Conservation state of two paintings in the Santa Margherita cliff cave: role of the environment and of the microbial community

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The conservation of ancient paintings sited in humid environments is an actual challenge for restorers, because it needs the knowledge of the...     

Biomonitoring of urinary metals in athletes according to particulate matter air pollution before and after exercise

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Exposure to air pollution during physical exercise is a health issue because fine particulate matter (dimension < 10 μm; PM10) includes...     

CHAOTIC FORECASTING OF DISCHARGE TIME SERIES: A CASE STUDY1

ABSTRACT: This paper considers the problem of forecasting the discharge time series of a river by means of a chaotic approach. To this aim, we first check for some evidence of chaotic behavior in the dynamic by considering a set of different procedures, namely, the phase portrait of the attractor, the correlation dimension, and the largest Lyapunov exponent. Their joint application seems to confirm the presence of a nonlinear deterministic dynamic of chaotic type. Second, we consider the so‐called nearest neighbors predictor and we compare it with a classical linear model. By comparing these two predictors, it seems that nonlinear river flow modeling, and in particular chaotic modeling, is an effective method to improve predictions.     

Numerical modelling of uncongested wood transport in the Rienz river

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - The Eulerian–Lagrangian model ORSA2D_WT is employed for the simulation of uncongested wood transport, with reference to a field experiment that studied the...     

Investigating the role of smartness for sustainability: insights from the Smart Grid domain

Over the past decades, information and communication technologies (ICT) established themselves as the key force towards more effective and efficient usage of resources in our society, namely via better use of available information, automation, stakeholder involvement, and decision support. By analyzing recent advancements in knowledge offered by ICT, it is possible to identify their strong correlation with the principles, aims, and interests of sustainability science, which can be highly inspired by ICT-intensive domains. In this paper, we study the theoretical background on system thinking as an interpretative lens able to support better understanding of dimensions and dynamics involved in the domain of sustainability, and examine the role of ICT in advancing sustainability goals. Then, we analyze the domain of the Smart Grid as a prominent example of complex technological contribution in face of the challenges of sustainability, and present the insights from this domain, which are turned into sustainability guidelines for other domains, linking smartness, and sustainability in the light of systems thinking and Smart Grid experience. In summary, the core recommendation of this work is the employment of information technology to widen the scope of the sustainability “game” by sliding activities in time and space, and in engaging more “players” in the game, which is now made possible thanks to the advancement in ICT.     

The combination of oxalic acid with power ultrasound fully degrades chrysotile asbestos fibres

The simultaneous action of power ultrasound and oxalic acid, as a chelating agent, rapidly converts chrysotile asbestos into water soluble material and a non-asbestos debris, not classifiable as hazardous under worldwide safety regulations.     

Radioactive Isotopes of Strontium, Caesium and Plutonium in Sediments of the Northern Adriatic Sea

Sediment samples of different strata (0-3 and 12-15 cm) were collected between 1990 and 1992 during seasonal cruises in the Northern Adriatic Sea. A complete mapping of the Sr-90, Cs-137, Pu-238 and Pu-239(240) concentrations was obtained for samples covering a wide area, stretching from the Gulf of Trieste towards the Ancona shoreline. Sr-90 concentrations varied between 1.5 and 6.5 Bq kg^-1 dw, Cs-137 was in the range 0.9-38.9 Bq kg^-1 dw, Pu-239(240) in the range 0.08-1.5 Bq kg^-1 dw and Pu-238 around 0.03 Bq kg^-1 dw. Special reference was also put on the comparison between the off-shore environment and data obtained from samples collected inside the Po river delta. in spite of the major accumulation of Cs-137 inside the estuarine environment, higher concentrations of strontium and plutonium isotopes were detected in the offshore environment.     

STATISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RANDOMNESS OF ANNUAL MAXIMUM DAILY RAINFALL1

ABSTRACT: Annual maximum daily rainfall data from nine stations throughout the southern slopes of the Eastern Italian Alps with record length of 67–68 years have been analyzed with the aim of verifying if their internal structure justifies the assumption of independence and identical distribution, or the “White noise hypothesis.” The approach is to consider the hypothesis H₀ of white noise as the intersection of several sub-hypotheses, each concerning one of the characteristics of a white noise process. To this end the nine series were subjected to various statistical tests regarding randomness, independence, change-points, and predictability. The results are examined first individually and then globally. They indicate that in eight of the nine considered time series the “white noise hypothesis” was rejected.     

基于Sentinel-5P的粤港澳大湾区NO2污染物时空变化分析

基于最新的TROPOMI反演的对流层NO₂垂直柱浓度数据,利用Google Earth Engine平台分析了粤港澳大湾区近2a对流层NO₂垂直柱浓度的分布及变化特征.结果表明, TROPOMI传感器反演的对流层NO₂垂直柱浓度与地表NO₂浓度监测值具有较好的相关性,反演产品能够反映地面真实的NO₂污染状况;粤港澳大湾区NO₂柱浓度分布呈现出较为显著的圈层结构,高NO₂柱浓度区域面积约为4468km²,占大湾区总面积的8%,低NO₂柱浓度地区的面积约为25331km²,占比超过了45%;大湾区上空的对流层NO₂垂直柱浓度存在明显的“冬高夏低,春秋过度”的季节性差异和周期性波动特征;影响因子回归模型结果表明人类活动强度(DNB,夜间灯光)、植被状况(NDVI,植被指数)和地形因子(DEM,数字高程)与地区对流层NO₂垂直柱浓度的分布有明显的相关性.本研究成果可为政府和决策者制定相关政策和措施提供借鉴.     

Optimal design of predenitrification systems.

A coupled model of biological and settling phases aimed at optimal design of predenitrification systems is presented. Each unknown is obtained in explicit form, and is expressed as a function of the system's required performance. A model, taking into account both suspended and dissolved substrates, is adopted for the biological phase, while the limiting solid flux theory is assumed for the design of the settling phase. Finally, a relationship correlating the two phases is obtained expressing opportunely the sludge recycle flow and the sludge waste flow, without recourse to empirical parameters. The effect of different influent and effluent wastewater characteristics on the model's results is also analyzed.