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The monitoring of stone alteration represents a key factor in the knowledge and prediction of the status of conservation of building stones in the urban framework. A continuous monitoring requires a non-destructive analytical approach and, possibly, a simple, low-cost and effective tool to study the decay processes. Previous studies demonstrated the capability of the SWIR hyperspectral technique to gain information on the degree of sulfation of carbonate stone surfaces. In this study we aim at setting up a protocol to investigate on-site the sulfation degree of the white marble cladding surfaces of the worldwide-famous Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral in Florence (Italy). The proposed protocol couples information by SWIR hyperspectral and colorimetric techniques. We have proved that, in selected areas investigated at a distance of nine years, the colour and the mineralogical changes (i.e., sulfation) are significantly greater than the relative uncertainties of the two methods. Moreover, the proposed protocol results rapid, repeatable and fully not invasive.

In urban environments, degradation processes affecting both natural and artificial carbonate materials commonly result in the formation of sulphate-based deposits (i.e., black crusts). Hyperspectral techniques may provide ready-to-use information on the degree of sulphation of carbonate stone, hence helping to monitor the conservation state of carbonate stone monuments. In this study, the Short-Wave InfraRed (SWIR) hyperspectral technique was tested on the world-famous marble-made Loggia di Baccio d’Agnolo in Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral of Florence (Italy), affected by extensive “black crust” formation. A SWIR method based on a portable spectroradiometer (ASD Fieldspec® 3) was applied to verify the efficacy of different cleaning methods (i.e., laser, chemical and microbial). The interpretation of the SWIR spectra was based on a full-profile approach, in which the calcite and gypsum contributions were evaluated by weighing the best fit simulated contributions of reference compounds. The technique was able to provide in real time semi-quantitative determinations of the amount of gypsum developed on the stone surface, demonstrating to be a fast and handy routine tool during restoration of artworks.

The soil surface albedo decreases with an increasing biochar application rate as a power decay function, but the net impact of biochar application on soil temperature dynamics remains to be clarified. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of infrared thermography (IRT) sensing by monitoring soil surface temperature (SST) with a high spatiotemporal and thermal resolution in a scalable agricultural application. We monitored soil surface temperature (SST) variations over a 48 h period for three treatments in a vineyard: bare soil (plot S), 100% biochar cover (plot B), and biochar-amended topsoil (plot SB). The SST of all plots was monitored at 30 min intervals with a tripod-mounted IR thermal camera. The soil temperature at 10 cm depth in the S and SB plots was monitored continuously with a 5 min resolution probe. Plot B had greater daily SST variations, reached a higher daily temperature peak relative to the other plots, and showed a faster rate of T increase during the day. However, on both days, the SST of plot B dipped below that of the control treatment (plot S) and biochar-amended soil (plot SB) from about 18:00 onward and throughout the night. The diurnal patterns/variations in the IRT-measured SSTs were closely related to those in the soil temperature at a 10 cm depth, confirming that biochar-amended soils showed lower thermal inertia than the unamended soil. The experiment provided interesting insights into SST variations at a local scale. The case study may be further developed using fully automated SST monitoring protocols at a larger scale for a range of environmental and agricultural applications.

The Department of Earth Sciences of Florence (DST) has developed a new type of drone chassis., Several survey campaigns were performed in Ricasoli village, in the Upper Arno river Valley (Tuscany, Italy) with the drone equipped with an optical camera, to understand the possibility of this rising technology to map and to characterize landslides. The aerial RGB images were analysed and combined using SfM (Structure from Motion) software. The comparative analysis of the obtained DTMs allowed an accurate reconstruction and mapping of the detected landslides. The collected data also allowed to precisely detect some slope portions prone to failure and to evaluate the area and volume of the involved masses.

We set up an early warning system for rainfall-induced landslides in Tuscany (23 000 km2). The system is based on a set of state-of-the-art intensity-duration rainfall thresholds (Segoni et al., 2014b), makes use of LAMI rainfall forecasts and real-time rainfall data provided by an automated network of more than 300 rain-gauges. The system was implemented in a WebGIS to ease the operational use in civil protection procedures: it is simple and intuitive to consult and it provides different outputs. Switching among different views, the system is able to focus both on monitoring of real time data and on forecasting at different lead times up to 48 h. Moreover, the system can switch between a very straightforward view where a synoptic scenario of the hazard can be shown all over the region and a more in-depth view were the rainfall path of rain-gauges can be displayed and constantly compared with rainfall thresholds. To better account for the high spatial variability of the physical features, which affects the relationship between rainfall and landslides, the region is subdivided into 25 alert zones, each provided with a specific threshold. The warning system reflects this subdivision: using a network of 332 rain gauges, it allows monitoring each alert zone separately and warnings can be issued independently from an alert zone to another. An important feature of the warning system is the use of thresholds that may vary in time adapting at the conditions of the rainfall path recorded by the rain-gauges. Depending on when the starting time of the rainfall event is set, the comparison with the threshold may produce different outcomes. Therefore, a recursive algorithm was developed to check and compare with the thresholds all possible starting times, highlighting the worst scenario and showing in the WebGIS interface at what time and how much the rainfall path has exceeded or will exceed the most critical threshold. Besides forecasting and monitoring the hazard scenario over the whole region with hazard levels differentiated for 25 distinct alert zones, the system can be used to gather, analyze, visualize, explore, interpret and store rainfall data, thus representing a potential support to both decision makers and scientists.

The potential of repeat-pass space borne SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) interferometry has been exploited to investigate spatial patterns of land subsidence in the Anthemountas basin, in the northern part of Greece. The PSI (Persistent Scatterer Interferometry) approach, based on the processing of long series of SAR acquisitions, has been applied to forty-two images acquired in 1995–2001 by ERS1/2 satellites. Interferometric results have been analyzed at a basin scale as support for land motion mapping and at local scale for the characterization of ground motion events affecting the village of Perea in the Thermaikos municipality and the "Macedonia" international airport. PSI results revealed a moderate subsidence phenomenon along the wider coastal zone of Anthemountas basin corresponding to intense groundwater extraction. Highest values, exceeding 20 mm yr−1, were measured in the airport area where the thickest sequence of compressible Quaternary sediments occurs. Intense subsidence has been detected also in the Perea village (maximum deformation up to 10–15 mm yr−1), where a series of fractures, causing damages to both buildings and infrastructure, occurred in 2005–2006. Furthermore, a linear pattern of deformation, elongated parallel to the major normal Thermi fault, has been observed, indicating movements with a probable tectonic component.

The use of InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) products has greatly increased in the last years because of the technological advances in terms of both acquisition sensors and processing algorithms. The development of multi-interferogram techniques and the availability of free SAR analysis tools has significantly increased the number of worldwide applications of satellite measurements for mapping and monitoring geohazards. InSAR techniques excel in determining ground deformation in urban areas, where the coherence of the radar images is high, and the obtainable results are particularly reliable. Thus, measuring urban subsidence has always been one of the main targets of the InSAR analysis. In this paper, we present a brief review on the applications, in the last decades, of both single and multi-interferogram techniques to monitor ground lowering in urban areas along the Italian Peninsula. Because of its geological context, Italy is prone to slow natural subsidence phenomena sometimes aggravated and accelerated, especially along the coasts and in urbanized areas, by anthropogenic factors (i.e., groundwater overexploitation, consolidation in recent urban expansion, geothermal activities). The review will show how the interferometric data allowed the scientific community to increase the knowledge of the phenomena, map their spatial distribution, and reconstruct their temporal evolution. The final goal of the review is to demonstrate the added value of InSAR data in supporting groundwater management and urban development in Italy.

In this paper, the authors describe the architecture of a multidisciplinary data acquisition and visualization platform devoted to the management of coastal environments. The platform integrates heterogeneous data acquisition sub-systems that can be roughly divided into two main categories: remote sensing systems and in situ sensing systems. Remote sensing solutions that are going to be implemented include aerial and underwater data acquisition while in situ sensing solutions include the use of Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tracers, Wireless Sensor Networks and imaging techniques. All the data collected by these subsystems are stored, integrated and fused on a single platform that is also in charge of data visualization and analysis. This last task is carried out according to the paradigm of Augmented Virtuality that foresees the augmentation of a virtually reconstructed environment with data collected in the real world. The described solution proposes a novel holistic approach where different disciplines concur, with different data acquisition techniques, to a large scale definition of coastal dynamics, in order to better describe and face the coastal erosion phenomenon. The overall framework has been conceived by the so-called Team COSTE, a joint research team between the Universities of Pisa, Siena and Florence.

[object ObjecStone-built Cultural Heritage is subjected to decay in urban environment over the centuries, due to surface interaction and reaction with natural atmospheric agents and, particularly in the last centuries, air pollutants. The Short wave Infrared (SWIR) characterisation of stone surface through portable instruments is attracting increasing interest in the field of Cultural Heritage. In this study, SWIR hyperspectral investigation of carbonate rocks, undergoing acid attack under laboratory conditions was performed with the aim of providing useful quantitative information on the degree of sulfation of the surfaces of carbonate stone. Six marble and six travertine specimens were attacked by aqueous solutions of H2SO4 at variable acid concentrations leading to the formation of gypsum. The reacted surfaces of stones were then investigated by a portable SWIR spectroradiometer. The resulting spectra were thus modelled through a full profile approach, in order to obtain a reliable and efficient fitting procedure. Thus, the SWIR characterisation of sulfated carbonate surfaces seems to be a promising, ready-to-use technique for monitoring the conservation state of carbonate stone monuments (e.g. facades, statues). This method could provide valuable support both for restoration practices and for continuous monitoring of stone alteration over time, when assessing the best strategy of intervention and conservation against sulfation processes of historical buildings.

The study of the geomorphological evolution of landscapes is one of the most important tasks needed for assessing the natural and man-made geohazards and risks affecting a territory. In the last two decades, instrumental and computational advances have allowed the development of effective remote sensing methodologies, such as those based on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Interferometry or change detection techniques (Tomás & Li, 2017). These techniques have enhanced the possibilities of making geomorphic observations and modelling. Specifically, Earth Observations (EO) techniques using airborne or satellite platforms have increased the ability to map and monitor geomorphological processes. In such a framework, historical landscape data, such as those available from aerial photographs taken since the early 1940s, are key instruments for studying the geomorphological evolution of a territory. In this work, the application of the Structure from Motion (SfM) technique to analyse the geomorphological evolution of sample areas by historical aerial photos is tested, examined, and discussed. Towards this aim, multi-temporal analysis by means of three-dimensional (3D) land models of four test areas reconstructed through the application of the SfM technique using available aerial images was performed. Although it is well known that SfM requires a considerable number of digital images and a significant overlap between them, the challenge of this approach was to reconstruct 3D land models using a reduced set of analogical aerial photos for satisfactory results. The resulting 3D reconstructions succeeded in recognizing and studying the geomorphological evolution of the test areas, represented by: a) a region in southern Italy affected by landslides; b) a territory in central Italy affected by badland-type intense erosional phenomena; c) a sector in northwestern Italy with open-pit mining activity; and d) a coastal zone affected by changes in its coastline. Despite some disadvantages that arose during the application of the SfM technique, the proposed methodology has been shown to be useful for geomorphological analysis. This can be considered an alternative to the use of analogical and digital stereoscopic techniques to recognize geomorphological shapes and analyse Earth surface evolution and the effects of different anthropic activities.

Mountain slopes in the surrounding area of the Somma-Vesuvius volcano (Campania, southern Italy) are highly susceptible to shallow landslides due to the covering of ash-fall pyroclastic deposits and represent a relevant societal risk (e.g. deadly events of May 1998 in the Sarno area). Rapid shallow landslides are triggered by heavy rainfall, starting from little volumes of pyroclastic soil. For this reason, the knowledge of the distribution of the pyroclastic soil thickness is fundamental to analyze and understand landslide susceptibility. In literature, several soil thickness models are known for the catchment scale, but they usually account for hillslope processes which control the regolith formation and its distribution along slopes. Starting from a database of pyroclastic soil thickness data, distributed in a large mountain range around the Somma-Vesuvius, in this work three models were tested: two state-of-the-art models and a new model, which combine some features of the aforementioned two. The models were calibrated and validated with field data. The newly developed model achieved results that fit better the spatial distribution of ash-fall pyroclastic soils along the mountain slope. The outcome could be used as input parameter in landslide susceptibility assessments.

The Permanent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) has been used to detect the land subsidence of the Arno coastal plain, in particular within the urban area of the city of Pisa. Two satellite PSInSAR dataset (ERS 1/2 and Envisat) were used to quantify the spatial evolution of ground displacements. A set of 92 geotechnical borehole was also analyzed to relate the measured displacements with the local stratigraphic asset. Furthermore, the results of the interferometric data analysis were compared with the urban development, from1978 to 2013, of the eastern part of Pisa. The PSInSAR data show that the city of Pisa is divided in two sectors with different subsidence rates: the south - western part, with null or very small movements, and the eastern part that shows a general lowering with maximum velocities of 5 mm/yr. In the eastern part, single or small groups of buildings recorded subsidence rates higher than 15 mm/yr. Through the analysis of the temporal evolution and magnitude of the subsidence rates recorded by several buildings in these areas, the importance of the urbanization as an accelerating factor for the consolidation process have been demonstrated.

The spatial resolution of digital elevation models (DEMs) is an important factor for reliable landslide studies. Multi-interferometric techniques such as persistent scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar (PSInSAR) are used to evaluate the landslide state of activity and its ground deformation velocity, which is commonly measured along the satellite line of sight (LOS). In order to compare velocities measured by different satellites in different periods, their values can be projected along the steepest slope direction, which is the most probable direction of real movement. In order to achieve this result, DEM-derived products are needed. In this paper, the effectiveness of different DEM resolutions was evaluated in order to project ground deformation velocities measured by means of PSInSAR technique in two different case studies in the Messina Province (Sicily, southern Italy): San Fratello and Giampilieri. Three DEMs were used: (i) a 20-m resolution DEM of the Italian Military Geographic Institute (IGM), (ii) a 2-m resolution DEM derived from airborne laser scanning (ALS) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data for the San Fratello 2010 landslide, and (iii) a 1-m resolution DEM derived from ALS LiDAR data for the area of Giampilieri. The evaluation of the applied method effectiveness was performed by comparing the DEMs elevation with those of each single permanent scatterer (PS) and projecting the measured velocities along the steepest slope direction. Results highlight that the higher DEM resolution is more suitable for this type of analysis; in particular, the PS located nearby the watershed divides is affected by geometrical problems when their velocities are projected along the steepest slope.

Discrimination of many organic and inorganic components from paintings through a hyperspectral spectroradiometer ,which works in the 350-2500 nm region. The reflectance spectra were collected by the contact reflectance probe, equipped with an internal light source with fixed geometry of illumination and shot. Several standards samples, selected among the most common materials of paintings, were prepared and analysed in order to collect reference spectra. The standards were prepared with powders of 7 pure pigments, films of 5 varnishes (natural and synthetic), and films of 3 dried binding media. Monochromatic painted surfaces have also been prepared and investigated to verify the identification of different compounds on the surface.

This work provides a multi-temporal and spatial investigation of landslide effects in the San Fratello area (Messina province within the Sicily region, Italy), by means of C-band and X-band Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) data, integrated with in situ field checks and a crack pattern survey. The Sicily region is extensively affected by hydrogeological hazards since several landslides regularly involved local areas across time. In particular, intense and catastrophic landslide phenomena have recently occurred in the San Fratello area; the last event took place in February 2010, causing large economic damage. Thus, the need for an accurate ground motions and impacts mapping and monitoring turns out to be significantly effective, in order to better identify active unstable areas and to help proper risk-mitigation measures planning. The combined use of historical and recent C-band satellites and current X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar sensors of a new generation permits spatially and temporally detection of landslide-induced motions on a local scale and to properly provide a complete multi-temporal evaluation of their effects on the area of interest. PSI ground motion rates are cross-compared with local failures and damage of involved buildings, recently recognized by in situ observations. As a result, the analysis of landslide-induced movements over almost 20 years and the validation of radar data with manufactured crack patterns, permits one to finally achieve a complete and reliable assessment in the San Fratello test site.

Landslide geo-databases including inventories and thematic data, are today fundamental tools for national and / or local authorities in susceptibility, hazard and risk management. A well organized landslide geo-database contains different kind of data such as past information (landslide inventory maps), ancillary data and updated remote sensing (space-borne and ground based) data , which can be integrated in order to produce landslide susceptibility maps, updated landslide inventory maps and hazard and risk assessment maps. The Italian region is strongly affected by landslides phenomena which cause victims and relevant economic damages to buildings and infrastructures, loss of productive soils and pasture lands. In particular, the Messina Province (southern Italy) represents an area where landslides are recurrent and characterized by high magnitude, due to several predisposing factors (morphology, land use, lithologies) and different triggering mechanisms (meteorological conditions, seismicity, active tectonics and volcanic activity). For this area, a geo-database was created including different monitoring techniques, comprising remote sensing (e.g. SAR satellite ERS1/2, ENVISAT, RADARSAT-1, TerraSAR-X, COSMO-SkyMed) data, and in situ measurements (e.g. GBInSAR, damage assessment). In this paper a complete landslide geo-database of the Messina Province, designed following the requirements of the local and national Civil Protection Authorities is presented. This geo-database was used to produce maps (e.g. susceptibility, ground deformation velocities, damages assessment, risk zonation) which today are constantly used by the Civil Protection authorities to manage the landslide hazard of the Messina Province.

International audience; Planning sustainable soil exploitation and land resource evaluation require up-to-date and accurate maps of soil properties. In that respect, geophysical techniques present particular interests given their non-invasiveness and their fast data acquisition capacity, which permit to characterize large areas with fine spatial and/or temporal resolutions. We investigated the relevancy of combining data from airborne hyperspectral (Hs), electromagnetic induction (EMI) and far-field ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for mapping soil properties, in particular soil clay content, at the field scale. Data from the three techniques were acquired at a test site in Mugello (Italy) characterized by relatively strong spatial variations of soil texture. Soil samples were collected for determining ground truth clay content. For the frequencies used in this study (200–650 MHz), the GPR surface reflection is mainly determined by soil dielectric permittivity, itself primarily influenced by soil moisture. In contrast, EMI is mostly sensitive to soil electrical conductivity, which integrates several soil properties including in particular soil moisture and clay content. Taking advantage of the complementary information provided by the two instruments, the GPR and EMI data were combined and correlated to local ground-truth clay content data to provide high-resolution clay content maps over the entire field area. Besides, a relationship was also observed between Hs data and clay content measurements, which permitted to produce a Hs-derived clay content map. EMI–GPR and Hs maps showed close spatial patterns and a relatively high correlation was observed between both clay content estimates, as well as between clay content estimates and ground-truth clay content measurements. Moreover, data fusion allowed constraining the EMI–GPR and Hs information and reduced the uncertainty of mapped clay content estimates. These results demonstrated great promise for integrated, digital soil mapping applications.

On 13 January 2012, the Italian vessel, Costa Concordia, wrecked offshore Giglio Island, along the coast of Tuscany (Italy). The ship partially sunk, lying on the starboard side on a 22° steep rocky seabed, making the stability conditions of the ship critically in danger of sliding, shifting and settling. The tilted position of the ship created also pernicious conditions for the divers involved in the search and rescue operations. It became immediately clear that a continuous monitoring of the position and movements of the ship was of paramount importance to guarantee the security of the people working around and within the wreck. Starting from January 19, the Italian constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, COSMO-SkyMed (CSK), was tasked to acquire high resolution images of the wreck. Thanks to CSK’s short response and revisiting time and its capability to acquire high resolution images in Spotlight mode, satellite data were integrated within the real time, ground-based monitoring system implemented to provide the civil protection authorities with a regular update on the ship stability. Exploitation of both the phase (satellite radar interferometry, InSAR) and amplitude (speckle tracking) information from CSK images, taken along the acquisition orbit, Enhanced Spotlight (ES)-29, revealed a general movement of the translation of the vessel, consistent with sliding toward the east of the hull on the seabed. A total displacement, with respect to the coastline, of 1666 mm and 345 mm of the bow and stern, respectively, was recorded, over the time period of 19 January–23 March 2012.

Deep seated gravitational slope deformation and slow moving landslides on large areas were analyzed by spaceborne SAR interferometry: a test site in the Italian Alps of about 300 km2 was selected for updating pre-existing landslide inventory maps based on the advanced interferometric processing technique (A-DInSAR). SAR images from ERS-1/2 satellites (1995-2000) and from Envisat satellite (2002-2009) have been used, allowing the deferred-time analysis of past movements and the record of recent slope movements. In the multi-temporal updated landslide inventory database, the characteristics of the landslides were highlighted: geometry, state of activity, typology, monitoring systems, interventions, source of information and the updating time and actions. Furthermore, for each landslide area, the occurrence of persistent scatterers points and the statistical description of their velocities were reported. This methodology may allow the systematic updating of landslides inventory maps keeping all information on each landslide, becoming the basic tool for the realization and updating of thematic maps such as the landslide susceptibility map. © 2014 The Authors.

The possibility of using high spectral and spatial resolution remote sensing technologies is becoming increasingly important in the monitoring of soil degradation processes. A high spatial resoluti...

On 1 October 2009, a high intensity storm hit the Ionian coast of Sicily, SW of Messina, Italy. The Santo Stefano di Briga rain gauge, located 2 km W of the Ionian coast, recorded 225 mm of rain in seven hours. The intense rainfall event triggered abundant slope failures, and resulted in widespread erosion and deposition of debris along ephemeral drainage channels, extensive inundation, and local modifications of the coastline. Landslides occurred in a territory prone to slope failures, due to the local geological and geomorphological settings. Many landslides were related to the presence of roads lacking adequate drainage. Abandoned terraced slopes lacking proper drainage, and unmaintained dry walls were also related to slope failures. Damage was particularly severe in small villages and at several sites along the transportation network. The shallow landslides and the inundation resulted in 37 fatalities, including 31 deaths and six missing persons, and innumerable injured people. After the event, an accurate landslide inventory map was prepared for the Briga and the Giampilieri catchments. The map shows: (i) the distribution of the event landslides triggered by the 1 October 2009 rainfall event; (ii) the distribution of the pre-existing slope failures; and (iii) other geomorphological features related to fluvial processes and slope movements. The landslide inventory map was prepared at 1:10,000 scale through a combination of field surveys and photo-interpretation of pre-event and post-event, stereoscopic and pseudo-stereoscopic, aerial photography. Different types of aerial photographs were analysed visually to prepare the landslide inventory map. The event landslides were mapped through the interpretation of pseudostereoscopic colour photographs taken shortly after the event at 1:3500 scale, combined with digital stereoscopic photographs at approximately 1:4500 scale, taken in November 2009. The pre-event landslides and the associated geomorphological features were mapped using 1:33,000 scale aerial photographs flown in 1954, 1955, and 2005. The event and pre-existing landslides were checked in the field in the period October- November 2009.

The deliverable shows, for some of the DORIS test sites tha preparation of a event landslide inventory map.

This paper examines the potential to map surface geology by applying specific enhancement techniques to Landsat 7 ETM+ imagery, resulting in false color composite images, which were interpreted and then validated during a field campaign. The study area is located on the southern flank of the Tindouf Basin (Western Sahara), and it is noted that there is a general lack of bibliographic data due both to the region's remote location and to its difficult political situation. A number of photo-lithological units were mapped within the Proterozoic basement and the sedimentary succession of the Tindouf Basin incisively contributing to the knowledge of the geological setting of this area.

The report illustrates the activities carried out for integrating two differents type of satellite images, optical and radar images.

The deliverable summarizes the data available for the test sites selected for the project.

A portable hyperspectral device (ASD-FieldSpec FR Pro) has been employed for the characterization of alterations affecting the marble facade of the Santa Maria Novella church (XIII cent.) in Florence (Italy). The ASD-FieldSpec FR Pro collects the reflectance spectra of a selected target area (about 1.5 cm2). The spectra of calcite, gypsum and other mineral phases commonly occurring on outdoor surfaces exposed to the urban atmosphere were collected and presented. The spectral features of alteration minerals (depth of reflectance minima) appear to be affected by grain size, phase abundance in addition to lightness (L*) of the target area. Notwithstanding these limitations, the spectra may be used for a qualitative screening of the alteration and, under reasonable assumptions, the reflectance band depth may be used also for quantitative estimation of phase abundance. The monitoring of the conservation state of outdoor surfaces is considered of fundamental importance to plan conservative interventions on historical buildings. Our results point out that portable hyperspectral instruments may be considered as powerful tools for characterizing historical surfaces in a nondestructive and noninvasive way.

The scope of this document is to describe the six study areas located in Europe selected for the DORIS downstream service. Two study areas are located in Italy, and one study area in each of the following European Countries: Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland. For the selected study areas we describe the main characteristics, including: (i) the country, (ii) the geographical coordinates, (iii) the dominant physiographical setting, (iv) the main types of ground deformation phenomena that will be investigated, (v) a brief description of the area, (vi) a list of the thematic available information (vii) a list of the expected products and (viii) a list of selected scientific and technical reports available in the test area.

The DIGISOIL project (FP7-ENV-2007-1 N°211523) is financed by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, Area “Environment”, Activity 6.3 “Environmental Technologies”. A comité de lecture, avec review; The multidisciplinary DIGISOIL consortium intends to integrate and improve in situ proximal measurement technologies for assessing soil properties and soil degradation indicators, moving from the sensing technologies themselves to their integration and application in (digital) soil mapping (DSM). The core objective of the project is to explore and exploit new capabilities of advanced geophysical technologies for answering this societal demand. To this aim, DIGISOIL addresses four issues covering technological, soil science, and economic aspects: (i) development and validation of hydrogeophysical technologies and integrated pedo-geophysical inversion techniques; (ii) the relation between geophysical parameters and soil properties; (iii) the integration of derived soil properties for mapping soil functions and soil threats; and (iv) the evaluation, standardisation, and industrialisation of the proposed methodologies, including technical and economic studies.

Slow deformation and fracturing have been shown to be leading mechanisms towards failure, marking earthquake ruptures, flank eruption onsets and landslide episodes. The common link among these processes is that populations of microcracks interact, grow and coalesce into major fractures. We present (a) two examples of multidisciplinary field monitoring of characteristic “large scale” signs of impending deformation from different tectonic setting, i.e. the Ruinon landslide (Italy) and Stromboli volcano (Italy) (b) the kinematic features of slow stress perturbations induced by fluid overpressures and relative modelling; (c) experimental rock deformation laboratory experiments and theoretical modelling investigating slow deformation mechanisms, such stress corrosion crack growth. We propose an interdisciplinary unitary and integrated approach aimed to