 6.2) with an average rupture velocity of 2.0 km/s. Errors associated with the kinematic model have been estimated of around 20-30 %. The 2009 Aquila sequence was characterized by an intense aftershocks sequence that lasted several months. In this study we applied an inversion method that assumes as data the apparent Source Time Functions (aSTFs), to a Mw 4.0 aftershock of the Aquila sequence. The estimation of aSTFs was obtained using the deconvolution method proposed by Vallée et al., 2004. The inversion results show a heterogeneous slip distribution, characterized by two main slip patches located NW of the hypocenter, and a variable rupture velocity distribution (mean value of 2.5 km/s), showing a rupture front acceleration in between the two high slip zones. Errors of about 20% characterize the final estimated parameters.

During my PhD, starting from the original formulations proposed by Bertrand et al., 2000 and Emolo & Zollo 2005, I developed inversion methods and applied then at different earthquakes. In particular large efforts have been devoted to the study of the model resolution and to the estimation of the model parameter errors. To study the source kinematic characteristics of the Christchurch earthquake we performed a joint inversion of strong-motion, GPS and InSAR data using a non-linear inversion method. Considering the complexity highlighted by superficial deformation data, we adopted a fault model consisting of two partially overlapping segments, with dimensions 15x11 and 7x7 km2, having different faulting styles. This two-fault model allows to better reconstruct the complex shape of the superficial deformation data. The total seismic moment resulting from the joint inversion is 3.0x1025 dyne.cm (Mw = 6.2) with an average rupture velocity of 2.0 km/s. Errors associated with the kinematic model have been estimated of around 20-30 %. The 2009 Aquila sequence was characterized by an intense aftershocks sequence that lasted several months. In this study we applied an inversion method that assumes as data the apparent Source Time Functions (aSTFs), to a Mw 4.0 aftershock of the Aquila sequence. The estimation of aSTFs was obtained using the deconvolution method proposed by Vallée et al., 2004. The inversion results show a heterogeneous slip distribution, characterized by two main slip patches located NW of the hypocenter, and a variable rupture velocity distribution (mean value of 2.5 km/s), showing a rupture front acceleration in between the two high slip zones. Errors of about 20% characterize the final estimated parameters.

Several countries have acquired, over the past decades, large amounts of area covering Airborne Electromagnetic data. Contribution of airborne geophysics has dramatically increased for both groundwater resource mapping and management proving how those systems are appropriate for large-scale and efficient groundwater surveying. We start with processing and inversion of two AEM dataset from two different systems collected over the Spiritwood Valley Aquifer area, Manitoba, Canada respectively, the AeroTEM III (commissioned by the Geological Survey of Canada in 2010) and the “Full waveform VTEM” dataset, collected and tested over the same survey area, during the fall 2011. We demonstrate that in the presence of multiple datasets, either AEM and ground data, due processing, inversion, post-processing, data integration and data calibration is the proper approach capable of providing reliable and consistent resistivity models. Our approach can be of interest to many end users, ranging from Geological Surveys, Universities to Private Companies, which are often proprietary of large geophysical databases to be interpreted for geological and\or hydrogeological purposes. In this study we deeply investigate the role of integration of several complimentary types of geophysical data collected over the same survey area. We show that data integration can improve inversions, reduce ambiguity and deliver high resolution results. We further attempt to use the final, most reliable output resistivity models as a solid basis for building a knowledge-driven 3D geological voxel-based model. A voxel approach allows a quantitative understanding of the hydrogeological setting of the area, and it can be further used to estimate the aquifers volumes (i.e. potential amount of groundwater resources) as well as hydrogeological flow model prediction. In addition, we investigated the impact of an AEM dataset towards hydrogeological mapping and 3D hydrogeological modeling, comparing it to having only a ground based TEM dataset and\or to having only boreholes data.

Several countries have acquired, over the past decades, large amounts of area covering Airborne Electromagnetic data. Contribution of airborne geophysics has dramatically increased for both groundwater resource mapping and management proving how those systems are appropriate for large-scale and efficient groundwater surveying. We start with processing and inversion of two AEM dataset from two different systems collected over the Spiritwood Valley Aquifer area, Manitoba, Canada respectively, the AeroTEM III (commissioned by the Geological Survey of Canada in 2010) and the “Full waveform VTEM” dataset, collected and tested over the same survey area, during the fall 2011. We demonstrate that in the presence of multiple datasets, either AEM and ground data, due processing, inversion, post-processing, data integration and data calibration is the proper approach capable of providing reliable and consistent resistivity models. Our approach can be of interest to many end users, ranging from Geological Surveys, Universities to Private Companies, which are often proprietary of large geophysical databases to be interpreted for geological and\or hydrogeological purposes. In this study we deeply investigate the role of integration of several complimentary types of geophysical data collected over the same survey area. We show that data integration can improve inversions, reduce ambiguity and deliver high resolution results. We further attempt to use the final, most reliable output resistivity models as a solid basis for building a knowledge-driven 3D geological voxel-based model. A voxel approach allows a quantitative understanding of the hydrogeological setting of the area, and it can be further used to estimate the aquifers volumes (i.e. potential amount of groundwater resources) as well as hydrogeological flow model prediction. In addition, we investigated the impact of an AEM dataset towards hydrogeological mapping and 3D hydrogeological modeling, comparing it to having only a ground based TEM dataset and\or to having only boreholes data.

This thesis is a collection of works focused on the topic of Earthquake Early Warning, with a special attention to large magnitude events. The topic is addressed from different points of view and the structure of the thesis reflects the variety of the aspects which have been analyzed. The first part is dedicated to the giant, 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake. The main features of the rupture process are first discussed. The earthquake is then used as a case study to test the feasibility Early Warning methodologies for very large events. Limitations of the standard approaches for large events arise in this chapter. The difficulties are related to the real-time magnitude estimate from the first few seconds of recorded signal. An evolutionary strategy for the real-time magnitude estimate is proposed and applied to the single Tohoku-Oki earthquake. In the second part of the thesis a larger number of earthquakes is analyzed, including small, moderate and large events. Starting from the measurement of two Early Warning parameters, the behavior of small and large earthquakes in the initial portion of recorded signals is investigated. The aim is to understand whether small and large earthquakes can be distinguished from the initial stage of their rupture process. A physical model and a plausible interpretation to justify the observations are proposed. The third part of the thesis is focused on practical, real-time approaches for the rapid identification of the potentially damaged zone during a seismic event. Two different approaches for the rapid prediction of the damage area are proposed and tested. The first one is a threshold-based method which uses traditional seismic data. Then an innovative approach using continuous, GPS data is explored. Both strategies improve the prediction of large scale effects of strong earthquakes.

This thesis is a collection of works focused on the topic of Earthquake Early Warning, with a special attention to large magnitude events. The topic is addressed from different points of view and the structure of the thesis reflects the variety of the aspects which have been analyzed. The first part is dedicated to the giant, 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake. The main features of the rupture process are first discussed. The earthquake is then used as a case study to test the feasibility Early Warning methodologies for very large events. Limitations of the standard approaches for large events arise in this chapter. The difficulties are related to the real-time magnitude estimate from the first few seconds of recorded signal. An evolutionary strategy for the real-time magnitude estimate is proposed and applied to the single Tohoku-Oki earthquake. In the second part of the thesis a larger number of earthquakes is analyzed, including small, moderate and large events. Starting from the measurement of two Early Warning parameters, the behavior of small and large earthquakes in the initial portion of recorded signals is investigated. The aim is to understand whether small and large earthquakes can be distinguished from the initial stage of their rupture process. A physical model and a plausible interpretation to justify the observations are proposed. The third part of the thesis is focused on practical, real-time approaches for the rapid identification of the potentially damaged zone during a seismic event. Two different approaches for the rapid prediction of the damage area are proposed and tested. The first one is a threshold-based method which uses traditional seismic data. Then an innovative approach using continuous, GPS data is explored. Both strategies improve the prediction of large scale effects of strong earthquakes.

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Dissertacao (Mestrado)
IEA/D
Instituto de Quimica, Universidade de Sao Paulo - IQ/USP

We present a non linear technique to invert strong motion records with the aim of obtaining the final slip and rupture velocity distributions on the fault plane. In this thesis, the ground motion simulation is obtained evaluating the representation integral in the frequency. The Green’s tractions are computed using the discrete wave-number integration technique that provides the full wave-field in a 1D layered propagation medium. The representation integral is computed through a finite elements technique, based on a Delaunay’s triangulation on the fault plane. The rupture velocity is defined on a coarser regular grid and rupture times are computed by integration of the eikonal equation. For the inversion, the slip distribution is parameterized by 2D overlapping Gaussian functions, which can easily relate the spectrum of the possible solutions with the minimum resolvable wavelength, related to source-station distribution and data processing. The inverse problem is solved by a two-step procedure aimed at separating the computation of the rupture velocity from the evaluation of the slip distribution, the latter being a linear problem, when the rupture velocity is fixed. The non-linear step is solved by optimization of an L2 misfit function between synthetic and real seismograms, and solution is searched by the use of the Neighbourhood Algorithm. The conjugate gradient method is used to solve the linear step instead. The developed methodology has been applied to the M7.2, Iwate Nairiku Miyagi, Japan, earthquake. The estimated magnitude seismic moment is 2.6326 dyne∙cm that corresponds to a moment magnitude MW 6.9 while the mean the rupture velocity is 2.0 km/s. A large slip patch extends from the hypocenter to the southern shallow part of the fault plane. A second relatively large slip patch is found in the northern shallow part. Finally, we gave a quantitative estimation of errors associates with the parameters.

We present a non linear technique to invert strong motion records with the aim of obtaining the final slip and rupture velocity distributions on the fault plane. In this thesis, the ground motion simulation is obtained evaluating the representation integral in the frequency. The Green’s tractions are computed using the discrete wave-number integration technique that provides the full wave-field in a 1D layered propagation medium. The representation integral is computed through a finite elements technique, based on a Delaunay’s triangulation on the fault plane. The rupture velocity is defined on a coarser regular grid and rupture times are computed by integration of the eikonal equation. For the inversion, the slip distribution is parameterized by 2D overlapping Gaussian functions, which can easily relate the spectrum of the possible solutions with the minimum resolvable wavelength, related to source-station distribution and data processing. The inverse problem is solved by a two-step procedure aimed at separating the computation of the rupture velocity from the evaluation of the slip distribution, the latter being a linear problem, when the rupture velocity is fixed. The non-linear step is solved by optimization of an L2 misfit function between synthetic and real seismograms, and solution is searched by the use of the Neighbourhood Algorithm. The conjugate gradient method is used to solve the linear step instead. The developed methodology has been applied to the M7.2, Iwate Nairiku Miyagi, Japan, earthquake. The estimated magnitude seismic moment is 2.6326 dyne∙cm that corresponds to a moment magnitude MW 6.9 while the mean the rupture velocity is 2.0 km/s. A large slip patch extends from the hypocenter to the southern shallow part of the fault plane. A second relatively large slip patch is found in the northern shallow part. Finally, we gave a quantitative estimation of errors associates with the parameters.

We use data from about 700 GPS stations in the EuroMediterranen region to investigate the present-day behavior of the the Calabrian subduction zone within the Mediterranean-scale plates kinematics and to perform local scale studies about the strain accumulation on active structures. We focus attenction on the Messina Straits and Crati Valley faults where GPS data show extentional velocity gradients of ∼3 mm/yr and ∼2 mm/yr, respectively. We use dislocation model and a non-linear constrained optimization algorithm to invert for fault geometric parameters and slip-rates and evaluate the associated uncertainties adopting a bootstrap approach. Our analysis suggest the presence of two partially locked normal faults. To investigate the impact of elastic strain contributes from other nearby active faults onto the observed velocity gradient we use a block modeling approach. Our models show that the inferred slip-rates on the two analyzed structures are strongly impacted by the assumed locking width of the Calabrian subduction thrust. In order to frame the observed local deformation features within the present- day central Mediterranean kinematics we realyze a statistical analysis testing the indipendent motion (w.r.t. the African and Eurasias plates) of the Adriatic, Cal- abrian and Sicilian blocks. Our preferred model confirms a microplate like behaviour for all the investigated blocks. Within these kinematic boundary conditions we fur- ther investigate the Calabrian Slab interface geometry using a combined approach of block modeling and χ2ν statistic. Almost no information is obtained using only the horizontal GPS velocities that prove to be a not sufficient dataset for a multi-parametric inversion approach. Trying to stronger constrain the slab geometry we estimate the predicted vertical velocities performing suites of forward models of elastic dislocations varying the fault locking depth. Comparison with the observed field suggest a maximum resolved locking depth of 25 km.

We use data from about 700 GPS stations in the EuroMediterranen region to investigate the present-day behavior of the the Calabrian subduction zone within the Mediterranean-scale plates kinematics and to perform local scale studies about the strain accumulation on active structures. We focus attenction on the Messina Straits and Crati Valley faults where GPS data show extentional velocity gradients of ∼3 mm/yr and ∼2 mm/yr, respectively. We use dislocation model and a non-linear constrained optimization algorithm to invert for fault geometric parameters and slip-rates and evaluate the associated uncertainties adopting a bootstrap approach. Our analysis suggest the presence of two partially locked normal faults. To investigate the impact of elastic strain contributes from other nearby active faults onto the observed velocity gradient we use a block modeling approach. Our models show that the inferred slip-rates on the two analyzed structures are strongly impacted by the assumed locking width of the Calabrian subduction thrust. In order to frame the observed local deformation features within the present- day central Mediterranean kinematics we realyze a statistical analysis testing the indipendent motion (w.r.t. the African and Eurasias plates) of the Adriatic, Cal- abrian and Sicilian blocks. Our preferred model confirms a microplate like behaviour for all the investigated blocks. Within these kinematic boundary conditions we fur- ther investigate the Calabrian Slab interface geometry using a combined approach of block modeling and χ2ν statistic. Almost no information is obtained using only the horizontal GPS velocities that prove to be a not sufficient dataset for a multi-parametric inversion approach. Trying to stronger constrain the slab geometry we estimate the predicted vertical velocities performing suites of forward models of elastic dislocations varying the fault locking depth. Comparison with the observed field suggest a maximum resolved locking depth of 25 km.

The objective of the work is the evaluation of the potential capabilities of navigation satellite signals to retrieve basic atmospheric parameters. A capillary study have been performed on the assumptions more or less explicitly contained in the common processing steps of navigation signals. A probabilistic procedure has been designed for measuring vertical discretised profiles of pressure, temperature and water vapour and their associated errors. Numerical experiments on a synthetic dataset have been performed with the main objective of quantifying the information that could be gained from such approach, using entropy and relative entropy as testing parameters. A simulator of phase delay and bending of a GNSS signal travelling across the atmosphere has been developed to this aim.

The objective of the work is the evaluation of the potential capabilities of navigation satellite signals to retrieve basic atmospheric parameters. A capillary study have been performed on the assumptions more or less explicitly contained in the common processing steps of navigation signals. A probabilistic procedure has been designed for measuring vertical discretised profiles of pressure, temperature and water vapour and their associated errors. Numerical experiments on a synthetic dataset have been performed with the main objective of quantifying the information that could be gained from such approach, using entropy and relative entropy as testing parameters. A simulator of phase delay and bending of a GNSS signal travelling across the atmosphere has been developed to this aim.

The purpose of my PhD thesis has been to face the issue of retrieving a three dimensional attenuation model in volcanic areas. To this purpose, I first elaborated a robust strategy for the analysis of seismic data. This was done by performing several synthetic tests to assess the applicability of spectral ratio method to our purposes. The results of the tests allowed us to conclude that: 1) spectral ratio method gives reliable differential attenuation (dt*) measurements in smooth velocity models; 2) short signal time window has to be chosen to perform spectral analysis; 3) the frequency range over which to compute spectral ratios greatly affects dt* measurements. Furthermore, a refined approach for the application of spectral ratio method has been developed and tested. Through this procedure, the effects caused by heterogeneities of propagation medium on the seismic signals may be removed. The tested data analysis technique was applied to the real active seismic SERAPIS database. It provided a dataset of dt* measurements which was used to obtain a three dimensional attenuation model of the shallowest part of Campi Flegrei caldera. Then, a linearized, iterative, damped attenuation tomography technique has been tested and applied to the selected dataset. The tomography, with a resolution of 0.5 km in the horizontal directions and 0.25 km in the vertical direction, allowed to image important features in the off-shore part of Campi Flegrei caldera. High QP bodies are immersed in a high attenuation body (Qp=30). The latter is well correlated with low Vp and high Vp/Vs values and it is interpreted as a saturated marine and volcanic sediments layer. High Qp anomalies, instead, are interpreted as the effects either of cooled lava bodies or of a CO2 reservoir. A pseudo-circular high Qp anomaly was detected and interpreted as the buried rim of NYT caldera.

The purpose of my PhD thesis has been to face the issue of retrieving a three dimensional attenuation model in volcanic areas. To this purpose, I first elaborated a robust strategy for the analysis of seismic data. This was done by performing several synthetic tests to assess the applicability of spectral ratio method to our purposes. The results of the tests allowed us to conclude that: 1) spectral ratio method gives reliable differential attenuation (dt*) measurements in smooth velocity models; 2) short signal time window has to be chosen to perform spectral analysis; 3) the frequency range over which to compute spectral ratios greatly affects dt* measurements. Furthermore, a refined approach for the application of spectral ratio method has been developed and tested. Through this procedure, the effects caused by heterogeneities of propagation medium on the seismic signals may be removed. The tested data analysis technique was applied to the real active seismic SERAPIS database. It provided a dataset of dt* measurements which was used to obtain a three dimensional attenuation model of the shallowest part of Campi Flegrei caldera. Then, a linearized, iterative, damped attenuation tomography technique has been tested and applied to the selected dataset. The tomography, with a resolution of 0.5 km in the horizontal directions and 0.25 km in the vertical direction, allowed to image important features in the off-shore part of Campi Flegrei caldera. High QP bodies are immersed in a high attenuation body (Qp=30). The latter is well correlated with low Vp and high Vp/Vs values and it is interpreted as a saturated marine and volcanic sediments layer. High Qp anomalies, instead, are interpreted as the effects either of cooled lava bodies or of a CO2 reservoir. A pseudo-circular high Qp anomaly was detected and interpreted as the buried rim of NYT caldera.

VIRTIS, a bordo di Venus Express, è uno spettrometro in grado di operare da 0.25 a 5 µm. Nel periodo 2006-2011 ha ricavato un'enorme mole di dati ma a tutt'oggi le osservazioni al lembo sono poco utilizzate per lo studio delle nubi e delle hazes, specialmente di notte. Gli spettri al lembo a quote mesosferiche sono dominati dalla radianza proveniente dalle nubi e scatterata in direzione dello strumento dalle hazes. L'interpretazione degli spettri al lembo non può quindi prescindere dalla caratterizzazione dell'intera colonna atmosferica. L'obiettivo della tesi è di effettuare un’analisi statistica sulle osservazioni al nadir e proporre una metodologia per ricavare una caratterizzazione delle hazes combinando osservazioni al nadir e al lembo. La caratterizzazione delle nubi è avvenuta su un campione di oltre 3700 osservazioni al nadir. È stato creato un ampio dataset di spettri sintetici modificando, in un modello iniziale, vari parametri di nube quali composizione chimica, numero e dimensione delle particelle. Un processo di fit è stato applicato alle osservazioni per stabilire quale modello potesse descrivere gli spettri osservati. Si è poi effettuata una analisi statistica sui risultati del campione. Si è ricavata una concentrazione di acido solforico molto elevata nelle nubi basse, pari al 96% in massa, che si discosta dal valore generalmente utilizzato del 75%. Si sono poi integrati i risultati al nadir con uno studio mirato su poche osservazioni al lembo, selezionate in modo da intercettare nel punto di tangenza la colonna atmosferica osservata al nadir, per ricavare informazioni sulle hazes. I risultati di un modello Monte Carlo indicano che il numero e le dimensioni delle particelle previste dal modello base devono essere ridotte in maniera significativa. In particolare si osserva un abbassamento della quota massima delle hazes rispetto ad osservazioni diurne.

The Assimilation in the Unstable Subspace (AUS) was introduced by Trevisan and Uboldi in 2004, and developed by Trevisan, Uboldi and Carrassi, to minimize the analysis and forecast errors by exploiting the flow-dependent instabilities of the forecast-analysis cycle system, which may be thought of as a system forced by observations. In the AUS scheme the assimilation is obtained by confining the analysis increment in the unstable subspace of the forecast-analysis cycle system so that it will have the same structure of the dominant instabilities of the system. The unstable subspace is estimated by Breeding on the Data Assimilation System (BDAS). AUS- BDAS has already been tested in realistic models and observational configurations, including a Quasi-Geostrophicmodel and a high dimensional, primitive equation ocean model; the experiments include both fixed and“adaptive”observations. In these contexts, the AUS-BDAS approach greatly reduces the analysis error, with reasonable computational costs for data assimilation with respect, for example, to a prohibitive full Extended Kalman Filter. This is a follow-up study in which we revisit the AUS-BDAS approach in the more basic, highly nonlinear Lorenz 1963 convective model. We run observation system simulation experiments in a perfect model setting, and with two types of model error as well: random and systematic. In the different configurations examined, and in a perfect model setting, AUS once again shows better efficiency than other advanced data assimilation schemes. In the present study, we develop an iterative scheme that leads to a significant improvement of the overall assimilation performance with respect also to standard AUS. In particular, it boosts the efficiency of regime’s changes tracking, with a low computational cost. Other data assimilation schemes need estimates of ad hoc parameters, which have to be tuned for the specific model at hand. In Numerical Weather Prediction models, tuning of parameters — and in particular an estimate of the model error covariance matrix — may turn out to be quite difficult. Our proposed approach, instead, may be easier to implement in operational models.

The Assimilation in the Unstable Subspace (AUS) was introduced by Trevisan and Uboldi in 2004, and developed by Trevisan, Uboldi and Carrassi, to minimize the analysis and forecast errors by exploiting the flow-dependent instabilities of the forecast-analysis cycle system, which may be thought of as a system forced by observations. In the AUS scheme the assimilation is obtained by confining the analysis increment in the unstable subspace of the forecast-analysis cycle system so that it will have the same structure of the dominant instabilities of the system. The unstable subspace is estimated by Breeding on the Data Assimilation System (BDAS). AUS- BDAS has already been tested in realistic models and observational configurations, including a Quasi-Geostrophicmodel and a high dimensional, primitive equation ocean model; the experiments include both fixed and“adaptive”observations. In these contexts, the AUS-BDAS approach greatly reduces the analysis error, with reasonable computational costs for data assimilation with respect, for example, to a prohibitive full Extended Kalman Filter. This is a follow-up study in which we revisit the AUS-BDAS approach in the more basic, highly nonlinear Lorenz 1963 convective model. We run observation system simulation experiments in a perfect model setting, and with two types of model error as well: random and systematic. In the different configurations examined, and in a perfect model setting, AUS once again shows better efficiency than other advanced data assimilation schemes. In the present study, we develop an iterative scheme that leads to a significant improvement of the overall assimilation performance with respect also to standard AUS. In particular, it boosts the efficiency of regime’s changes tracking, with a low computational cost. Other data assimilation schemes need estimates of ad hoc parameters, which have to be tuned for the specific model at hand. In Numerical Weather Prediction models, tuning of parameters — and in particular an estimate of the model error covariance matrix — may turn out to be quite difficult. Our proposed approach, instead, may be easier to implement in operational models.

This work focuses on the role of SAR Interferometry (InSAR) in the study of many phenomena characterizing the Earth's surface. We propose an advanced integration method in order to merge the InSAR data with other geodetic data, i.e. Multiple Aperture Interferometry (MAI), Pixel Offset Tracking (POT) and Global Positioning System (GPS). We apply the method to constrain the full 3D displacement field produced by the Mw 6.1 2014 South Napa Valley earthquake and then we used the results from the integration to perform the source modeling. The first Chapter is meant to introduce the topic of the progressive use of Remote Sensing geodetic data to support the activities of monitoring and hazard mitigation related to natural phenomena. Chapter 2 shows the application of the InSAR technique to reconstruct and model surface displacement fields induced by several phenomena. In Chapter 3, the 3D coseismic displacement map due to the 2014 Mw 6.1 South Napa earthquake, close the San Andreas Fault system (California), is estimated by using a method to merge InSAR and GPS data. InSAR data are provided by the latest satellite of the European Space Agency (ESA), i.e. Sentinel-1, whereas the GPS data were obtained from the BARD network and several online archives. In Chapter 4 we propose an improved algorithm for the data integration and test it on the Napa earthquake. Geodetic data from MAI and POT are added in the processing chain and the GPS data interpolation is modified according to the specific phenomenon. Futhermore, the source modeling is performed by inversion of the obtained 3D displacement component. The best fit is obtained by simulating a fracture in the fault segment in agreement with previous works. Finally, in the last chapter we discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of the data integration and the future perspectives.

This work focuses on the role of SAR Interferometry (InSAR) in the study of many phenomena characterizing the Earth's surface. We propose an advanced integration method in order to merge the InSAR data with other geodetic data, i.e. Multiple Aperture Interferometry (MAI), Pixel Offset Tracking (POT) and Global Positioning System (GPS). We apply the method to constrain the full 3D displacement field produced by the Mw 6.1 2014 South Napa Valley earthquake and then we used the results from the integration to perform the source modeling. The first Chapter is meant to introduce the topic of the progressive use of Remote Sensing geodetic data to support the activities of monitoring and hazard mitigation related to natural phenomena. Chapter 2 shows the application of the InSAR technique to reconstruct and model surface displacement fields induced by several phenomena. In Chapter 3, the 3D coseismic displacement map due to the 2014 Mw 6.1 South Napa earthquake, close the San Andreas Fault system (California), is estimated by using a method to merge InSAR and GPS data. InSAR data are provided by the latest satellite of the European Space Agency (ESA), i.e. Sentinel-1, whereas the GPS data were obtained from the BARD network and several online archives. In Chapter 4 we propose an improved algorithm for the data integration and test it on the Napa earthquake. Geodetic data from MAI and POT are added in the processing chain and the GPS data interpolation is modified according to the specific phenomenon. Futhermore, the source modeling is performed by inversion of the obtained 3D displacement component. The best fit is obtained by simulating a fracture in the fault segment in agreement with previous works. Finally, in the last chapter we discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of the data integration and the future perspectives.

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This study aims to evaluate the impact of some factors on prices of agricultural land in three different regions: agricultural frontier (in the south of Maranhão, south of Piauí, eastern region of Tocantins and west of Bahia), transition area (relatively recent agricultural use of the land; however, it already represents a major soybean producing region, such as the Central-Western region in Brazil) and developed (more traditional agricultural areas, such as the South of Brazil). The period of the analysis is from 2002 to 2010, due to the recent availability of prices of regional lands. Several studies regarding the land market were analyzed; consequently, some factors related to the revenue obtained with land, to the technological level, to the infrastructure, to the need of credit, to the availability of land to expand crops and to one factor linked to expectations of agents. The elasticity in relation to the land price was obtained, using the econometric model of panel data. Soybean prices, which represent the revenue of land, had a positive relation with the price of this factor. Moreover, it was possible to verify that, in less occupied regions, an increase in the demand for area may bring negative impacts on its prices, because of the higher elasticity of the land supply and the possibility to convert raw lands and pastures in agricultural areas. This occurs because the land conversion shifts the supply curve to the right, which might impact negatively the land price. On the other hand, in the developed area, the relation is positive, since the land supply is almost inelastic. The factor of speculation was very important in the agricultural frontier region, differently from what was observed in other regions, which has highlighted the sharp interest of investors groups interested in the potential of the land valuation in that region in the period considered.
O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar o impacto de algumas variáveis sobre o preço da terra agrícola em três regiões distintas: fronteira agrícola (localizada no sul do Maranhão, sul do Piauí, leste do Tocantins e oeste da Bahia), área de transição (com exploração agrícola relativamente recente, mas que já representa um grande pólo produtor de soja, como o Centro-Oeste) e desenvolvida (áreas agrícolas mais tradicionais, como o Sul do País). O período de análise foi de 2002 a 2010, em virtude da recente disponibilidade de preços de terras regionais. Tendo sido analisados diversos trabalhos referentes ao mercado de terras, foram selecionadas algumas variáveis relacionadas à renda da terra, ao nível tecnológico, à infraestrutura, à necessidade de crédito de subsídio, à disponibilidade de terras para expansão do cultivo e a um fator relacionado às expectativas dos agentes. Foram obtidas as elasticidades em relação ao preço da terra utilizando-se o modelo econométrico de dados em painel. Observou-se que o preço da soja, que representa a renda da terra, teve relação estreita e positiva com o preço deste fator. Além disso, foi possível verificar que nas regiões menos ocupadas, um aumento da demanda por área pode impactar negativamente em seu preço, tendo em vista a maior elasticidade da oferta de terras e a possibilidade de conversão de terras brutas e pastagens em áreas agrícolas. Isso ocorre porque a conversão de terras possibilita um deslocamento da curva de oferta para a direita, o que pode proporcionar um impacto negativo no preço da terra. Já na região desenvolvida, a relação é positiva, já que a oferta de terras é praticamente inelástica. O fator especulativo foi bastante representativo na região de fronteira agrícola, ao contrário do observado nas demais regiões, o que evidenciou o forte interesse por grupos investidores com interesse no potencial de valorização da terra nessa região no período analisado.

The Far-Infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) mission has recently been selected by the European Satellite Agency (ESA) as 9 th Earth Explorer mission. FORUM mission aims at studying the water vapor and clouds by filling the long-standing gap in Far-Infrared (FIR) spectral observations from space. In the framework of the FORUM mission, this thesis analyses FIR measurements to characterize the spectral signatures of radiance in presence of ice clouds. At this purpose, a cloud identification and classification code (named CIC) is implemented. CIC is an innovative machine learning algorithm, based on principal component analysis, able to perform cloud detection and scene multi-class classification. CIC is easily adaptable to different datasets and type of spectral sensors. It is firstly tested against a synthetic dataset comprising simulated measurements of the FORUM mission. Subsequently, CIC is applied to airborne interferometric data and finally it is used for the analysis of measured downwelling radiances collected in very dry conditions on the Antarctic Plateau. Provided the excellent performances of the algorithm, especially in the identification of thin cirrus clouds, CIC is adopted as the classificator in the official ESA FORUM End-to-End simulator (FE2ES). The FE2ES is a complex chain of codes used to simulate the entire FORUM mission from satellite orbit and geometry to level 2 product analysis. An extensive use of CIC is performed on ground-based radiances collected in Antarctica. The dataset is exploited to test and to optimize the CIC algorithm and for the developing of punctual statistic of cloud occurrence in the Antarctic Plateau. Meteorological conditions from this region are also analysed and correlated with the presence of clouds. The studies presented in this work showed the potentiality and the importance of the exploitation of spectral radiance measurements in the FIR for cloud identification and classification.

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Tese (Doutoramento)
IPEN/T
Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP