837 research outputs found
Gravity changes due to overpressure sources in 3D heterogeneous media: application to Campi Flegrei caldera, Italy
Employing 3D finite element method, we develop an algorithm to calculate gravity changes
due to pressurized sources of any shape in elastic and inelastic heterogeneous media. We
consider different source models, such as sphere, spheroid and sill, dilating in elastic media
(homogeneous and heterogeneous) and in elasto-plastic media. The models are oriented to
reproduce the gravity changes and the surface deformation observed at Campi Flegrei caldera
(Italy), during the 1982-84 unrest episode. The source shape and the characteristics of the
medium have great influence in the calculated gravity changes, leading to very different values
for the source densities. Indeed, the gravity residual strongly depends upon the shape of the
source. Non negligible contributions also come from density and rigidity heterogeneities within
the medium. Furthermore, if the caldera is elasto-plastic, the resulting gravity changes exhibit
a pattern similar to that provided by a low effective rigidity. Even if the variation of the source volumes is quite similar for most of the models considered, the density inferred for the
source ranges from ∼ 400 kg/m3 (supercritical water) to ∼ 3300 kg/m3 (higher than trachytic
basalts), with drastically different implications for risk assessment
Gravity changes due to overpressure sources in 3D heterogeneous media: application to Campi Flegrei caldera, Italy
Employing a 3D finite element method, we develop an algorithm to calculate gravity changes due to pressurized
sources of any shape in elastic and inelastic heterogeneous media. We consider different source models, such as
sphere, spheroid and sill, dilating in elastic media (homogeneous and heterogeneous) and in elasto-plastic media.
The models are oriented to reproduce the gravity changes and the surface deformation observed at Campi
Flegrei caldera (Italy), during the 1982-1984 unrest episode. The source shape and the characteristics of the
medium have great influence on the calculated gravity changes, leading to very different values for the source
densities. Indeed, the gravity residual strongly depends upon the shape of the source. Non negligible contributions
also come from density and rigidity heterogeneities within the medium. Furthermore, if the caldera is elasto-
plastic, the resulting gravity changes exhibit a pattern similar to that provided by a low effective rigidity. Even
if the variation of the source volumes is quite similar for most of the models considered, the density inferred for
the source ranges from ∼400 kg/m3 (super critical water) to ∼3300 kg/m3 (higher than trachytic basalts), with
drastically different implications for risk assessment
Finite element inversion of DInSAR data from the Mw 6.3 L’Aquila earthquake, 2009 (Italy)
Fault slip distribution is usually retrieved from geodetic
data assuming that the local crust is an elastic, homogeneous
and isotropic half‐space. In the last decades spatially dense
geodetic data (e.g., DInSAR maps) have highlighted complex
patterns of coseismic deformation that require new modeling
tools, such as numerical methods, able to represent rheological
and geometrical complexities of the Earth’s crust. In this
work, we develop a procedure to perform inversion of geodetic
data based on the finite element method, accounting for
a more realistic description of the local crust. The method
is applied to the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (Mw 6.3), using
DInSAR images of the coseismic displacement. Results
highlight the non‐negligible influence of the medium structure:
homogeneous and heterogeneous models show discrepancies
up to 20% in the fault slip distribution values.
Furthermore, in the heterogeneous models a new area of slip
appears above the hypocenter. We also perform a resolution
study, showing that the information about fault slip distributions
retrieved from geodetic data should be considered
as averaged on surrounding patches
Numerical inversion of deformation caused by pressure sources: application to Mount Etna (Italy)
The interpretation of geodetic data in volcanic areas is usually based on analytical deformation
models. Although numerical Finite Element modeling allows realistic features such as topography
and crustal heterogeneities to be included, the technique is not computationally convenient
for solving inverse problems using classical methods. In this paper we develop a general tool to
perform inversions of geodetic data by means of 3D FE models. The forward model is a library
of numerical displacement solutions, where each entry of the library is the surface displacement
due to a single stress component applied to an element of the grid. The final solution is
a weighted combination of the six stress components applied to a single element-source. The
precomputed forward models are implemented in a global search algorithm, followed by an
appraisal of the sampled solutions. After providing extended testing, we apply the method to
model the 1993-97 inflation phase at Mt. Etna, documented by GPS and EDM measurements.
We consider four different forward libraries, computed in models characterized by homogeneous/
heterogeneous medium and flat/topographic free surface. Our results suggest that the
elastic heterogeneities of the medium can significantly alter the position of the inferred source,
while the topography has minor effect
Ellagic Acid as Green Corrosion Inhibitor: a Necessary Validation
Corrosion of metals is an unavoidable but controllable process. Among techniques developed to slow down or prevent metal deterioration the addition of small amount of inhibitors directly in the corrosive environment is a quite common strategy. In particular, among organic compounds effectively used as adsorption inhibitors (thanks to N, O and/or S atoms that act as anchoring groups for metal surface) only a few percentage belongs to the so called \u201cgreen inhibitor\u201d class. In this field most of the studies employ plant extracts being rich in phytochemical constituents considered to be potential eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors. However, the often extraordinary complexity of crude extracts makes difficult the rationalization of the inhibition mechanism. So, from a purely academic point of view, the study of pure compounds is often encouraged.
Among potential green inhibitors our attention has been focused on ellagic acid (EA) that can be obtained by hydrolysis of ellagitannin contained in peels of pomegranate. Ellagic acid is a polyphenol having four phenolic and two lactone groups that should act like two and one couples of equivalent sites, respectively, due to the C2h molecular symmetry.
Up to know the corrosion inhibition properties of EA was only marginally studied in literature, both theoretically and experimentally. However some reported results need to be validated because of discrepancies concerning some fundamental chemical physical features of the target acid, like i) solubility in pure water (9 mg/dm3 versus 1.2 g/dm3) and ii) pKa values for the two acid dissociation processes.
For this purposes, using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, a mainly-aqueous medium was selected to assure homogeneity of the EA-based solution; after that the corrosion inhibition properties of ellagic acid toward mild steel was studied by weight loss measurements (according to ASTM G1 standard practice) and by electrochemical tests. Preliminary results performed in 1% v/v MeOH/H2O mixture with HCl 0.05 M point to potentially interesting inhibition effect even working with 1.0 1910\u20135 M EA (i.e., 3 mg/dm3)
Slip distribution inversion by trans-dimensional Monte Carlo sampling: application to the 2009 L’Aquila Earthquake (Central Italy)
Non-uniform slip distribution on a fault plane from geodetic data is usually
estimated in two steps. First, the geometric fault parameters are inferred by
non -linear inversion assuming a uniform slip on a rectangular fault. A second
analysis, based on linear inversion techniques, infers the slip distribution on
an arbitrary subdivision of the fault plane into patches. Two main concerns
arise. First, the fault geometry determined under the assumption of a uniform
slip i s not guaranteed to properly represent the fault geometry for a spatially
variable slip distribution. Moreover, an arbitrary fault subdivision into patches
u nrelated to the observed data could bias the model resolution, introducing
spurious features.
In recent years, the availability of large coverage data, such as DInSAR
images, improved mapping the coseismic displacements. The large amount of
geodetic da ta from the area surrounding earthquake faults allows for improving
the slip models and refining the knowledge of earthquake dynamics. Less
attention has been given to the development of new inversion algorithms that
can resolve the main concerns above. In particular, the question is whether
the data themselves ca n constrain the slip model complexity, i.e., the unknown
number and distribution of the fault patches needed to fit the observations. The
reversible jump Mar kov chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) algorithm has been recently
introduced in the geosciences to solve a variety of non linear inverse
problems. RJMCMC combines a classical Markov chain Monte Carlo method
with the ability to shift between models with a different number of unknowns.
A posterior probability distribution of the num ber of unknowns is obtained at
the end of the Markov chain, so that the model resolution is determined by the
observed data.
In this study, we apply a RJMCMC method to the Mw 6.3 L’Aquila earthquake
that occurred on April 6th 2009 in Central Italy. Three DInSAR images,
mapping the c oseismic displacement, are inverted to constrain not only the slip
distribution but also the number of unknowns (i.e., the number of fault patches)
and the ge ometry of non-rectangular patches
Geometrical and physical properties of the 1982-84 deformation source at Campi Flegrei - Italy
Deformation of the ground surface in volcanic areas is generally recognized as a reliable indicator of unrest, possibly
resulting from the intrusion of fresh magma within the shallow rock layers. The intrusion process is usually
represented by a deformation source such as an ellipsoidal pressurized cavity, embedded within a homogeneous and
elastic half-space. Similar source models allow inferring the depth, the location and the (incremental) volume of the
intrusion, which are very important parameters for volcanic risk implications. However, assuming a homogeneous
and elastic rheology and, assigning a priori the shape and the mechanism of the source (within a very restricted
“library” of available solutions) may bias considerably the inference of source parameters. In complete generality,
any point source deformation, including overpressure sources, may be described in terms of a suitable moment
tensor, while the assumption of an overpressure source strongly restricts the variety of allowable moment tensors.
In particular, by assuming a pressurized cavity, we rule out the possibility that either shear failure may precede
magma emplacement (seismically induced intrusion) or may accompany it (mixed tensile and shear mode fracture).
Another possibility is that a pre-existent weakness plane may be chosen by the ascending magma (fracture
toughness heterogeneity). We perform joint inversion of levelling and EDM data (part of latter are unpublished),
collected during the 1982-84 unrest at Campi Flegrei caldera: a 43% misfit reduction is obtained for a general
moment source if the elastic heterogeneities computed from seismic tomography are accouted for. The inferred
source is at 5.2 km depth but cannot be interpreted as a simple pressurized cavity. Moreover, if mass conservation
is accounted for, magma emplaced within a shallow source must come from a (generally deeper) reservoir, which
is usually assumed to be deep enough to be simply neglected. At Campi Flegrei, seismic tomography indicates
that the “deep” magma source is rather shallow (at 7-8 km depth), so that its presence should be included in any
thorough attempt to source modeling. Taking into account a deflating source at 7.5 km depth (represented either as
a horizontal sill or as an isotropic cavity) and an inflating moment source, the fit of both levelling and EDM data
improves further (misfit reduction 80%), but still the best fitting moment source (at 5.5 km depth) falls outside the
range of pressurized ellipsoidal cavities. The shallow moment source may be decomposed in a tensile and a shear
dislocation. No clue is obtained that the shear and the tensile mechanisms should be located in different positions.
Our favourite interpretation is in terms of a crack opening in mixed tensile and shear mode, as would be provided
by fluid magma unwelding pre-stressed solid rock. Although this decomposition of the source is not unique, the
proposed solution is physically motivated by the minimum overpressure requirement. An important implication of
this new interpretation is that the magma emplaced in the shallow moment source during the 1982-84 unrest was
not added to already resident magma at the same position
A new interpretation of the 1982-84 unrest episode at Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy) by numerical inversion
The 1982-84 unrest episode at Campi Flegrei was characterized by huge deformation (about 1.8 m uplift) located inside the caldera and significant gravity variations correlated with the elevation changes (about -213 Gal/m). Due to the bell shape of the uplift, the source is usually interpreted to have a fixed spherical shape.
In the present study, we combine simple point source mechanisms (dipoles and double couples) to represent arbitrary sources such as sphere, ellipsoid or sill.
The models are realized by Finite Element and the medium may be characterized by elastic heterogeneities.
We study the deformation detected by leveling and EDM techniques by coupling the FE forward models with an inversion procedure.
The potential point sources are contained in a volume of 888 km located beneath Pozzuoli, the site of maximum displacement.
We calculate the displacement field at each data point for each basic mechanism and we compare the result with the observed value.
From the inversion of geodetic data we retrieve the best-fitting source parameters, without fixing the shape a priori.
The best-fitting source is located beneath Pozzuoli at about 4.8 km b.s.l. and undergoes to horizontal compression and vertical dilatation
- …