Imaging spectroscopy in the visible near infrared of the Aristarchus region on the Moon

In this article we present a study the Aristarchus region on the Moon by means of imaging spectroscopy data. We report the albedo, the UVVIS continuum and 0.9 - 1 mum absorption band maps, showing the complex pattern of Aristarchus crater ejecta and the distribution of surrounding materials. The extension of the dark mantling deposits present on the Aristarchus plateau is well shown from the data, appearing very red and with a uniform distribution of the 0.9 - 1 mum band. By using principal component analysis and clustering techniques the authors have identified seven different spectral regions. The plateau is composed of two distinct spectral units, while Aristarchus and its ejecta blanket show a complex distribution of both feldspatic and basaltic materials

ON THE RELIABILITY OF CURRENT MW-IR TECHNIQUES IN QUANTITATIVE PRECIPITATION MEASUREMENTS OVER MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

New satellite missions are near operational or in advanced planning stage: some of them are specifically devoted to the remote sensing of precipitation at space and time scales suitable for near-real-time applications. In this paper we address the capability of different sensors and sensors' combination in estimating precipitation in mediterranean area. Three events are analized in view of near-future sensors' availability (EGPM, GPM, MSG), to simulate the impact of these data on the real-time rain estimation. In particular we will focus our attention on combining the microwave signals coming from the visible/infrared with microwave rain estimates to evaluate the potentiality of new sensors on current algorithm. We analysed three cases occurred in Italy in the last years where reliable rainfall reference were available, discussing the critical impact of complex orography on the estimates

Low biocide emission antifouling based on a novel route of barnacle intoxication

Marine biofouling can be defined as the colonization of man-made surfaces in seawater by microscopic and macroscopic organisms. This phenomenon can result in great loss of function and effectiveness both for cruising ships and for static constructions. Of special concern are the negative effects of hard fouler such as barnacles, which cause increased drag resistance resulting in increases in fuel consumption, and disruption of the corrosion protective layer of marine vessels and constructions. Present biocide-based antifouling strategies are based on a continuous exposure of biocides at the film/water interface and consequently release into the environment if the antifouling efficacy is to be maintained. Such biocide-based solutions can therefore not be regarded as sustainable. The aim of this thesis is to describe the possibility to design biocide antifouling coatings based on a new strategy. Instead of releasing the bioactive molecule to the bulk water the biocide will be “entrapped” in the paint matrix and only after stimuli by organism interaction with the paint surface intoxication will take place. It was shown (Paper I) that using an experimental formulation, containing ivermectin, both in static panels and on boats, long lasting protection against barnacles was obtained. Moreover, using two model surfaces (Paper II), it was possible to separate and study the different contributions to the antifouling efficacy, finding that the low leaching of ivermectin had no contribution at all while surface’s modulus of the coating was the key factor. This supports the validity of the contact active antifouling hypothesis, rather than emission based. In (Paper III) we could follow the fate of barnacle growing on ivermectin containing coatings, and both field and laboratory tests could demonstrate that the intoxication of barnacles start when the juvenile organism reach ca. 0.6-0.7mm in diameter. Electronic microscopy images on the panels after the test, demonstrate that on control paint (no biocide) the juvenile barnacles (0.6-0.7mm diameter) already leaves imprint or penetration marks on the rosin based coatings. The distribution of ivermectin in the dry film seemed to be related with enhancement of barnacles contact intoxication. This was studied by fluorescence microscopy in (Paper I) and by the use ToF-SIMS in (Paper IV). This particular analytic method gives the possibility to follow organic biocides in paint film without the need of labelling or modify the biocide molecule in any extent. The entrapped antifouling strategy opens up the possibility to achieve long term antifouling (>10 years) as there is no need to use erosive binders. Moreover, this system might also find it uses in marine constructions and other fields where maintenance is difficult

On the capabilities of VIS/IR satellite data to resolve orographic precipitation

Satellite-based rainfall estimation techniques over complex orography usually show unsatisfactory results at any frequency, also averaging over large basin and/or integrating over many hours intervals. At shorter wavelengths (visible-infrared) cloud top radiances are not sensitive to lower cloud layers forcing, resulting in a rainfall underestimation. On the other side, passive microwave algorithms are sensitive to the variability of the ground emissivity over complex terrain so that they cannot work using the emission signal of lower precipitating layers; in such a way it becomes difficult to take properly into account the orographic forcing as well. To overcome these difficulties, ancillary parameters are derived from satellite data (e.g. cloud motion winds) or independent datasets (e.g. digital elevation model) and the sensitivity of measured and estimated rainfall to orographic forcing is evaluated. The use of cloud resolving models outputs are used to test independently the sensitivity of the rainfall fields to the considered parameters and to drive their use inside the rainfall estimation techniques. The application to heavy-rainfall flood-causing rainfall event in the Mediterranean area is discussed and performances evaluated