Monitoring and structural significance of ground deformations at Campi Flegrei supervolcano (Italy) from the combined 2D and 3D analysis of PS-InSAR, geophysical, geological and structural data

Cities are growing around active volcanoes. Campi Flegrei supervolcano (CF, Italy) is a nested structure formed during two main collapses associated with two caldera-forming eruptions at 39 ka and 15 ka. The last event occurred in AD 1538 (Monte Nuovo volcano). CF hosts 350,000 people and two main uplift phases were recorded in 1968–1972 and 1982–1984 with deformations of about 2 m. The town of Pozzuoli was partially evacuated during the last crisis. Subsequent minor deformations (subsidence and uplift), seismicity, and diffuse CO2 degassing concentrate in the central part of the caldera. Here, we apply the Permanent Scatterers Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (PS-InSAR) to investigate the ground deformations of CF by using data acquired from 1993 to 2007 from ascending and descending tracks by ERS-1 ,ERS-2 and RADARSAT satellites. Deformation maps identify a subsidence interrupted by micro-uplift episodes. These maps are combined with digitized topographic, geological (faults and landslides), seismic, and urbanization data. The merged information allow us to identify the areas involved in the deformation and the volcanotectonic structures activated during the uplift and subsidence episodes. We propose a structural-volcanological model for the unrest pisodes. Data indicate that uplift episodes, which re associated to seismicity, are followed by subsidence episodes accommodated by pre-existing faults. The urbanized areas subjected to the higher deformations and shaking are also identified and mapped. A multi-hazard zonation including landslides is also provided. The approach used here may be utilized to (a) recognize the tectonic and/or volcanic structures activated during ground deformations, (b) to investigate structural models, (c) to evaluate and map multi-risk zonations, and (c) monitor other volcanic areas or nonvolcanic zones subjected to gravity instability or tectonics

Estimates of fluid pressure and tectonic stress in hydrothermal/volcanic areas:a methodological approach

An analytical approach to estimate the relative contribution of the fluid pressure and tectonic stress in hydrothermal/ volcanic areas is proposed assuming a Coulomb criterion of failure. The analytical procedure requires the coefficient of internal friction, cohesion, rock density, and thickness of overburden to be known from geological data. In addition, the orientation of the principal stress axes and the stress ratio must be determined from the inversion of fault-slip or seismic data (focal mechanisms). At first, the stress magnitude is calculated assuming that faulting occurs in 'dry' conditions (fluid pressure=0). In a second step, the fluid pressure is introduced performing a grid search over the orientation of 1) fault planes that slip by shear failure or 2) cracks that open under different values of fluid pressure and calculating the consistency with the observed fault planes (i.e. strike and dip of faults, cracks, nodal planes from focal mechanisms). The analytical method is applied using fault-slip data from the Solfatara volcano (Campi Flegrei, Italy) and seismic data (focal mechanisms) from the Vesuvius volcano (Italy). In these areas, the fluid pressure required to activate faults (shear fractures) and cracks (open fractures) is calculated. At Solfatara, the ratio between the fluid pressure and the vertical stress ?is very low for faults ( ?=0.16) and relatively high for cracks ( ?=0.5). At Vesuvius, ?=0.6. Limits and uncertainties of the method are also discussed

Morphometry of the Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy)

A high-resolution Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of Campi Flegrei caldera, obtained from an airborne LiDAR mission, has been analyzed in order to produce a 1:20,000-scale morphometric map of this volcanic area. The map consists of different thematic layers, which include: profile curvature, terrain ruggedness index, elevation range, as well as an up-to-date structural map and building distribution in the densely populated area. Results evidence that most of the relief is related to the occurrence of tuff-cones, tuff-ring, and the outer flanks of the caldera. Higher values of elevation characterize the upper portions of cones, while higher terrain ruggedness index values concentrate on the inner flanks of cones and in areas affected by gravity and erosional processes. The map also evidences the topographic expression of crater rims and of the major morphological scarps, which reflect ancient and uplifted shorelines and present-day cliffs

Source and dynamics of a volcanic caldera unrest : Campi Flegrei, 1983–84

Acknowledgements We thank Tiziana Vanorio, Antonella Amoruso, Luca Crescentini, Nicholas Rawlinson, Yasuko Takei, and David Cornwell for the valuable suggestions regarding the methodology and interpretation. Reviews from Tim Greenfield and two anonymous reviewers helped improving both clarity of the manuscript and interpretation. The Royal Society of Edinburgh - Accademia dei Lincei Bilateral Agreement, the Santander Mobility Award of the College of Physical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, and the TIDES EU COST action granted L.D.S. travel grants for the realisation of this study. E.D.P. has been supported by the EPHESTO and KNOWAVES projects, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Specifically targeted modification of human aldose reductase by physiological disulfides

Aldose reductase is inactivated by physiological disulfides such as GSSG and cystine. To study the mechanism of disulfide-induced enzyme inactivation, we examined the rate and extent of enzyme inactivation using wild-type human aldose reductase and mutants containing cysteine-to-serine substitutions at positions 80 (C80S), 298 (C298S), and 303 (C303S). The wild-type, C80S, and C303S enzymes lost >80% activity following incubation with GSSG, whereas the C298S mutant was not affected. Loss of activity correlated with enzyme thiolation. The binary enzyme-NADP+ complex was less susceptible to enzyme thiolation than the apoenzyme. These results suggest that thiolation of human aldose reductase occurs predominantly at Cys-298. Energy minimization of a hypothetical enzyme complex modified by glutathione at Cys-298 revealed that the glycyl carboxylate of glutathione may participate in a charged interaction with His-110 in a manner strikingly similar to that involving the carboxylate group of the potent aldose reductase inhibitor Zopolrestat. In contrast to what was observed with GSSG and cystine, cystamine inactivated the wild-type enzyme as well as all three cysteine mutants. This suggests that cystamine-induced inactivation of aldose reductase does not involve modification of cysteines exclusively at position 80, 298, or 303

The real-time multiparametric network of Campi Flegrei and Vesuvius

Volcanic processes operate over a wide range of time scale that requires different instruments and techniques to be monitored. The best approach to survey a volcanic unrest is to jointly monitor all the geophysical quantities that could vary before an eruption. The monitoring techniques are sometimes peculiar for each volcano, which has its own behavior. The simultaneous investigation of all the geophysical and geochemical parameters improves the sensibility and the understanding of any variation in the volcanic system. The Osservatorio Vesuviano is the INGV division charged of the Campi Flegrei and Vesuvius monitoring, two of the highest risk volcanic complexes in the world due to the large number of people living on or close to them. Each of them have peculiarities that increase the monitoring challenge: Campi Flegrei has high anthropic noise due to people living within its numerous craters; Vesuvius has a sharp topography that complicates the data transmission and analysis. The real time monitoring of the two areas involves several geophysical fields and the data are transmitted by a wide data-communication wired or radio infrastructure to the Monitoring Centre of Osservatorio Vesuviano: - The seismic network counts of 20 station sites in Campi Flegrei and 23 in Vesuvius equipped with velocimetric, accelerometric and infrasonic sensors. Some of them are borehole stations. - The GPS network counts of 25 stations operating at Campi Flegrei caldera and 9 stations at Vesuvius volcano. All the procedures for remote stations managing (raw data downloading, data quality control and data processing) take place automatically and the computed data are shown in the Monitoring Centre. - The mareographic network counts of 4 stations in the Campi Flegrei caldera coast and 3 close to the Vesuvius that transmit to the Monitoring Centre where the data are elaborated. - The tiltmetric network consist of 10 stations distributed around Pozzuoli harbor, the area of maximum ground uplift of Campi Flegrei, evidenced since 2005, and 7 stations distributed around the Vesuvius crater. Each tiltmetric station is also equipped with a temperature and magnetic sensor. The signals recorded are sent to the Monitoring Centre. - The 4 marine multiparametric stations installed in the Pozzuoli gulf send accelerometric, broad band, hydrophonic and GPS data to the Monitoring Centre. - The geochemical network counts of 4 multiparametric stations in the fumarolic areas of Campi Flegrei and 2 stations in the Vesuvius crater (rim and bottom) with data transmission to the Monitoring Centre. They collect soil CO2 flux, temperature gradient and environmental and meteorological parameters and transmit them directly to the Monitoring Centre. - The permanent thermal infrared surveillance network (TIRNet) is composed of 6 stations distributed among Campi Flegrei and Vesuvius. The stations acquire IR scenes at night-time of highly diffuse degassing areas. IR data are processed by an automated system of IR analysis and the temperatures values are sent to the Monitoring CentrePublishedVienna, Austria1IT. Reti di monitoraggio e sorveglianz

Chronic constipation diagnosis and treatment evaluation: The "CHRO.CO.DI.T.E." study

Background: According to Rome criteria, chronic constipation (CC) includes functional constipation (FC) and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). Some patients do not meet these criteria (No Rome Constipation, NRC). The aim of the study was is to evaluate the various clinical presentation and management of FC, IBS-C and NRC in Italy. Methods: During a 2-month period, 52 Italian gastroenterologists recorded clinical data of FC, IBS-C and NRC patients, using Bristol scale, PAC-SYM and PAC-QoL questionnaires. In addition, gastroenterologists were also asked to record whether the patients were clinically assessed for CC for the first time or were in follow up. Diagnostic tests and prescribed therapies were also recorded. Results: Eight hundred seventy-eight consecutive CC patients (706 F) were enrolled (FC 62.5%, IBS-C 31.3%, NRC 6.2%). PAC-SYM and PAC-QoL scores were higher in IBS-C than in FC and NRC. 49.5% were at their first gastroenterological evaluation for CC. In 48.5% CC duration was longer than 10 years. A specialist consultation was requested in 31.6%, more frequently in IBS-C than in NRC. Digital rectal examination was performed in only 56.4%. Diagnostic tests were prescribed to 80.0%. Faecal calprotectin, thyroid tests, celiac serology, breath tests were more frequently suggested in IBS-C and anorectal manometry in FC. More than 90% had at least one treatment suggested on chronic constipation, most frequently dietary changes, macrogol and fibers. Antispasmodics and psychotherapy were more frequently prescribed in IBS-C, prucalopride and pelvic floor rehabilitation in FC. Conclusions: Patients with IBS-C reported more severe symptoms and worse quality of life than FC and NRC. Digital rectal examination was often not performed but at least one diagnostic test was prescribed to most patients. Colonoscopy and blood tests were the "first line" diagnostic tools. Macrogol was the most prescribed laxative, and prucalopride and pelvic floor rehabilitation represented a "second line" approach. Diagnostic tests and prescribed therapies increased by increasing CC severity

La cisteina quale promotore e agente modificatore nella s-tiolazione dell'aldoso reduttasi di cristallino bovino

Dottorato di ricerca in biochimica. 11. ciclo. Coordinatore Giampietro Ramponi. Docente guida Umberto Mura.Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7, Rome; Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale - P.za Cavalleggeri, 1, Florence / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal

Processing Thermal Infrared Imagery Time-Series from Volcano Permanent Ground-Based Monitoring Network. Latest Methodological Improvements to Characterize Surface Temperatures Behavior of Thermal Anomaly Areas

In this technical paper, the state-of-art of automated procedures to process thermal infrared (TIR) scenes acquired by a permanent ground-based surveillance system, is discussed. TIR scenes regard diffuse degassing areas at Campi Flegrei and Vesuvio in the Neapolitan volcanic district (Italy). The processing system was developed in-house by using the flexible and fast processing Matlab© environment. The multi-step procedure, starting from raw infrared (IR) frames, generates a final product consisting mainly of de-seasoned temperatures and heat fluxes time-series as well as maps of yearly rates of temperature change of the IR frames. Accurate descriptions of all operational phases and of the procedures of analysis are illustrated; a Matlab© code (Natick, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) is provided as supplementary material. This product is ordinarily addressed to study volcanic dynamics and improve the forecasting of the volcanic activity. Nevertheless, it can be a useful tool to investigate the surface temperature field of any areas subjected to thermal anomalies, both of natural and anthropic origin

The automated infrared thermal imaging system for the continuous long-term monitoring of the surface temperature of the Vesuvius crater

Infrared remote sensing monitoring is a significant tool aimed to integrated surveillance system of active volcanic areas. In this paper we describe the realization and the technological evolution of the permanent image thermal infrared (TIR) surveillance system of the Vesuvius volcano. The TIR monitoring station was installed on the Vesuvius crater rim on July 2004 in order to acquire scenes of the SW inner slope of Vesuvius crater that is characterized by a significant thermal emission. At that time, it represented the first achievement all over the world of a permanent surveillance thermal imaging system on a volcano. It has been working in its prototypal configuration till May 2007. The experience gained over years about the engineering, management and maintenance of TIR remote acquisition systems in extreme environmental conditions, allows us to design and realize a new release of the TIR monitoring station with improved functionalities and more flexibility for the IR image acquisition, management and storage, which became operational in June 2011. In order to characterize the thermal background of the Vesuvius crater at present state of volcanic quiescence, the time series of TIR images gathered between July 2004 and May 2012 were analyzed using a statistical approach. Results show no significant changes in the thermal radiation during the observation periods, so they can be assumed as representative of a background level to which refer for the interpretation of possible future anomalies related to a renewal of the volcanic dynamics of the Vesuvius volcano