Evaluation of Groundwater Resources in Minor Plio-Pleistocene Arenaceous Aquifers in Central Italy

The hilly landscape of the Periadric area in Central Italy is characterized by mainly marly–clayey foredeep basin deposits (Plio–Pleistocene age). These lithotypes are generally considered aquicludes, if compared with the regional limestone aquifers of Apennines. However, a coarsening upward trend characterizes the upper portion of this stratigraphic sequence, with arenaceous deposits and even conglomerates on the top. From a geomorphological viewpoint, the areas with coarser outcrops show a flat shape and sub-vertical slopes, like boundaries. At the base of these scarps, springs can be found at the interface between coarse and fine deposits, whereas these arenaceous bodies are actual aquifers. Until now, the hydrodynamics and hydrochemical features of this kind of aquifer have not been investigated deeply, because they have always been considered a worthy water resource. However, they could play a crucial role in integrated water management, especially to cope with climate changes and drought periods. Considering these, the main purpose of this study was to investigate from a hydrogeological point of view and to assess the groundwater quantity and quality. Five examples throughout the Abruzzo region were considered. For evaluation and comparisons between water resources, the water volume that infiltrates yearly at each squared kilometer of an aquifer (Mm3/y/km2) was applied. This value was calculated through three different approaches to provide a recharge estimation for this kind of aquifer that is as exhaustive and representative as possible. The results allowed us to characterize the hydrogeological model and to quantify the resources between 0.1 and 0.16 Mm3/y/km2, to be suitable for multi–purpose utilization.

Download Full-text

Regional hydrogeology for groundwater resource management policies. The Latium volcanic domain (central Italy)

Acque Sotterranee-Italian Journal of Groundwater ◽

10.7343/as-050-13-0077 ◽

2013 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Roberto Mazza ◽

Lucia Mastrorillo

Keyword(s):

Water Supply ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Environmental Remediation ◽

Groundwater Resources ◽

Central Italy ◽

Hydrogeological Model ◽

Groundwater Levels ◽

Regional Hydrogeology ◽

Conceptual Hydrogeological Model ◽

Set Up

Growing urban areas in the Latium volcanic domain has resulted in the increase of water demand. The uncontrolled increase in water withdrawals cause an inexorable reduction of springs discharges and progressive drawdown of groundwater levels. This emergency needs an urgent rationalization of groundwater management thorough understanding of qualitative and quantitative features of the aquifers. The main aim of this paper is to emphasize the importance of the method of study and the results obtained by researchers belonging to the Laboratory of Quantitative Hydrogeology (University of Roma Tre) to support the use and protection of groundwater resources. Therefore, we propose a summary of methods applied in previous hydrogeology studies that have contributed to legislation on groundwater resources management in the volcanic aquifers. The study area corresponds to the Latium volcanic domain and covers approximately 6500 km2. About 3000 stratigraphic data and about 2600 water points have been collected in order to set up a conceptual hydrogeological model. The conceptual model has been validated by the resolution of the hydrological budget. Detailed evaluation of the water supply is essential for the correct setting of the hydrological budget, in fact it represents the main output of the budget. These analysis highlight the condition of the resource. Critical areas have been identified for reshaping of water supply in order to increase environmental remediation and economic development.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Shallow Groundwater Quantity in Harbin by Numerical Modeling

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.255-260.2745 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 255-260 ◽

pp. 2745-2750

Author(s):

Chang Lei Dai ◽

Zhi Jun Li ◽

Shao Min Du ◽

Chun He Liu

Keyword(s):

Numerical Modeling ◽

Groundwater Modeling ◽

Groundwater Resources ◽

Shallow Groundwater ◽

System Structure ◽

Shallow Aquifer ◽

Hydrogeological Model ◽

Aquifer System ◽

Structure Boundary ◽

Groundwater Quantity

In order to complete the geological survey of Harbin, it is necessary to understand the regime and law of groundwater in Harbin with the method of groundwater numerical modeling which requires the evaluation of groundwater resources quantity as a basic and critical step. Based on the analysis of hydrogeological conditions of the shallow aquifer in Harbin which includes the characteristics of aquifer system structure, boundary conditions, groundwater regime and recharge and discharge, a conceptual hydrogeological model has been built up with GMS (Groundwater Modeling System). With the numerical simulation model transferred by the conceptual model, the total amounts of renewable groundwater resources under different precipitation frequencies have been calculated. The result not only illustrates that the shallow aquifer in Harbin has certain potential in development and utilization but also provides some reference for managing a highly precise groundwater quantity evaluation by groundwater numerical modeling techniques.

Download Full-text

Exceedance of design actions in epicentral areas: insights from the ShakeMap envelopes for the 2016–2017 central Italy sequence

Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering ◽

10.1007/s10518-021-01192-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Iunio Iervolino ◽

Pasquale Cito ◽

Chiara Felicetta ◽

Giovanni Lanzano ◽

Antonio Vitale

Keyword(s):

Earthquake Engineering ◽

Structural Damage ◽

Structural Engineering ◽

Central Italy ◽

Civil Defense ◽

Point Of View ◽

Seismic Sequence ◽

Ground Shaking ◽

Motion Effect ◽

Observed Damage

AbstractShakeMap is the tool to evaluate the ground motion effect of earthquakes in vast areas. It is useful to delimit the zones where the shaking is expected to have been most significant, for civil defense rapid response. From the earthquake engineering point of view, it can be used to infer the seismic actions on the built environment to calibrate vulnerability models or to define the reconstruction policies based on observed damage vs shaking. In the case of long-lasting seismic sequences, it can be useful to develop ShakeMap envelopes, that is, maps of the largest ground intensity among those from the ShakeMap of (selected) events of a seismic sequence, to delimit areas where the effects of the whole sequence have been of structural engineering relevance. This study introduces ShakeMap envelopes and discusses them for the central Italy 2016–2017 seismic sequence. The specific goals of the study are: (i) to compare the envelopes and the ShakeMap of the main events of the sequence to make the case for sequence-based maps; (ii) to quantify the exceedance of design seismic actions based on the envelopes; (iii) to make envelopes available for further studies and the reconstruction planning; (iv) to gather insights on the (repeated) exceedance of design seismic actions at some sites. Results, which include considerations of uncertainty in ShakeMap, show that the sequence caused exceedance of design hazard in thousands of square kilometers. The most relevant effects of the sequence are, as expected, due to the mainshock, yet seismic actions larger than those enforced by the code for structural design are found also around the epicenters of the smaller magnitude events. At some locations, the succession of ground-shaking that has excited structures, provides insights on structural damage accumulation that has likely taken place; something that is not accounted for explicitly in modern seismic design. The envelopes developed are available as supplemental material.

Download Full-text

Groundwater Resources and Human Impacts in a Quaternary Intramontane Basin (L'Aquila Plain, Central Italy)

Water International ◽

10.1080/02508060308691665 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 57-69 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Marco Petitta ◽

Marco Tallini

Keyword(s):

Human Impacts ◽

Groundwater Resources ◽

Central Italy

Download Full-text

Geosystemics and Earthquakes

10.5194/se-2017-120 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Angelo De Santis ◽

Gianfranco Cianchini ◽

Rita Di Giovambattista ◽

Cristoforo Abbattista ◽

Lucilla Alfonsi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dynamical System ◽

Solid Earth ◽

Case Studies ◽

Central Italy ◽

Point Of View ◽

Earth System ◽

Complex Dynamical System ◽

The Earth ◽

Earth’S Interior

Abstract. Geosystemics (De Santis 2009, 2014) studies the Earth system as a whole focusing on the possible coupling among the Earth layers (the so called geo-layers), and using universal tools to integrate different methods that can be applied to multi-parameter data, often taken on different platforms. Its main objective is to understand the particular phenomenon of interest from a holistic point of view. In this paper we will deal with earthquakes, considered as a long term chain of processes involving, not only the interaction between different components of the Earth’s interior, but also the coupling of the solid earth with the above neutral and ionized atmosphere, and finally culminating with the main rupture along the fault of concern (De Santis et al., 2015a). Some case studies (particular emphasis is given to recent central Italy earthquakes) will be discussed in the frame of the geosystemic approach for better understanding the physics of the underlying complex dynamical system.

Download Full-text

PHOTOGRAMMETRY AS A PARTICIPATORY RECOVERY TOOL AFTER DISASTERS: A GROUNDED FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE GUIDELINES

ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences ◽

10.5194/isprs-archives-xlii-2-w15-921-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol XLII-2/W15 ◽

pp. 921-928

Author(s):

C. Pezzica ◽

A. Piemonte ◽

C. Bleil de Souza ◽

V. Cutini

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Central Italy ◽

Semantic Content ◽

Ethnographic Study ◽

Point Of View ◽

Humanitarian Response ◽

Central Italy Earthquake ◽

Depth Analysis ◽

Crowdsourced Data ◽

Fit For Purpose

Abstract. This paper identifies the application domain, context of use, processes and goals of low-cost street-level photogrammetry after urban disasters. The proposal seeks a synergy between top-down and bottom-up initiatives carried out by different actors during the humanitarian response phase in data scarce contexts. By focusing on the self-organisation capacities of local people, this paper suggests using collaborative photogrammetry to empower communities hit by disasters and foster their active participation in recovery and reconstruction planning. It shows that this task may prove technically challenging depending on the specifics of the collected imagery and develops a grounded framework to produce user-centred image acquisition guidelines and fit-for-purpose photogrammetric reconstruction workflows, useful in future post-disaster scenarios. To this end, it presents an in-depth analysis of a collaborative photographic mapping initiative undergone by a group of citizen-scientists after the 2016 Central Italy earthquake, followed by the explorative processing of some sample datasets. Specifically, the paper firstly presents a visual ethnographic study of the photographic material uploaded by participants from September 2016 to November 2018 in the two Italian municipalities of Arquata del Tronto and Norcia. Secondly, it illustrates from a technical point of view issues concerning the processing of crowdsourced data (e.g. image filtering, selection, quality, semantic content and 3D model scaling) and discusses the viability of using it to enrich the pool of geo-information available to stakeholders and decision-makers. Final considerations are discussed as part of a grounded framework for future guidelines tailored to multiple goals and data processing scenarios.

Download Full-text

Hydrogeological setting of a Rome city sector: shallow groundwater in the right side of Tiber River inside the G.R.A highway

Acque Sotterranee-Italian Journal of Groundwater ◽

10.7343/as-2019-424 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Adele Clausi ◽

Roberto Mazza ◽

Francesco La Vigna ◽

Isidoro Bonfà

Keyword(s):

Groundwater Resources ◽

Shallow Groundwater ◽

Hydrogeological Model ◽

Detailed Model ◽

Groundwater Flow Systems ◽

Hydrogeological Study ◽

Tiber River ◽

Hydrogeological Map ◽

The Right ◽

First Time

This paper presents a detailed hydrogeological study of a Rome city sector, in the right side of Tiber River, inside the G.R.A. highway. A hydrogeological model of this city sector has been developed through geologic-stratigraphical analysis also of data provided by the Environmental Protection Department of Roma Capitale (Municipality of Rome) and the observation of historical topographic and thematic maps. This model is more detailed than the most recent Hydrogeological Map of Rome (1:50.000 scale), published in 2015, and allowed identifying the shallowest groundwater flow systems for the first time. This detailed model can be a very useful tool for agencies and administrations managing the protection of groundwater resources.

Download Full-text

μXRF Mapping as a Powerful Technique for Investigating Metal Objects from the Archaeological Site of Ferento (Central Italy)

Journal of Imaging ◽

10.3390/jimaging6070059 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (7) ◽

pp. 59

Author(s):

Giuseppe Capobianco ◽

Adriana Sferragatta ◽

Luca Lanteri ◽

Giorgia Agresti ◽

Giuseppe Bonifazi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Elements ◽

Central Italy ◽

Principal Component ◽

Archaeological Site ◽

Point Of View ◽

Multivariate Curve Resolution ◽

Polycapillary Optics ◽

X Ray ◽

Minor Elements ◽

Major Chemical

This research concerns the application of micro X-ray fluorescence (µXRF) mapping to the investigation of a group of selected metal objects from the archaeological site of Ferento, a Roman and then medieval town in Central Italy. Specifically, attention was focused on two test pits, named IV and V, in which metal objects were found, mainly pertaining to the medieval period and never investigated before the present work from a compositional point of view. The potentiality of µXRF mapping was tested through a Bruker Tornado M4 equipped with an Rh tube, operating at 50 kV, 500 μA, and spot 25 μm obtained with polycapillary optics. Principal component analysis (PCA) and multivariate curve resolution (MCR) were used for processing the X-ray fluorescence spectra. The results showed that the investigated items are characterized by different compositions in terms of chemical elements. Three little wheels are made of lead, while the fibulae are made of copper-based alloys with varying amounts of tin, zinc, and lead. Only one ring is iron-based, and the other objects, namely a spatula and an applique, are also made of copper-based alloys, but with different relative amounts of the main elements. In two objects, traces of gold were found, suggesting the precious character of these pieces. MCR analysis was demonstrated to be particularly useful to confirm the presence of trace elements, such as gold, as it could differentiate the signals related to minor elements from those due to major chemical elements.

Download Full-text

[Second additions to the vascular flora of the Umbria region (central Italy)]

Natural History Sciences ◽

10.4081/nhs.2016.273 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 21

Author(s):

Francesco Falcinelli ◽

Fabio Conti ◽

Domizia Donnini

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Point Of View ◽

Vascular Flora ◽

Umbria Region

In this work 13 new floristic records for Umbria region (central Italy) are reported. The survey was carried out from 2009 to 2015. Some species are of particular interest from a phytogeographical or conservational point of view.

Download Full-text

Additions to the vascular flora of the Umbria region (central Italy).

Natural History Sciences ◽

10.4081/nhs.2015.213 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 25 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Francesco Falcinelli ◽

Fabio Conti ◽

Domizia Donnini

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Point Of View ◽

Vascular Flora ◽

Umbria Region

In this work 21 new floristic records for Umbria region (central Italy) are reported. Particularly 19 are new and 2 are confirmed for the Umbria region. The survey was carried out from 2010 to 2014 some species are of particular interest from a phytogeographical or conservational point of view, as they are very rare in central Italy. In questo contributo vengono riportate note floristiche per 21 entità rilevate in Umbria (Italia Centrale). In particolare, 19 sono risultate essere nuove e 2 sono confermate per l’Umbria. La ricerca, condotta mediante erborizzazioni effettuate nel periodo 2010-2014, ha consentito il ritrovamento di alcune specie di particolare interesse fitogeografico o rare nell’Italia centrale.

Download Full-text