ALBERT

Description: The deep structure of the North Ligurian margin and its contiguous Ligurian basin as well as the seismicity recorded in these zones are neither well understood nor precisely constrained. In order to better address these questions, there is a need for offshore instrumenting, which was realised for a duration of nearly 6 months during the GROSMarin (Grand Reseau d'Observation Sous-Marin) experiment. An array of 21 ocean bottom seismometers was deployed over the most active area of the margin and was complemented on land by mobile seismological stations that densified existing permanent networks. We also realised the acquisition of deep refraction seismic shots at sea in order to get a 3D distribution of velocities along the margin through travel time tomography. We present here a preliminary analysis of the seismicity recorded during this experiment and a tomographic model of the margin structures obtained using data from the offshore network only. Our results support the existence of a high velocity zone at the base of a domain interpreted as transitional between continental and oceanic ones, on the northern part of the deep basin. A very similar pattern is observed across the neighbouring margin of the Gulf of Lions and is most likely related to serpentinisation of the underlying mantle during late rifting and continental break-up. North of this transition zone, we observe the basinward crustal thinning of the continental crust beneath the margin that seemingly narrows eastward. To the south, our results hint at transition to the oceanic domain. In contrast, our velocity distribution does not reveal a transition along strike between transitional and oceanic domains, as previous works suggest. Some microseismic activity was recorded throughout the duration of the experiment, on land and at sea. The number of detected events and precision of location were both improved by our considering French and Italian permanent networks. The detection capabilities of our dense network still need to be fully exploited.

Description: The area around Pinerolo has been struck, between 1300 and 1900, by some earthquakes of magnitude ranging from 4.5 to 5.5. The more recent seismicity is instead of low to moderate magnitude. The adoption of a precise location algorithm, the knowledge of a detailed field geological mapping and especially their coupling can concur to better constrain the structures likely responsible for seismic events and, in turn, to give information on their depth, geometry and source mechanisms. These information can partly be extended, under certain circumstances, to historical events.

Description: Published

Description: Teatro Metastasio, Prato, Italy

Description: 3.2. Tettonica attiva

Description: open

Description: As dramatically reminded during the last days by the Haiti disaster, earthquakes are traumatic events as storms or floods. They cause more damages when population don’t have the knowledge of these phenomena and doesn’t know how to deal with it. Presently, it’s not possible to predict an earthquakes or extreme meteorological events. Preparation stay the best and efficient way to save life. Education and training are two essential ingredients to help the population to perceive the scientific information formerly confined in the laboratories, in particular in the domain of the environmental risk. The “O3E” innovative Project (European Observatory for Education and Environment) is established after 10 years (1997-2007) of regional, national and international programs (“Sismos of the Schools”, “Rinamed Medocc”), and from Italian and Swiss experiences concerning environment tools for education. This project with cooperation between scientists of France, Italy and Switzerland, is born to promote a responsible behavior of young citizens by means of scientific information about natural risks. ARGAL (Agency for Geological Risk in the Latin Arc - France) operates the administrative and technical coordination. The first innovative output of O3E is the creation of a school network in the Alpine and Mediterranean areas equipped with environmental sensors installed direct into the educational buildings. The data by seismometers, weather stations, river’s flows and soil moisture, recorded in the schools and processed by the students, are collected on dedicated servers and then made available through a internet platform to the entire educational community. By means of coordinated activities of critical analysis of data, their comparison with the information available through other media, the awareness about the importance of knowledge and evaluation of reliable data about their own territory is promoted. This equipment’s network “O3E," is the starting point of many other activities realized by the consortium with students and teachers. The teachers attend common meetings to exchange ideas and methods. The students are involved in activities of teaching towards younger pupils. The number of involved schools can theoretically increase without limit, by means of the implemented virtual network and e-learning tools at the dedicated web site. Various general objectives are pursued. - To promote the applied sciences and new technologies. - To put in network the actors of Education and formation. - To develop the sense of the autonomy and the responsibility in the young people. - To reinforce and develop relationships with regional partners of the educational and university fields. - To support a rational awakening for the prevention of the natural risks that can make the difference during the event in terms of safety. With these premises, the “O3E” experience sets up a permanent educational network of citizens in the Alpine and Mediterranean areas, building an exchange of knowledge on natural risks prevention.

Description: Published

Description: Vienna

Description: 5.9. Formazione e informazione

Description: open

Description: Si tratta di un questionario utilizzato come laboratorio per mostre, conferenze, lezioni nelle scuole che prevede la risposta scritta da parte dei partecipanti ed una correzione da parte del ricercatore con discussione dei temi trattati

Description: Published

Description: Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria, Genova

Description: 5.9. Formazione e informazione

Description: restricted

Description: If the Layman is to fulfil his responsibility as a citizen in this globalized modern society he will have to know about science in an understandable form. Geosciences may deeply impact on everyday lives as it relates hazards. However there is a stringent paradox that drives to underestimate the potential of Geosciences to help people live with natural hazards, take decision towards land use and vulnerability of infrastructures. argue that one of the reasons for geoscience not playing a major role in modern society is due to incomplete or inefficient communication and the consequent lack of trust of citizens toward geoscientists. students represent a specific kind of Layman as they are close to become “adult” citizen entitled to take decisions or contribute to them. In this study we present the results of a poll conducted on high school students (age 14-­19) aiming at estimating the trust of the young Italian citizens in the geoscientists and their studies. The sample refers Italy, in areas prone to natural hazards from low to moderate intensity. Although limited to about 180 students and then not representative of the whole nation, the information, collected directly in schools before or laboratories, can be used for a rough picture of level of trust of a part of the society towards the Geosciences. The poll contained very few questions, the form in fact was organized in three sections only. The first to collect age and region of the compilers, the second to know about the sources students usually use catastrophes and natural phenomena and the last aiming at estimating the trust towards the scientists and their studies. First results show that, students get their information mainly from the internet (about 60%) in its various forms (social media, Wikipedia) and TV (31%). However newspapers (17%) and schools (10%) significant fraction of sources of information. In regard to the trust in science, some 87% believe that scientists are reliable but only 73% consider their research also useful. Only less than 5% declare that both scientists and their studies are not reliable and Finally, about 75 % of the sample believe in the potential of future studies in Geoscience to help the society face natural catastrophes. It must be remarked that the regions where the poll took place were not hit by main earthquakes in the last years. However the pool is part of an ongoing research that will include regions prone to higher hazards and recently hit by earthquakes, which will allow to compare the relationship between preparedness, hazard and the role of scientists in different contexts. Additionally, it would be necessary to estimate introduced by the fact that the poll, although anonymous, is conducted before a scientific talk given by scientists. This may in fact introduce a sort of “respect” that could in turn influence the answers. For this to propose the questionnaire to schools that had no relationships with geoscientists in the last five years.

Description: Published

Description: Milano

Description: 3T. Pericolosità sismica e contributo alla definizione del rischio

Description: restricted

Description: ScienzAperta is an outreach science venue that the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia started in 2011 as the spring of science: the doors of the headquarters of science were finally opened to public. A number of events, conferences, seminars, guided tours through the Institute and its laboratories are every year offered to general public. The venue is held in most of the cities where the Institute is located, priority to high seismic and/or volcanic risk regions. On May 2014 we held ScienzAperta for the first time in Milano and open up the doors to schools specifically dealing mostly with seismic hazard in a region where general public not necessarily think it might We offered students conferences, seminars and educational activities to highlight the fun of science and jet raise awareness on proper behaviours in case of earthquake shaking. We asked students and teachers, from elementary to high schools, to fill in a questionnaire that we use to evaluate the appreciation the venue had. One hundred years after Giuseppe Mercalli’s death we could not forget to celebrate his science the city where he was born.

Description: Unpublished

Description: Milano

Description: 3T. Pericolosità sismica e contributo alla definizione del rischio

Description: restricted

Description: The aim of this work is to describe the seismicity of the South-western Alps and Northern Apennines from the very detailed picture provided by thirty years of operation of the Regional Seismic Network of northwestern Italy .

Description: Published

Description: Teatro Metastasio - Palazzo Vaj, Prato, Italy

Description: 1.1. TTC - Monitoraggio sismico del territorio nazionale

Description: open