Is this settlement intersected by a ditch? A comparison between magnetic prospection data, ALS data, and archaeological and geological excavation results from the Early Bronze Age fortified hilltop settlement of Ratzersdorf, Lower Austria

In this case study we present preliminary results from a joint analysis of magnetometry data, remote sensing data, and excavation results generated in the course of research on the Early Bronze Age fortified hilltop settlement of Ratzersdorf/Am Dachsgraben in Lower Austria. In an effort to evaluate the interpretive potential of each data set we conclude that a combined analysis of all available data is essential for a comprehensive understanding of anthropogenic and natural features and formation processes. At the Ratzersdorf site specifically, the visibility of both anthropogenic and geological structures in the magnetometry data demonstrates the importance of the combination of complementary data for the verification or falsification of preliminary interpretive ideas

A swamp as an obstacle to approach – archaeological and geoelectrical investigations on the Early Bronze Age fortification of Ratzersdorf, Lower Austria

Interdisciplinary cooperation between geoelectrics and archaeology made it possible to identify a swamp as an integral part of a defense concept for the first time in Austria at the Early Bronze Age hilltop settlement of Ratzersdorf, Lower Austria. The marsh and a spring were included as natural topographic structures in the defense conception of the fortification

Aeromagnetic anomaly images of Vulcano and Southern Lipari Islands (Aeolian Archipelago, Italy)

Newly acquired high-resolution, low-altitude aeromagnetic data over Vulcano Island and Southwestern Lipari in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea resolve the major volcanic features in the area associated with the past and present activity. The magnetic character changes in amplitude and frequency from south-east to north-west. The Primordial Vulcano, the Lentia Complex, the Piano Caldera units, the Fossa Caldera deposits, and the currently active La Fossa cone and Vulcanello represent the main volcanic phases on Vulcano Island. They show a distinct magnetic anomaly pattern, whereas prior to this survey, no magnetic signatures of these features were found

The new integrated aeromagnetic map of the Phlegrean Fields volcano and surrounding areas

In this paper we present and analyze the new detailed aeromagnetic data set resulting from a recent survey car- ried out in the Phlegrean Fields volcanic area. The survey was aimed at gaining new insight into the vol- canological characteristics of the region north of Phlegrean Fields (Parete-Villa Literno area) where remarkable thickness of volcanic/sub-volcanic rocks were found in wells. Measurement of total magnetic field was per- formed on two different flight levels, 70 m and 400 m above the ground surface, along flight lines spaced 400 m apart. Both aeromagnetic maps show the noisy effect of linear anomalies evidently due to the presence of rail- way lines. To filter out these local anomalies a method based on discrete wavelet transform was used, allowing an accurate local filtering and leaving the rest of the field practically unchanged. The filtered data set was inte- grated with the existing Agip aeromagnetic map of the Phlegrean Fields, leading to a new aeromagnetic map of the whole Phlegrean volcanic area. The compilation of the pole reduced map and of the maps of the Analytic Signal and of the Horizontal Derivative of the integrated data set represents a first step for the interpretation of the maps in terms of geological structures of the whole Phlegrean volcanic district

Aeromagnetic survey of the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic area

In this paper we present and discuss the results of a geophysical airborne survey carried out in the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic area, Southern Italy, in 1999. The helicopter-borne survey was aimed at giving new detailed insights into the distribution of the magnetization of the area and, therefore, into the volcanological characteristics of the region, enhancing the knowledge given by a previous low resolution survey carried out at a regional scale by Agip. The new survey was carried out by flying on a surface parallel to the topography of the area, along flight lines spaced 600 m apart. The obtained total field map is dominated by a large anomaly related to the Mt. Somma-Vesuvius complex itself and characterized by a roughly elliptical shape. High-frequency anomalies occur in the edifice and in the area east of it, partly produced by cultural noise due to the densely inhabited area. The compilation of the maps of the analytic signal and of the horizontal derivative of the field allowed the location of the lateral boundaries of the magnetic sources of the area and represents a first step toward the interpretation of the maps in terms of geological structures

An international effort towards developing standards for best practices in analysis, interpretation and reporting of clinical genome sequencing results in the CLARITY Challenge

There is tremendous potential for genome sequencing to improve clinical diagnosis and care once it becomes routinely accessible, but this will require formalizing research methods into clinical best practices in the areas of sequence data generation, analysis, interpretation and reporting. The CLARITY Challenge was designed to spur convergence in methods for diagnosing genetic disease starting from clinical case history and genome sequencing data. DNA samples were obtained from three families with heritable genetic disorders and genomic sequence data were donated by sequencing platform vendors. The challenge was to analyze and interpret these data with the goals of identifying disease-causing variants and reporting the findings in a clinically useful format. Participating contestant groups were solicited broadly, and an independent panel of judges evaluated their performance. RESULTS: A total of 30 international groups were engaged. The entries reveal a general convergence of practices on most elements of the analysis and interpretation process. However, even given this commonality of approach, only two groups identified the consensus candidate variants in all disease cases, demonstrating a need for consistent fine-tuning of the generally accepted methods. There was greater diversity of the final clinical report content and in the patient consenting process, demonstrating that these areas require additional exploration and standardization. CONCLUSIONS: The CLARITY Challenge provides a comprehensive assessment of current practices for using genome sequencing to diagnose and report genetic diseases. There is remarkable convergence in bioinformatic techniques, but medical interpretation and reporting are areas that require further development by many groups

Geoelektrisches Monitoring - Hangrutschung Laakirchen (OÖ)

The geoelectrical monitoring dataset was acquired on a landslide in Laakirchen, located in the judicial district of Gmunden (Upper Austria). During March 2010, a shallow rotational landslide was triggered by snow melting and intense rainfall, in the vicinity of a renovated house. The particular area is known for its high potential for landslides. From a geological point of view the location is dominated by the so called "Buntmergel" and younger age fluvial sediments. The Laakirchen landslide was monitored by geophysical/geotechnical systems from September 2011 to June 2013. In less than two years, a cumulative displacement of about 70 mm has been recorded at a depth of 3.5 m below ground level by an automatic inclinometer. The orientation of the geoelectrical monitoring profile was parallel to the gradient of the slope, including 61 electrodes, placed at intervals of 1 m. The power supply for the measuring instruments was provided by the connection to the local power grid. Therefore, the number of daily measurements was not limited to electrical power saving reasons. The main purpose of the collection of continuous geoelectrical data was to investigate the correlation between the temporal change of electrical resistivity and the acceleration of the landslide body, which was directly influenced by increased water saturation of the subsurface. Therefore, the recorded temporal changes of electrical resistivity are mainly based on the changes of water saturation and soil temperature. The monitoring period lasts for almost two years (09/2011 to 06/2013) and a complete geoelectrical dataset was collected every 4 hours, consisting of 1765 data points. The data collection was achieved with the Geomon4D system, which was developed by the Department of Geophysics of the Geological Survey of Austria. The provided series of geoelectrical datasets represents raw data, where a very simple preliminary filtering is performed, to eliminate data points that are erroneous due to technical limitations of the monitoring system. This is applied to all data points exceeding the voltage range of -9.95 to +9.95 V or with injection current below 0.5 mA (forward or reverse). Therefore, a comprehensive data analysis, processing and inversion are possible with the published datasets.Der geoelektrische Monitoringdatensatz wurde auf einer Hangrutschung in Laakirchen im Bezirk Gmunden (Oberösterreich) aufgenommen. Im März 2010 wurde knapp unterhalb eines sanierten Hauses eine oberflächennahe Rotationsrutschung durch heftige Regenfälle kombiniert mit der Schneeschmelze ausgelöst. Das Gebiet ist grundsätzlich für das hohe Hangrutschungspotenzial bekannt. Aus geologischer Sicht wird der Standort von den sogenannten „Buntmergeln“ und jüngeren fluviatilen Sedimenten dominiert. Die Hangrutschung in Laakirchen wurde von September 2011 bis Juni 2013 mittels geophysikalischer/geotechnischer Monitoringsysteme beobachtet. Im entsprechenden Zeitraum wurde mit dem automatischen Inklinometer eine kumulative Verschiebung von etwa 70 mm in einer Tiefe von 3,5 m unter der Geländeoberkante aufgezeichnet. Die Ausrichtung des geoelektrischen Monitoringsprofils war parallel zur Hangneigung bzw. Bewegungsrichtung. Das Profil umfasste 61 Elektroden, die mit einem konstanten Abstand von 1 m positioniert wurden. Die Stromversorgung des geoelektrischen Monitoringsystems erfolgte durch den Anschluss an das lokale Stromnetz. Durch die uneingeschränkte Energieversorgung konnten 6 Tiefensektionen pro Tag gemessen werden. Der Hauptzweck der Akquirierung kontinuierlicher geoelektrischer Messdaten bestand darin, die Korrelation zwischen der Änderung des elektrischen Widerstandes (zeitlich) und der Beschleunigung des Hangrutschungskörpers, die direkt durch die Wassersättigung des Untergrundes beeinflusst war, zu untersuchen. Daher stehen die aufgezeichneten Änderungen des elektrischen Widerstandes (zeitlich) in direkten Bezug zu den Änderungen der Wassersättigung des Untergrundes und der Bodentemperatur. Der Monitoringzeitraum umfasste fast zwei Jahre (09/2011 bis 06/2013). In diesem Zeitraum wurde im zeitlichen Abstand von vier Stunden ein vollständiger geoelektrischer Datensatz mit 1765 Datenpunkten erfasst. Die Datenerfassung erfolgte mit dem Geomon4D-System, das von der Fachabteilung Geophysik der Geologischen Bundesanstalt entwickelt wurde. Die hier veröffentlichten geoelektrischen Datensätze stellen Rohdaten dar, bei denen ausschließlich aus messtechnischer Sicht fehlerhafte Datenpunkte entfernt wurden (Stromeinspeisung kleiner als 0,5 mA und Spannungen größer als ±9,95 V). Daher ist mit den veröffentlichten Datensätzen weiterhin eine umfassende Datenanalyse, -verarbeitung und -inversion möglich.The published dataset consists of more than 2900 individual geoelectric depth sections that were acquired over a period of almost two years. Each individual depth section can be inverted into a 2D model of the electrical resistivity of the subsurface. The temporal change of these models represents the essential information content of this dataset. The geoelectrical monitoring was carried out with the measuring system (Geomon4D) developed by the Department of Geophysics of the Geological Survey of Austria, which is specially designed for monitoring application. The measuring point distribution (in total 1765 measuring points per depth section) corresponds to the so-called multiple-gradient array. The geoelectric monitoring profile consists of 61 stainless steel electrodes with a constant electrode spacing of 1 m.Der publizierte Datensatz besteht aus über 2900 einzelnen geoelektrischen Tiefensektionen, die über einen Zeitraum von knapp zwei Jahren aufgenommen wurden. Jede einzelne Tiefensektion kann mittels Inversionsrechnung in ein 2D-Modell des spezifischen elektrischen Widerstandes des Untergrundes umgesetzt werden. Die zeitliche Änderung dieser Modelle stellt den wesentlichen Informationsgehalt dieses Datensatzes dar. Das geoelektrische Monitoring erfolgte mit einem an der Geologischen Bundesanstalt entwickelten Messsystem (Geomon4D), das speziell für den Monitoring Einsatz konzipiert ist. Die Messpunktverteilung (in Summe 1765 Messpunkte pro Tiefensektion) entspricht der sogenannten Multiplen-Gradienten-Anordnung. Das geoelektrische Monitoring Profil umfasst in Summe 61 Edelstahlelektroden mit einem konstanten Elektrodenabstand von 1 m

Mapping of landslides under dense vegetation cover using object-oriented analysis and LiDAR derivatives

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and its wide range of derivative products have become a powerful tool in landslide research, particularly for landslide identification and landslide inventory mapping. In contrast to the many studies that use expert-based analysis of LiDAR derivatives to identify landslides, only few studies, all pixel-based, have attempted to develop computer-aided methods for extracting landslides from LiDAR. So far, it has not been tested whether object-oriented analysis (OOA) could be an alternative. Therefore, this study focuses on the application of OOA using LiDAR derivatives such as slope gradient, curvature, and difference in elevation (2 m resolution). More specifically, the focus is on the possible use for segmentation and classification of slow-moving landslides in densely vegetated areas, where spectral data do not allow accurate landslide inventory mapping. The test areas are the Flemish Ardennes (Belgium) and Vorarlberg (Austria). In a first phase, a relatively qualitative procedure based on expert-knowledge and basic statistical analysis was developed for a test area in the Flemish Ardennes. The procedure was then applied without further modification to a validation area in the same region. The results obtained show that OOA using LiDAR derivatives allows recognition and characterization of profound morphologic properties of deep-seated landslides, because approximately 70 % of the landslides of an expert-based inventory were also included in the object-oriented inventory. For mountain areas with bed rock outcrops like Vorarlberg, on the other hand, it is more difficult to create a transferable model.JRC.H.7-Climate Risk Managemen

Mapping of landslides under dense vegetation cover using object - oriented analysis and LiDAR derivatives

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and its wide range of derivative products have become a powerful tool in landslide research, particularly for landslide identification and landslide inventory mapping. In contrast to the many studies that use expert-based analysis of LiDAR derivatives to identify landslides, only few studies, all pixel-based, have attempted to develop computer-aided methods for extracting landslides from LiDAR. So far, it has not been tested whether object-oriented analysis (OOA) could be an alternative. Therefore, this study focuses on the application of OOA using LiDAR derivatives such as slope gradient, curvature, and difference in elevation (2m resolution). More specifically, the focus is on the possible use for segmentation and classification of slow-moving landslides in densely vegetated areas, where spectral data do not allow accurate landslide inventory mapping. The test areas are the Flemish Ardennes (Belgium) and Vorarlberg (Austria). In a first phase, a relatively qualitative procedure based on expert-knowledge and basic statistical analysis was developed for a test area in the Flemish Ardennes. The procedure was then applied without further modification to a validation area in the same region. The results obtained show that OOA using LiDAR derivatives allows recognition and characterization of profound morphologic properties of deep-seated landslides, because approximately 70% of the landslides of an expert-based inventory were also included in the object-oriented inventory. For mountain areas with bed rock outcrops like Vorarlberg, on the other hand, it is more difficult to create a transferable model