4,670 research outputs found
Metrological characterization of a vision-based system for relative pose measurements with fiducial marker mapping for spacecrafts
An improved approach for the measurement of the relative pose between a target and a chaser spacecraft is presented. The selected method is based on a single camera, which can be mounted on the chaser, and a plurality of fiducial markers, which can be mounted on the external surface of the target. The measurement procedure comprises of a closed-form solution of the Perspective from n Points (PnP) problem, a RANdom SAmple Consensus (RANSAC) procedure, a non-linear local optimization and a global Bundle Adjustment refinement of the marker map and relative poses. A metrological characterization of the measurement system is performed using an experimental set-up that can impose rotations combined with a linear translation and can measure them. The rotation and position measurement errors are calculated with reference instrumentations and their uncertainties are evaluated by the Monte Carlo method. The experimental laboratory tests highlight the significant improvements provided by the Bundle Adjustment refinement. Moreover, a set of possible influencing physical parameters are defined and their correlations with the rotation and position errors and uncertainties are analyzed. Using both numerical quantitative correlation coefficients and qualitative graphical representations, the most significant parameters for the final measurement errors and uncertainties are determined. The obtained results give clear indications and advice for the design of future measurement systems and for the selection of the marker positioning on a satellite surface
Soil CO2 emissions at Furnas volcano (São Miguel Island, Azores archipelago) - volcano monitoring perspectives, geomorphologic studies and land-use planning application
Carbon dioxide (CO2) diffuse degassing structures (DDS) at Furnas Volcano (São
Miguel Island, Azores) are mostly associated with the main fumarolic fields, evidence
that CO2 soil degassing is the surface expression of rising steam from the hydrothermal
system. Locations with anomalous CO2 flux are mainly controlled by tectonic structures
oriented WNW-ESE and NW-SE and by the geomorphology of the volcano, as
evidenced by several DDS located in depressed areas associated with crater margins.
Hydrothermal soil CO2 emissions in Furnas volcano are estimated to be ~ 968 t d-1.
Discrimination between biogenic and hydrothermal CO2 was determined using a
1
statistical approach and the carbon isotope composition of the CO2 efflux. Different
sampling densities were used to evaluate uncertainty in the estimation of the total CO2
flux, and showed that a low density of points may not be adequate to quantify soil
emanations from a relatively small DDS. Thermal energy release associated to diffuse
degassing at Furnas caldera is about 118 MW (from an area of ~ 4.8 km2) based on the
H2O/CO2 ratio in fumarolic gas. The DDS affect also Furnas and Ribeira Quente
villages, which are located inside the caldera and in the south flank of the volcano,
respectively. At these sites, 58% and 98% of the houses are built over hydrothermal
CO2 emanations, and the populations are at risk due to potential high concentrations of
CO2 accumulating inside the dwellings.
Keywords: Soil diffuse degassing; soil CO2 flux; emission rates; Azores archipelago
Temperature and pressure gas geoindicators at the Solfatara fumaroles (Campi Flegrei)
Long time series of fluid pressure and temperature within a hydrothermal
system feeding the Solfatara fumaroles are investigated here, on the basis
of the chemical equilibria within the CO2-H2O-H2-CO gas system. The
Pisciarelli fumarole external to Solfatara crater shows an annual cycle of
CO contents that indicates the occurrence of shallow secondary processes
that mask the deep signals. In contrast, the Bocca Grande and Bocca Nova
fumaroles located inside Solfatara crater do not show evidence of
secondary processes, and their compositional variations are linked to the
temperature–pressure changes within the hydrothermal system. The
agreement between geochemical signals and the ground movements of the
area (bradyseismic phenomena) suggests a direct relationship between the
pressurization process and the ground uplift. Since 2007, the gas
geoindicators have indicated pressurization of the system, which is most
probably caused by the arrival of deep gases with high CO2 contents in
the shallow parts of the hydrothermal system. This pressurization process
causes critical conditions in the hydrothermal system, as highlighted by
the increase in the fumarole temperature, the opening of new vents, and
the localized seismic activity. If the pressurization process continues with
time, it is not possible to rule out the occurrence of phreatic explosions
Thermal monitoring of hydrothermal activity by permanent infrared automatic stations: Results obtained at Solfatara di Pozzuoli, Campi Flegrei (Italy)
A permanent automatic infrared (IR) station was installed at Solfatara crater, the most active zone of Campi Flegrei caldera. After a positive in situ calibration of the IR camera, we analyze 2175 thermal IR images of the same scene from 2004 to 2007. The scene includes a portion of the steam heated hot soils of Solfatara. The experiment was initiated to detect and quantify temperature changes of the shallow thermal structure of a quiescent volcano such as Solfatara over long periods. Ambient temperature results as the main parameter affecting IR temperatures while air humidity and rain control image quality. A geometric correction of the images was necessary to remove the effects of slow movement of the camera. After a suitable correction the images give a reliable and detailed picture of the temperature changes, over the period October 2004 – January 2007, which suggests origin of the changes were linked to anthropogenic activity, vegetation growth and to the increase of the flux of hydrothermal fluids in the area of the hottest fumaroles. Two positive temperature anomalies were registered after the occurrence of two seismic swarms which affected the hydrothermal system of Solfatara in October 2005 and October 2006. It is worth noting that these signs were detected in a system characterized by a low level of activity with respect to systems affected by real volcanic crisis where more spectacular results will be expected. Results of the experiment show that this kind of monitoring system can be a suitable tool for volcanic surveillance
Improving monitoring techniques by exploiting TerraSAR-X data: an application to Campi Flegrei (Naples, Italy)
Geodetic monitoring of the Neapolitan Volcanic District, including the Campi Flegrei caldera on the west of the
city of Naples (Italy), is carried out via an integration between ground based networks and space-borne DInSAR
techniques, exploiting the SAR sensors onboard ERS1-2 and ENVISAT satellites. This allowed, for instance, to
follow the time evolution of the small uplift events which took place in 2000 and 2005-2006. Unfortunately, the
use of the ENVISAT C-band could result sometimes in no information when dealing with very low deformation
rates, as in the 2005-2006 case, when only continuous ground stations were able to detect the very beginning of
the uplift event.
To overcome this problem, from December 2009 we decided to use an high resolution SAR sensor operating in
the X band, i.e. TerraSAR-X from DLR.
TerraSAR-X High Resolution Spotlight scenes covering the main part of the Campi Flegrei caldera and centred on
the Solfatara crater were used for a DInSAR analysis, using the GENESIS DLR’s software. The first two scenes
(Dec. 15 and 26) were acquired with a temporal baseline of only one repetition cycle (11 days) and formed an
interferogram with a very small perpendicular baseline (16.5 m).
Apart from some minor atmospheric effects, the interferogram shows a small but clear deformation signal in the
Pisciarelli area, close to the east side of the Solfatara crater. The ellipse shaped uplift area extends approximately
30 meters in E-W and 20 meters in N-S directions and the maximum deformation is up to 10 mm in the centre of
the uplifted area.
The availability of a new scene (06/01/2010) allowed three possible combinations.
The deformation event highlighted by this analysis is consistent with geochemical observations carried out in
Pisciarelli by INGV-OV.
Pisciarelli area is seat of a fumarolic field systematically monitored in the frame of the volcanic surveillance of
the Campi Flegrei caldera. Two field surveys highlighted that, during the period of SAR images acquisition, a
new and strong fumarolic vent appeared in the centre of the uplifted area. In fact the vent, firstly observed on
Dec. 21, was absent on Dec. 16. The two independent observations, field surveys and SAR data, suggest that the
opening of the fumarolic vent was preceded by the pressurization of a small part of the fumarolic field highlighted
by the documented uplift. The correlation between the dynamics of the fumarolic field and the deformation
signal is confirmed by the fact that in the 26/12/2009-06/01/2010 interferogram the deformation signal is no more
detectable.
Finally, this case proves the high potentiality of TerraSAR-X High Resolution Spotlight data in monitoring
volcanic activity with a resolution suitable for detecting also minor, but possibly dangerous, changes of the
systems, as it could be in the early recognition of the signals generated by impending phreatic eruptions.
TerraSAR-X High Resolution Spotlight acquisitions will continue every cycle and PS-InSAR and SBAS algorithms
will be applied to carefully monitor any further changes in the activity of the Campi Flegrei volcanic system
Long Time Series Of Fumarolic Compositions At Volcanoes: The Key To Understand The Activity Of Quiescent Volcanoes
Long time series of fumarolic chemical and isotopic
compositions at Campi Flegrei, Vulcano, Panarea,
Nisyros and Mammoth volcanoes highlight the occurrence
of mixing processes among magmatic and hydrothermal
fluids. At Campi Flegrei temperatures of
about 360°C of the hydrothermal system are inferred by
chemical and isotopic geoindicators. These high temperatures
are representative of a deep zone where magmatic
gases mix with hydrothermal liquids forming the gas plume feeding the fumaroles. Similar mixing processes
between magmatic fluids and a hydrothermal
component of marine origin have been recognized at
Vulcano high temperature fumaroles. In both the system
a typical ‘andesitic’ water type composition and high
CO2 contents characterizes the magmatic component.
Our hypothesis is that pulsing injections of these CO2-
rich magmatic fluids at the bottom of the hydrothermal
systems trigger the bradyseismic crises, periodically
affecting Campi Flegrei, and the periodical volcanic
unrest periods of Vulcano. At Campi Flegrei a strong
increase of the fraction of the magmatic component
marked the bradyseismic crisis (seismicity and ground
uplift) of 1982-84 and four minor episodes occurred in
1989, 1994 and 2000 and 2006. Increases of the magmatic
component in the fumaroles of Vulcano were recorded
in 1979-1981, 1985, 1988, 1996, 2004 and 2005
concurrently with anomalous seismic activity. Physicalnumerical
simulations of the injection of hot, CO2 rich
fluids at the base of a hydrothermal system, asses the
physical feasibility the process. Ground deformations,
gravitational anomalies and seismic crisis can be well
explained by the complex fluid dynamic processes
caused by magma degassing episodes. Sporadic data
on the fumaroles of other volcanoes, for example Panarea,
Nisyros (Greece), Mammoth (California), suggest
that magma degassing episodes frequently occur in
dormant volcanoes causing volcanic unrest processes
not necessarily linked to magma movement but rather
to pulsating degassing processes from deep pressurized,
possibly stationary, magma bodies
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