Proposal for a ‘sanctuary area’ dedicated to the protection of Brachytrupes megacephalus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) in the Nature Reserve of Vendicari (Sicily, Italy)

There are numerous initiatives in the world that concern ‘sanctuaries’ or protected areas aimed for the conservation of vertebrate species. However, almost nothing exists for the conservation of insects. The project here proposed concerns Brachytrupes megacephalus, the largest gryllid in Europe and a species of ‘community interest’ as part of the EU Habitat Directive. It is uniquely adapted to sandy dunal habitats which are increasingly subjected to transformations and habitat degradation due to anthropogenic factors. The project is proposed for the Vendicari Reserve of the Sicilian Region where the species is present in well-defined areas.peer-reviewe

comparison of online and offline methods for measuring fine secondary inorganic ions and carbonaceous aerosols in the central mediterranean area

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Chemical Composition of Fine and Coarse Aerosol Particles in the Central Mediterranean Area during Dust and Non-Dust Conditions

A two-month field campaign was carried out from May to June 2010 at a remote site (Trisaia ENEA Research Centre) in the Southern Italy aiming to identify and quantify the changes of aerosol chemical composition in the presence of Saharan dust. The 24-hr PM_(10) and PM_(2.5) filter samples were analyzed by mass, carbonaceous species, inorganic ions and elemental composition. Saharan dust transport events were identified with two approaches: one recommended by EC (2011) and one based on indicators derived from measurements. Three indicators were used: PM_(2.5)/PM_(10) mass concentrations ratio, Ca/Al ratio and Al concentration. Based on these criteria, four Saharan dust transport events were identified, but only one had elevated dust concentration and leaded to an exceedance of the European short-term (24 hour) limit value of 50 μg/m^3 for PM_(10) (June 16^(th)). The comparison of chemical composition of fine and coarse aerosol fractions during dust and non-dust conditions shows that the presence of dust increases NH_4 and nssSO_4 concentrations in the fine fraction and NO_3 and nssSO_4 concentrations in the coarse fraction. OC and EC concentrations also increase in the fine fraction during dust transport. The uptake of primary and secondary species, inorganic and organic, by dust particles changes their composition and, thus, their properties and this may have implications for human health and climate change

source apportionment and macro tracer integration of independent methods for quantification of woody biomass burning contribution to pm10

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First Results of the “Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs (CARE)” Experiment: Beyond Current Standards for PM10

In February 2017 the “Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs (CARE)” experiment was carried out in downtown Rome to address the following specific questions: what is the color, size, composition, and toxicity of the carbonaceous aerosol in the Mediterranean urban background area of Rome? The motivation of this experiment is the lack of understanding of what aerosol types are responsible for the severe risks to human health posed by particulate matter (PM) pollution, and how carbonaceous aerosols influence radiative balance. Physicochemical properties of the carbonaceous aerosol were characterised, and relevant toxicological variables assessed. The aerosol characterisation includes: (i) measurements with high time resolution (min to 1–2 h) at a fixed location of black carbon (eBC), elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), particle number size distribution (0.008–10 μ m), major non refractory PM1 components, elemental composition, wavelength-dependent optical properties, and atmospheric turbulence; (ii) 24-h measurements of PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentration, water soluble OC and brown carbon (BrC), and levoglucosan; (iii) mobile measurements of eBC and size distribution around the study area, with computational fluid dynamics modeling; (iv) characterisation of road dust emissions and their EC and OC content. The toxicological assessment includes: (i) preliminary evaluation of the potential impact of ultrafine particles on lung epithelia cells (cultured at the air liquid interface and directly exposed to particles); (ii) assessment of the oxidative stress induced by carbonaceous aerosols; (iii) assessment of particle size dependent number doses deposited in different regions of the human body; (iv) PAHs biomonitoring (from the participants into the mobile measurements). The first experimental results of the CARE experiment are presented in this paper. The objective here is to provide baseline levels of carbonaceous aerosols for Rome, and to address future research directions. First, we found that BC and EC mass concentration in Rome are larger than those measured in similar urban areas across Europe (the urban background mass concentration of eBC in Rome in winter being on average 2.6 ± 2.5 μ g · m − 3 , mean eBC at the peak level hour being 5.2 (95% CI = 5.0–5.5) μ g · m − 3 ). Then, we discussed significant variations of carbonaceous aerosol properties occurring with time scales of minutes, and questioned on the data averaging period used in current air quality standard for PM 10 (24-h). Third, we showed that the oxidative potential induced by aerosol depends on particle size and composition, the effects of toxicity being higher with lower mass concentrations and smaller particle size. Albeit this is a preliminary analysis, findings reinforce the need for an urgent update of existing air quality standards for PM 10 and PM 2.5 with regard to particle composition and size distribution, and data averaging period. Our results reinforce existing concerns about the toxicity of carbonaceous aerosols, support the existing evidence indicating that particle size distribution and composition may play a role in the generation of this toxicity, and remark the need to consider a shorter averaging period (<1 h) in these new standards

A chemical survey of exoplanets with ARIEL

Thousands of exoplanets have now been discovered with a huge range of masses, sizes and orbits: from rocky Earth-like planets to large gas giants grazing the surface of their host star. However, the essential nature of these exoplanets remains largely mysterious: there is no known, discernible pattern linking the presence, size, or orbital parameters of a planet to the nature of its parent star. We have little idea whether the chemistry of a planet is linked to its formation environment, or whether the type of host star drives the physics and chemistry of the planet’s birth, and evolution. ARIEL was conceived to observe a large number (~1000) of transiting planets for statistical understanding, including gas giants, Neptunes, super-Earths and Earth-size planets around a range of host star types using transit spectroscopy in the 1.25–7.8 μm spectral range and multiple narrow-band photometry in the optical. ARIEL will focus on warm and hot planets to take advantage of their well-mixed atmospheres which should show minimal condensation and sequestration of high-Z materials compared to their colder Solar System siblings. Said warm and hot atmospheres are expected to be more representative of the planetary bulk composition. Observations of these warm/hot exoplanets, and in particular of their elemental composition (especially C, O, N, S, Si), will allow the understanding of the early stages of planetary and atmospheric formation during the nebular phase and the following few million years. ARIEL will thus provide a representative picture of the chemical nature of the exoplanets and relate this directly to the type and chemical environment of the host star. ARIEL is designed as a dedicated survey mission for combined-light spectroscopy, capable of observing a large and well-defined planet sample within its 4-year mission lifetime. Transit, eclipse and phase-curve spectroscopy methods, whereby the signal from the star and planet are differentiated using knowledge of the planetary ephemerides, allow us to measure atmospheric signals from the planet at levels of 10–100 part per million (ppm) relative to the star and, given the bright nature of targets, also allows more sophisticated techniques, such as eclipse mapping, to give a deeper insight into the nature of the atmosphere. These types of observations require a stable payload and satellite platform with broad, instantaneous wavelength coverage to detect many molecular species, probe the thermal structure, identify clouds and monitor the stellar activity. The wavelength range proposed covers all the expected major atmospheric gases from e.g. H2O, CO2, CH4 NH3, HCN, H2S through to the more exotic metallic compounds, such as TiO, VO, and condensed species. Simulations of ARIEL performance in conducting exoplanet surveys have been performed – using conservative estimates of mission performance and a full model of all significant noise sources in the measurement – using a list of potential ARIEL targets that incorporates the latest available exoplanet statistics. The conclusion at the end of the Phase A study, is that ARIEL – in line with the stated mission objectives – will be able to observe about 1000 exoplanets depending on the details of the adopted survey strategy, thus confirming the feasibility of the main science objectives.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

On the presence of Brachytrupes megacephalus Lefebvre 1827 (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) in the Natural Reserve "Simeto Oasis" (Sicily, Italy)

The authors present the first results of a survey on the presence of Brachytrupes megacephalus (Orthoptera species described by Alexandre Lefebvre in 1827 from specimens found in Sicily) in the Natural Reserve (NR) "Simeto Oasis". The NR is located along the Sicilian Ionian sandy coast just south of the city of Catania, at the mouth of the most important in river Sicily, Simeto. Brachytrupes megacephalus is a south Mediterranean species living in the sandy environments of Sicily, Aeolian Islands, Maltese islands, south Sardinia, North Africa. Due to its rarity in Europe, the species was included in Annexes II and IV of the European Directive 92/43 as one that requires special protection. This cricket is vegetarian, hygrophilous, yellowish in color, normally crepuscular and nocturnal. It is a burrowing animal living in tunnels that the individuals dig by the expulsion of the excavated sand by means of a very spectacular behavioural pattern involving its forelegs and the large head; this activity produces typical small irregular sandy cones on the ground surface, which reveals the presence of the animals (Conti et al. 2012). By detecting these formations, and also the entrances of the tunnels, it is possible to map the presence of B. megacephalus (Petralia et al. 2015). The species was present in the NR and was well represented in all the areas in which the soil has not been altered by the diverse human activities. The very intensive anthropization of the NR (e.g. houses, roads, cultivations, trampling, pollution, artificial changes of the vegetation) has subtracted vital space for the species; however, up to now the specie has survived even under difficult conditions and has been able to re-colonize the areas where the anthropic disturbance had ceased. The purpose of this research is to provide the management authority of the NR with useful information for the planning of appropriate safeguard measures aimed at limiting the anthropic pressure as well as measures aimed at protecting and restoring the habitat of the species, a fundamental condition for its survival

X-Ray Flare Oscillations Track Plasma Sloshing along Star-disk Magnetic Tubes in the Orion Star-forming Region

Pulsing X-ray emission tracks the plasma "echo" traveling in an extremely long magnetic tube that flares in an Orion pre-main sequence (PMS) star. On the Sun, flares last from minutes to a few hours and the longest-lasting ones typically involve arcades of closed magnetic tubes. Long-lasting X-ray flares are observed in PMS stars. Large-amplitude (∼20%), long-period (∼3 hr) pulsations are detected in the light curve of day-long flares observed by the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer on-board Chandra from PMS stars in the Orion cluster. Detailed hydrodynamic modeling of two flares observed on V772 Ori and OW Ori shows that these pulsations may track the sloshing of plasma along a single long magnetic tube, triggered by a sufficiently short (∼1 hr) heat pulse. These magnetic tubes are ≥20 solar radii long, enough to connect the star with the surrounding disk