Possible Micrometeorological Anomalies Induced by Volcanic Activity Recorded at Stromboli Island (Aeolian Archipelago, Italy)

Hourly values of atmospheric pressure and air temperature have been acquired at the top of two volcanic islands, Stromboli and Salina in the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy), very similar in height and morphology but completely different with regard to their volcanic activity state: the former is permanently active, whereas the latter is extinguished. During the last four years Stromboli experienced normal activity, volcanic unrests, and an effusive eruption (August–November 2014).The comparative analysis of the recorded data, both in the time and frequency domains, evidenced a peculiar micrometeorological regime at Stromboli, more turbulent during unrests with respect to the quieter periods, but showing an apparent paradox during eruptions, characterized by a lower atmospheric turbulence. These observations suggest that the studied volcanic-micrometeorological system is chaotic, due to contemporary opposite transients generated in the atmosphere by volcanic activity changes, and that micrometeorological conditions in volcanic areas are controlled both by exogenous processes and volcanic activity

Total CO2 output from Vulcano island (Aeolian Islands, Italy)

Total CO2 output from fumaroles, soil gas, bubbling gas discharges and water dissolved gases discharged from the island, was estimated for Vulcano island, Italy. The CO2 emission from fumaroles from the La Fossa summit crater was estimated from the SO2 crater output, while CO2 discharged through diffuse soil emission was quantified on the basis of 730 measurements of CO2 fluxes from the soil of the island, performed by using the accumulation chamber method. The results indicate an overall output of ≅500 t day 1 of CO2 from the island. The main contribution to the total CO2 output comes from the summit area of the La Fossa cone (453 t day 1), with 362 t day 1 from crater fumaroles and 91 t day 1 from crater soil degassing. The release of CO2 from peripheral areas is ≅20 t day 1 by soil degassing (Palizzi and Istmo areas mainly), an amount comparable to both the contribution of water dissolved CO2 (6 t day 1), as well as to seawater bubbling CO2 (4 t day 1 measured in the Istmo area). Presented data (September 2007) refer to a period of moderate solphataric activity, when the fumaroles temperature were 450°C and gas/water molar ratio of fumaroles was up to 0.16. The calculated total CO2 emission allows the estimation of the mass release and related thermal energy from the volcanic-hydrothermal system

Decoupling of ground level pressures observed in Italian volcanoes: are they driven by space weather geo-effectiveness?

Investigations on correlation drops between near-ground atmospheric pressures measured at sea level and at higher altitudes on Italian volcanoes have been carried out. We looked for perturbations of the atmospheric pressure field driven by volcanic activity, but not excluding possible external triggers for the observed anomalies. Decorrelations between atmospheric pressures measured at Stromboli Island in stations located at different altitudes (years 2002-10) have been analysed and compared with data from other volcanic (Vesuvius) and non volcanic (Mt. Soro) orographic structures. We investigated as their possible triggers volcanic, meteorological and space weather parameters, with particular attention to Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), Kp index and Forbush decreases. Pressure decorrelations seems to be driven by astronomic cycles, with maxima in summer and minima in winter. A further contribution was found, seemingly assignable to TSI anomalies, with correlation minima occurring 12 hours after these but only during phases of high Sun activity. Moreover, during the same phases a main periodicity of about 27 days in pressure decorrelations was revealed by FFT analysis. This period is the same of the Sun Carrington rotation, expressing the periodic reappearance of sunspot groups on Sun’s surface. The strong similarity between recurrences of sunspot number and atmospheric pressure anomalies further supports the role of the former as a possible trigger for the latter

CO2 output discharged from Stromboli Island (Italy)

Total CO2 output from soil gas and plume, discharged from the Stromboli Island, was estimated. The CO2 emission of the plume emitted from the active crater was estimated on the basis of the SO2 crater output and C/S ratio, while CO2 discharged through diffuse soil emission was quantified on the basis of 419 measurements of CO2 fluxes from the soil of the whole island, performed by using the accumulation chamber method. The results indicate an overall output of ≅416 t day−1 of CO2 from the island. The main contribution to the total CO2 output comes from the summit area (396 t day−1), with 370 t/day from the active crater and 26 t day−1 from the Pizzo sopra La Fossa soil degassing area. The release of CO2 from peripheral areas is ≅20 t day−1 by soil degassing (Scari area mainly). The result of the soil degassing survey confirms the persistence of the highest CO2 degassing areas located on the North-East crater side and Scari area

Geochemistry of REE, Zr and Hf in a wide range of pH and water composition: The Nevado del Ruiz volcano-hydrothermal system (Colombia)

The geochemical behaviour of Rare Earth Elements, Zr and Hf was investigated in the thermal waters of Nevado del Ruiz volcano system. A wide range of pH, between 1.0 and 8.8, characterizes these fluids. The acidicwaters are sulphate dominatedwith different Cl/SO4 ratios. The important role of the pH and the ionic complexes for the distribution of REE, Zr and Hf in the aqueous phase was evidenced. The pH rules the precipitation of authigenic Fe and Al oxyhydroxides producing changes in REE, Zr, Hf amounts and strong anomalies of Cerium. The precipitation of alunite and jarosite removes LREE from the solution, changing the REE distribution in acidic waters. Y-Ho and Zr-Hf (twin pairs) have a different behaviour in strong acidic waterswith respect to the water with pH near-neutral. Yttrium and Ho behave as Zr and Hf in waters with pH near neutral-to-neutral, showing superchondritic ratios. The twin pairs showed to be sensitive to the co-precipitation and/or adsorption onto the surface of authigenic particulate (Fe-, Al-oxyhydroxides), suggesting an enhanced scavenging of Ho and Hf with respect to Y and Zr, leading to superchondritic values. In acidic waters, a different behaviour of twin pairs occurs with chondritic Y/Ho ratios and sub-chondritic Zr/Hf ratios. For the first time, Zr and Hf were investigated in natural acidic fluids to understand the behaviour of these elements in extreme acidic conditions and different major anion chemistry. Zr/Hf molar ratio changes from 4.75 to 49.29 in water with pH < 3.6. In strong acidic waters the fractionation of Zr and Hf was recognized as function of major anion contents (Cl and SO4), suggesting the formation of complexes leading to sub-chondritic Zr/Hf molar ratios

Empowering Executive Functions in 5- and 6-Year-Old Typically Developing Children Through Educational Robotics: An RCT Study

Educational Robotics (ER) is a new learning approach that is known mainly for its effects on scientific academic subjects such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Recent studies indicate that ER can also affect cognitive development by improving critical reasoning and planning skills. This study aimed to quantify the ability of ER to empower Executive Functions (EF), including the ability to control, update, and program information, in 5- and 6-year-old children attending first grade, a crucial evolutionary window for the development of such abilities. A total of 187 typically developing children were enrolled and randomly allocated into two experimental conditions: A, for immediate ER training, and B, for waitlist. ER-Laboratories (ER-Lab) for small groups were organized at schools, using a child-friendly, bee-shaped robot called Bee-Bot® (Campus Store). Activities were intensive, enjoyable, and progressively more challenging over the 20 twice-weekly sessions. Outcome measures, based on standardized tests, were used to quantify the effects of ER on EF. Compared to the control group, the ER-Lab group showed significantly better ability to actively manipulate information in short-term memory and suppress automatic responses in favor of goal-appropriate actions. This RCT study provides the first quantitative evidence of the positive effects of ER activities for improving working memory and inhibition in the early school years

Volcanoes: effusions and explosions. Interactive exhibits to understand how volcanoes work

The Educational & Outreach Group (EOG) of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica & Vulcanologia created a portable museum to provide educational opportunities in volcanology, volcanic risk and Earth science for students and visitors. The EOG developed this project for the "Festival della Scienza", organized in Genoa, Italy, in October - November, 2007, which was a parade of over 200 events, including scientific and technological exhibitions, workshops, meetings, lectures, books and video presentations. In this museum visitors can successively see many posters and movies and play with interactive exhibits. A little 3D-movie shows the Big Bang, the formation of Solar System and, in particular the formation of the Earth. Many interactive exhibits illustrate why, where and when earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur around the world and allow to introduce the visitor to the plate tectonics theory. A 3D magnetic plate tectonic puzzle can be put down and reconstructed by visitors to understand the Earth’s surface configuration. Then two other 3D Earth models show what drives the plates and the inner Earth structure. An interactive program illustrates where and when earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in accelerated time on maps of various areas around the world. Playing with a block diagram it is possible to produce an earthquake along a 1 meter long strike slip fault in a destroying all the man-made constructions close to it. A little movie introduces to volcanoes’ world. Two small interactive exhibits allow visitors to understand the mechanism for the explosive and the effusive eruptions. Two other exciting interactive exhibits allow visitors to “create” two different eruptions: the explosive and the effusive ones. It is possible to get inside a volcano (a 2 meter high interactive exhibit) to attend an eruption from the magmatic chamber to the Earth surface. A big hall is completed dedicated to Italian volcanoes (Vesuvio, Campi Flegrei, Etna, Stromboli, Vulcano, Colli Albani); some of them are reproduced with 3D models or described by short movies. The museum finishes with the visit of the volcanic survey hall of Stromboli, seeing - in real time - seismic data, three different webcams, geochemical and strain data. The INGV Museum had remarkably successful, reaching more than 7,500 children and adults yet in 13 days, also thanks to 30 volcanologists as very special guides. The Educational & Outreach Group: M. Pignone, A. Tertulliani, M. De Lucia, M. Di Vito, P. Landi, P. Madonia, M. Martini, R. Nave, M. Neri, P. Scarlato, J. Taddeucci, R. Moschillo, S. Tarquini, G. Vilardo, A. Bonforte, L. Calderone, F. Cannavò, W. De Cesare, P. Ficeli, S. Inguaggiato, M. Mattia, G. Puglisi, S. Morici, D. Reitano, D. Richichi, G. Scarpato, B. Angioni, F. Di Laura, S. Palone, D. Riposat

Investigation of tumor hypoxia using a two-enzyme system for in vitro generation of oxygen deficiency

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oxygen deficiency in tumor tissue is associated with a malign phenotype, characterized by high invasiveness, increased metastatic potential and poor prognosis. Hypoxia chambers are the established standard model for <it>in vitro </it>studies on tumor hypoxia. An enzymatic hypoxia system (GOX/CAT) based on the use of glucose oxidase (GOX) and catalase (CAT) that allows induction of stable hypoxia for <it>in vitro </it>approaches more rapidly and with less operating expense has been introduced recently. Aim of this work is to compare the enzymatic system with the established technique of hypoxia chamber in respect of gene expression, glucose metabolism and radioresistance, prior to its application for <it>in vitro </it>investigation of oxygen deficiency.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma HNO97 cells were incubated under normoxic and hypoxic conditions using both hypoxia chamber and the enzymatic model. Gene expression was investigated using Agilent microarray chips and real time PCR analysis. ¹⁴C-fluoro-deoxy-glucose uptake experiments were performed in order to evaluate cellular metabolism. Cell proliferation after photon irradiation was investigated for evaluation of radioresistance under normoxia and hypoxia using both a hypoxia chamber and the enzymatic system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The microarray analysis revealed a similar trend in the expression of known HIF-1 target genes between the two hypoxia systems for HNO97 cells. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated different kinetic patterns in the expression of carbonic anhydrase IX and lysyl oxidase, which might be due to the faster induction of hypoxia by the enzymatic system. ¹⁴C-fluoro-deoxy-glucose uptake assays showed a higher glucose metabolism under hypoxic conditions, especially for the enzymatic system. Proliferation experiments after photon irradiation revealed increased survival rates for the enzymatic model compared to hypoxia chamber and normoxia, indicating enhanced resistance to irradiation. While the GOX/CAT system allows independent investigation of hypoxia and oxidative stress, care must be taken to prevent acidification during longer incubation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of our study indicate that the enzymatic model can find application for <it>in vitro </it>investigation of tumor hypoxia, despite limitations that need to be considered in the experimental design.</p

Zr, Hf and REE distribution in river water under different ionic strength conditions

International audienceThe Platani River flowing in south-central Sicily, interacting with evaporite rocks, generates a wide range of ionic strength in the water catchment from 0.1 to 5.0 mol kg−1. We sampled 38 river sites and analysed the composition for the dissolved fraction filtered through 0.45 μm, the truly dissolved fraction obtained through ultrafiltration (10 kDa) and the relative included colloidal fraction.This study was focused on the recognition of Zr, Hf and REE behaviour under changing ionic strength conditions, since this is one of parameters responsible for colloid stability in natural waters. In turn, this phenomenon leads to REE release from the colloidal fraction and their scavenging onto surfaces of suspended particles or sediment, or their complexation with dissolved ligands.Our results indicated that in both dissolved and ultra-filtrated fractions REE increases either in the middle (Sm – Dy) or in the heavier (Ho – Lu) part of the PAAS-normalised distribution, while the Zr/Hf ratio value ranges from sub-chondritic to super-chondritic.Scanning Electron Microscopic and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometric (SEM-EDS) analyses and dissolved Mg, Al and Fe concentrations suggested that the studied colloids consist of aggregations of Al-oxyhydroxides, carbonate nanoparticles and clays where organic traces were not found. The studied colloids showed greater affinity with dissolved Zr than Hf determining Zr/Hf values larger than the chondritic values. The largest Zr/Hf values were found in colloidal fractions from waters with ionic strength larger than 0.6 mol kg−1. These Zr/Hf values up to 280 (w/w) are provided by the faster removal of Hf relative to Zr from coagulating colloids and its preferential scavenging onto authigenic Fe-oxyhydroxides in bottom sediment. Further studies are needed to clarify is this suggested process can represent a suitable starting point for the Zr-Hf decoupling observed in seawater