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This paper presents the results of the attribution of approximately 1700 artifacts, from Italian, Central European and South American sites to the geological obsidian sources. The provenance was determined using the non-destructive X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analytical method, based on the secondary X-ray intensity proposed by Crisci et al. (1994) and optimized by De Francesco et al. (2008). In the first phase of the research, to test the non-destructive XRF method, the analysis on entire obsidian fragments (similar to archaeological waste) was initially carried out on 60 samples representative of all the geological outcrops in the Mediterranean region. The secondary X-ray intensities obtained by non-destructive XRF on whole pieces were compared with the results using the XRF method on powders, carried out on the same samples (major elements, and selected trace elements, such as Nb, Y, Zr, Rb and Sr) as exhaustively described in De Francesco et al. (2008). These five trace elements were sufficient to characterize (by both methods) the different places of obsidian origin, because they are particularly indicative of the genetic processes that produced obsidian. The provenance of the obsidian artifacts was determined by comparing the X-rays intensity ratios of the selected elements with those obtained on the entire fragments of the obsidian sources in the Mediterranean. The purpose of this paper is to show the results obtained in almost two decades of the application of the non-destructive XRF method. About 1700 archaeological obsidian fragments, from numerous Italian, Corsican, central European (Romanian) and South American (Central-western Argentina and Central Chile) archaeological sites, have been analyzed by non-destructive XRF, and assigned to obsidian sources. The provenance of 97% of the obsidian artifacts was successfully determined. The results demonstrate that the non-destructive XRF method - thanks to its sensitivity, low cost, and high speed - is an extremely valuable tool for the attribution of the provenance of archaeological obsidian in the areas under consideration.

Under the aegis of the ongoing international Oplontis Project we carried out organic residue analyses on thirteen samples from eleven Dressel 2–4 amphorae recovered at Villa B at Oplontis (Torre Annunziata, Southern Italy) in order to identify their content and to characterize their visible lining. Although the content of Dressel 2–4 amphorae is usually thought to be wine, no residue analyses have been carried out until now to verify it. Analyses were carried out with Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The results of the analyses indicate that all the amphorae were coated with Pinaceae products which had undergone different stages of preparation. Moreover, they confirm that Dressel 2–4 contained wine, or its derivatives, as wine markers were identified in all the samples. The data we obtained demonstrated that the amphorae analyzed were not new vessels, expressly made to trade the wine produced in the surrounding area, but were ready to be reused.

Lahars are erosive floods, mixtures of water and pyroclastic deposits, they look the biggest environmental disaster as number of fatalities in the volcanic areas. Security measures have been recently adopted in the threatened territories, by constructing retaining dams and embankments in key positions. Such solutions could involve a strong environmental impact for the works and the continuous accumulation of volcanic deposits, such that equilibrium conditions could lack far, triggering more disastrous events. An improved version of the Cellular Automaton model LLUNPIY for lahars simulations is presented. The growing frequency of lahars, maybe for the climatic change, in the Vascún Valley of Tungurahua Volcano, Ecuador has recently produced smaller and less dangerous events, sometimes favoured by the collapse of temporary ponds, generated by small landslides. An investigation is here performed in order to reproduce such situations in controlled way by the use of LLUNPIY simulations. Using precise field data, points are individuated where dams by backfills, easy to collapse, can produce momentary ponds; LLUNPIY simulations permit to project triggering of small lahars by minor rainfall events or to project in the case of larger rainfalls the anticipation of lahar detachment, avoiding simultaneous and dangerous confluence with other lahars.

Background: Clinical and molecular factors are essential to define the prognosis in patients with glioblastoma (GBM). O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation status, age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and extent of surgical resection are the most relevant prognostic factors. Our investigation of the role of gender in predicting prognosis shows a slight survival advantage for female patients. Methods: We performed a prospective evaluation of the Project of Emilia Romagna on Neuro-Oncology (PERNO) registry to identify prognostic factors in patients with GBM who received standard treatment. Results: A total of 169 patients (99 males [58.6%] and 70 females [41.4%]) were evaluated prospectively. MGMT methylation was evaluable in 140 patients. Among the male patients, 36 were MGMT methylated (25.7%) and 47 were unmethylated (33.6%); among the female patients, 32 were methylated (22.9%) and 25 were unmethylated (17.9%). Survival was longer in the methylated females compared with the methylated males (P = 0.028) but was not significantly different between the unmethylated females and the unmethylated males (P = 0.395). In multivariate analysis, gender and MGMT methylation status considered together (methylated females vs. methylated males; hazard ratio [HR], 0.459; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.242-0.827; P = 0.017), age (HR, 1.025; 95% CI, 1.002-1.049; P = 0.032), and KPS (HR, 0.965; 95% CI, 0.948-0.982; P < 0.001) were significantly correlated with survival. Conclusions: Survival was consistently longer among MGMT methylated females compared with males. Gender can be considered as a further prognostic factor.

Sierra de Las Navajas (State of Hidalgo, Mexico) and Lipari (Aeolian Islands, Italy) were among the most important sources for obsidian trade in Mesoamerica and in the Mediterranean during the Stone Age. In this paper obsidians from these two localities were compared in terms of their aspect, chemical composition, microcrystallinity and microvesiculation. In Sierra de las Navajas, the typical deep green obsidian with a golden hue has been analyzed together with a less common dark grey, porphyritic variety. Lipari obsidian is commonly black, but a light grey variety also occurs. Obsidian of both varieties was analyzed for this paper. Microvesicularity was investigated through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observation, microporosimetry and, for Sierra de las Navajas green obsidian, through a preliminary X-ray computed microtomographic study. Crystallinity and micro- or nano-crystallinity were investigated through X-Ray Powder Diffraction and EDS (Energy Dispersion System) microanalyses. Finally, the chemical composition in terms of major and trace elements, including rare earth elements, was determined using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The comparison of samples of different colors suggests that the characteristic green color of Sierra de las Navajas obsidians could be related to their relatively high iron content, and to the occurrence of many elongated and iso-oriented vesicles which may also be responsible for the obsidian's golden hue. Low iron and an absence of vesicles give Lipari obsidian its “normal” black color. The light grey obsidian from Lipari probably owes its color and imperfect conchoidal fracture to numerous bubbles of less than 1 μm in size and to nano-crystallinity. Sierra de las Navajas obsidians show a significant chemical variability in terms of trace elements, that can be explained by common evolutionary processes in the magma chamber. However, this variability is also internal to a single volcanic complex and this makes the trace element contents unsuitable to differentiating between the different sub-sources of the same area. On Lipari, our data do not allow us to distinguish between the two sub-sources of Vallone del Gabellotto and Canneto Dentro on the basis of major and trace elements. On the whole, our study suggests that caution should be used for both Lipari and Sierra de las Navajas when identifying obsidian sub-sources on the basis of trace element contents.

Dressel 2–4 amphorae are a type of pottery, which was used to transport wine and produced in the Mediterranean area between the first century BC and the second century AD. This study shows, for the first time, that their production also occurred in Ionian Calabria. These results were achieved by studying 11 samples of archaeological pottery (five samples of Dressel 2–4 and six samples of other ceramic types) taken from Cariati (Calabria—Southern Italy). The composition of the pottery was compared with that of the local raw materials (clays and sands) potentially usable for their production. Samples were studied by polarized optical microscopy and analysed by XRF, XRPD and Raman spectroscopy. An innovative approach, based on Microsoft Excel optimizer “Solver” add-in on geochemical data, was used to define the provenance of archaeological pottery and to calculate the mixtures of local clay and sand needed for the production of the pottery itself.

In this work, we present the results of the characterization of 20 lime plaster samples taken from the Sacred Precinct of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City), the ancient capital of the Aztec empire. The samples come from different buildings of this precinct (A, B and D) and from the west facade of phase VI of the Templo Mayor pyramid. The objective of the work is to characterize the plaster samples, to understand the raw materials used, and to evaluate the presence of similarities and differences among the samples in the building techniques and raw materials employed. All the samples were studied with OM, SEM–EDS and LA–ICP–MS. The study provided evidence of the plastering and replastering practice in the same constructive phases. The results of the analyses showed the existence of important similarities and differences among buildings and constructive phases in the Sacred Precinct. In order to understand the provenance of the limestone used in the plasters, the lumps and the binder of the samples were analysed. The results were compared with those of the limestone outcrops located in central Mexico. The provenance study showed that all the limestone used in the construction of the analysed buildings of Tenochtitlan’s Sacred Precinct comes from the Tula region.

We present the chemical characteristics of samples collected from the central courtyard of Teopancazco, a neighbourhood centre in Teotihuacan (Mexico), the most important classic Mesoamerican city. The rhyolitic glass shards used as aggregates have a composition comparable to the glass material sourced from the magmatic system of Altotonga (located along the route to the Gulf Coast). People travelling from the Gulf Coast may have transported the glass shards to Teotihuacan during the Xolalpan phase (350–550 AD). However, the reasons for using glass shards as a construction material remain unknown. These new data confirm the close relationship between inhabitants of Teopancazco and the Gulf Coast already revealed by previous archaeological and archaeometric studies.

Autonomous fault detection and isolation capability is an essential figure for GPS based sole means of Navigation systems. Integrity is as important as accuracy for aeronautical applications. Thus the defmition of a new perspective for the analysis of GPS satellite malfunctions, and the synthesis of RAIM algorithms is discussed. New features and parameters for failure detection and isolations are introduced. The new approach is based upon the joint exploitation of all the possible LS solutions applicable to a given linear estimation problem, e.g. GPS estimation, and the analysIs IS performed m the position domain. Preliminary results show accordance with the predicted outcome and the effectiveness of the proposed implementation.

The present study aims to show how the problem of reproducing, as closely as possible, binders of historic mortars by mixing raw materials which are commercially available, can be formulated as a linear optimization problem. The study points out that by mixing five standard raw materials (end-members) it is possible to obtain mortar binders with the almost same chemical compositions of those determined on the historic and archaeological mortar samples studied in some recent scientific papers. An advanced function of the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, the Solver add-in, was used for the calculation of the right amount of each raw material to be mixed for producing the new binders. This approach could be useful to provide an optimal solution in the process of restoration of ancient monuments, where it is necessary to replace the historic mortars with new highly compatible repair mortars.

The paper presents the mineralogical, petrographic and chemical analyses of mortars from an Early Christian complex found in Mallorca (Balearic Islands) and dated to between the fifth and the eighth centuries ad. We characterized several mortars found at the site, in order to gather information on the raw materials used, as well as on the technology of production, and similarities among the samples. The analyses were aimed at solving specific archaeological questions regarding the building phases of the site and, in particular, the synchronic or diachronic presence of two baptismal basins in the same Christian complex.

Single crystals of cuprorivaite (CaCuSi4O10), one of the oldest synthetic color pigments of Egyptian history, have been synthesized by slow-cooling flux method. Several runs were carried out at temperatures between 800 and 960 °C and with reaction times ranging from 10 to 72 h. The starting materials and run products were characterized by binocular microscope, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with annexed energy-dispersive spectrometry, and μ-Raman spectroscopy. The effects of growth parameters (temperature, flux, silica source) on yield and size of crystals were studied. The growth of cuprorivaite depends greatly on the starting materials: they are observed as run products only using natron as flux. Furthermore, colorimetric analysis performed on the synthesizing pigment was compared with the archeological samples present in the literature in order to value similarities and differences.

This paper illustrates the results of a multidisciplinary study on two white marble statues placed in the San Bruno Church (Calabria—Southern Italy): the ‘Madonna con Bambino’ and ‘San Bruno’ statues. The study, performed by combining different analytical techniques (LA-ICP-MS, CL, SEM-EDS, OM, FT-IR, isotopic ratios of 18O/16O and 13C/12C by mass spectrometry), aims to give information on the provenance of the marble, the kinds and causes of decay forms that affect the surface of the statues, and the materials used during some undated renovation works. As regards the “San Bruno” statue, three past undocumented restoration samples were analysed. Two of these samples were made with a mixture of gypsum and white pigments, while the other one is a mixture of lime mortar and white pigments, with the addition of diatomaceous earth. A comparison of the obtained data with bibliographic studies concerning pigments allowed the formulation of some hypotheses about the renovation works: they were probably carried out after the early 800s. For both statues several analyses were carried out to characterise some yellow–brown patinas present on their bases. Wax and calcium oxalate are the main components of the patinas on the statues: the former attributable to the use of wax candles, the latter, probably due to the alteration of organic matter, which may have been used during previous restoration phases. The Mn content, the maximum grain size (MGS) of calcite crystals and the isotopic analyses (δ13C, δ18O) confirmed that Carrara white marble was used to sculpt the two statues and their bases.

In this work, we present the results of the analyses of 20 lime plaster samples taken from the Templo Mayor (Great Temple), the main pyramid of Tenochtitlan (Mexico), the ancient capital of the Mexicas. The samples were analysed to recover information on the mixtures used in the fabrication of the plasters and for the provenance of the raw materials (in particular, limestone) used to make the plasters. The characterization of the samples was done by OM, SEM/EDS, XRF and LA–ICP–MS analyses, while the identification of the provenance of raw materials was done by studying the lumps present in the samples with LA–ICP–MS. The objective of the study was to establish if there was a relationship between changes in the construction techniques employed in the pyramid over time and if there were changes in the provenance of the raw materials. Six different construction phases of this pyramid are analysed, showing the similarities and differences among them, mainly based on differences in the sieving of the aggregates and in the raw materials employed. The provenance studies of the limestone used to make the plasters demonstrated that all the limestone comes from the Tula region.

Two red-figured vases, kindly provided by the Carabinieri Corps for Protection of Cultural Heritage, Cosenza Unit (Calabria, Italy), were characterised from petrographical, morphological, mineralogical, and chemical viewpoints with the aim of establishing the definite origin and source area of archaeological artefacts. It was obvious that one of the vases had undergone restoration, which is not documented. On the basis of stylistic criteria, it was not possible to assign precisely the site of production of the figured vases. Petrographic analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were carried out with the aim of identifying technological features and defining the nature of coatings. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that some protective products had been used in previous restoration processes on some portions of one of the two finds. The samples have similar features: fine texture of the ceramic body, and black gloss painted directly on it. One of the samples is characterised by the black coating typical of both Attic and Locrian pottery. A study of their composition excluded the possibility that they are of Greek production. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) data revealed that they come exclusively from the Locride area in Calabria, Southern Italy.

This study is aimed at an assessment of the methodologies, instruments and new applications for underwater archaeology. Research focused on study of the various kinds of degradation affecting underwater finds and stone materials aged in underwater environment, efficiency evaluation of various surface cleaning methods and study and mixing of protective products with consolidating resins and antimicrobial biocides to be applied to restored underwater finds. Transmitted light optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study surface biofilms and the interactions with samples of different stone materials such as brick, marble and granite immersed in the submarine archaeological area of Crotone (South of Italy). Surface cleaning tests were performed with application of ion exchange resins, EDTA, hydrogen peroxide and ultrasound techniques. Capillary water absorption, simulated solar ageing and colourimetric measurements were carried out to evaluate hydrophobic and consolidant properties; to assess biocidal efficacy, heterotrophic micro-organisms (Aspergillus niger) were inoculated on agar plates and growth inhibition was measured.

In the past a great variety of biocidal compounds and persistent organic pesticides were applied on a large scale for preventive measures aimed at the long-term preservation of our cultural heritage. Only recently, public and expert attention has started to focus increasingly on the risks resulting from these treatments on human health, works of art and environment in general. The work done in this field demonstrated that the most effective way for inactivation can be achieved by using highly efficient photocatalysts with the illumination of UV radiation. Following this direction our group focused its attention on well-known photocatalysts, ZnO and ZnTiO3, in the degradation and complete mineralisation of environmental pollutants. This explorative work deals with an experimental investigation on biocidal efficient of ZnO and ZnTiO3. In particular micro-quantities of the two nanopowdered photocatalysts were spread on plated dishes. They were filled by the MEA (Malt Extract Agar) medium containing given quantities of Aspergillus Niger (a chromogen filamentous fungus involved in biodeterioration). At the same time the two oxides were dispersed in different polymeric matrices, acrylic and fluorinated, in order to obtain a new coating technology, with hydrophobic, consolidant and biocidal properties for the restoration of building stone material. The mixtures obtained were applied on marble samples and capillary water absorption, simulated solar ageing, colourimetric measurements and contact angle measurements have been performed to evaluate its properties.

This work shows the preliminary results of an international project for the interdisciplinary study of the limestone used in the plasters of the ancient city of Teotihuacan. The limestone provenance was studied using a new approach based on the chemical analysis of the lime lumps that were selected because they represent the composition of the original limestone rock. The results show that the applied methodology was successful and that the limestone used to produce the lime employed to make the floor of the main courtyard at Teopancazco (Teotihuacan), comes from the region near Tula (Hidalgo).

A non-destructive analytical method using wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) that allows the establishment of the provenance of archaeological obsidians was developed and a comparison with the classical XRF method on powders is discussed. Representative obsidian samples of all the geological outcrops of archaeological interest of the Mediterranean area (Lipari, Pantelleria, Sardinia, Palmarola and the Greek islands of Melos and Gyali), were analysed with the normal procedures used in rock analysis by XRF (crushing, powdering and pelletizing). The non-destructive XRF analysis was instead conducted on splinters taken from the original geological pieces, with the shape deliberately worked to be similar to the refuse usually found at archaeological sites. Since the analysis was conducted on the raw geological fragment, intensity ratios of the suitably selected chemical elements were used, instead of their absolute concentrations, to avoid surface effects due to the irregular shape. The comparison between concentration ratios (obtained by traditional XRF methods) and the intensity ratios of the selected trace elements (obtained from the non-destructive methodology) show that the different domains of the chemical composition, corresponding to the geological obsidians of the source areas, are perfectly equivalent. In the same way, together with the geological splinters, complete archaeological obsidians, from Neolithic sites, may be analysed and their provenance may be determined. The proposed non-destructive method uses the XRF method. Due to its sensitivity, low cost and high speed, it is surely an extremely valid instrument for the attribution of the provenance of the archaeological obsidian from Neolithic sites.

Using two hypothetical effusive events in the Chaîne des Puys (Auvergne, France), we tested two geographical information systems (GISs) set up to allow loss assessment during an effusive crisis. The first was a local system that drew on all immediately available data for population, land use, communications, utility and building type. The second was an experimental add-on to the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) global warning system maintained by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) that draws information from open-access global data. After defining lava-flow model source terms (vent location, effusion rate, lava chemistry, temperature, crystallinity and vesicularity), we ran all available lava-flow emplacement models to produce a projection for the likelihood of impact for all pixels within the GIS. Next, inundation maps and damage reports for impacted zones were produced, with those produced by both the local system and by GDACS being in good agreement. The exercise identified several shortcomings of the systems, but also indicated that the generation of a GDACS-type global response system for effusive crises that uses rapid-response model projections for lava inundation driven by real-time satellite hotspot detection - and open-access datasets - is within the current capabilities of the community.

This paper describes a low cost method that allows to identify, map and quantify the macro-porosity ( O ≥ 1/16 mm) of mortar samples taken from the Roman hemicycle theatre in Sibari (South Italy). A specific tool connected to flatbed scanner has been devised for this purpose: it makes possible to acquire images of thin sections through transmitted polarised light. These images can then be elaborated by an ordinary image analysis software programs in order to extrapolate the required information. The technique can be used on mortars which have been buried underground for a considerable period of time (archaeological mortars) or on mortars exposed to sub-aerial weathering (historical mortars). In this way, carbonatic binder dissolution phenomena, and the consequent porosity increase, can be verified and studied in detail.

Demonstrating compliance of a DGNSS Instrument Approach System with the MASPS of RTCA/DO-217 and RTCA/DO-245 is a very challenging and demanding task. It requires extensive simulation and flight tests proving the effectiveness of the algorithms together with their capability of operating real-time. Thus a Virtual Laboratory has been developed to simulate the main features of general aviation aircraft sensors and also their interface to the on board computer. To improve trustworthiness of the obtained simulation the hardware of the Ground LAAS Facility has been inserted in the Loop of the simulated experiments as the provider of real DGPS corrections. The use of real data guarantees higher reliability about the performances obtainable in simulation, and confidence about repeatability of results during real flight tests, drastically reducing the cost of development.

Background As yet, no population-based prospective studies have been conducted to investigate the incidence and clinical outcome of glioblastoma (GBM) or the diffusion and impact of the current standard therapeutic approach in newly diagnosed patients younger than aged 70 years. Methods Data on all new cases of primary brain tumors observed from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2010, in adults residing within the Emilia-Romagna region were recorded in a prospective registry in the Project of Emilia Romagna on Neuro-Oncology (PERNO). Based on the data from this registry, a prospective evaluation was made of the treatment efficacy and outcome in GBM patients. Results Two hundred sixty-seven GBM patients (median age, 64 y; range, 29–84 y) were enrolled. The median overall survival (OS) was 10.7 months (95% CI, 9.2–12.4). The 139 patients ≤aged 70 years who were given standard temozolomide treatment concomitant with and adjuvant to radiotherapy had a median OS of 16.4 months (95% CI, 14.0–18.5). With multivariate analysis, OS correlated significantly with KPS (HR = 0.458; 95% CI, 0.248–0.847; P = .0127), MGMT methylation status (HR = 0.612; 95% CI, 0.388–0.966; P = .0350), and treatment received in a high versus low-volume center (HR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.328–0.986; P = .0446). Conclusions The median OS following standard temozolomide treatment concurrent with and adjuvant to radiotherapy given to (72.8% of) patients aged ≤70 years is consistent with findings reported from randomized phase III trials. The volume and expertise of the treatment center should be further investigated as a prognostic factor.

Il saggio parte dalla reinterpretazione dell'art. 97 Cost. per cogliere le linee evolutive della trasfigurazione della funzione amministrativa come amministrazione "di servizio", in connessione con la nuova conformazione dell'elemento psicologico della responsabilità amministrativa. Partendo da tale premessa si giunge alla conclusione che la più qualificata definizione legislativa dell'elemento psicologico della colpa produce un progressivo restringimento dell'area di applicabilità della responsabilità amministrativa, finendo per incidere sulla sfera stessa di cognizione della Corte dei conti e sull'ambito concreto della sua giurisdizione. Inoltre, sulla base della giurisprudenza della stessa Corte dei conti, si cerca di dimostrare che l'elemento psicologico della colpa grave si connota di una propria "tipicità" nell'illecito contabile, ancorché per il suo accertamento possa farsi riferimento alla tradizionale concezione "normativa" della colpa. Il lavoro si conclude col tentativo di enucleazione di figure sintomatiche tipiche ai fini della configurazione dell'eccesso di "potere finanziario".

This work belongs to the framework of the national research project “COMAS” (Planned COnservation, “in situ”, of underwater archaeological artifacts), funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR), concerning the submarine archaeological area of Baia (Naples, Italy). The site includes remains of the ancient cities of Baiae and Portus Iulius, which, since the 4th century AD, started to be submerged because of the bradyseism phenomenon. The work aims to the characterization of four different types of stone materials collected from the site, specifically marbles, limestones, ignimbrites, and bricks, in order to investigate their state of conservation. In particular, specimens were sampled from some masonry structures and pavement slabs (opus sectile) in a specific area of the submerged site, called “Villa a Protiro”. In order to characterize archaeological samples from a mineralogical-petrographic point of view, polarized optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses were carried out, while to assess their conservation state, the surface colonization by biodeteriogen agents and their interaction with the substrate were studied through observations under a stereomicroscope, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Marble and limestone samples revealed an intense bioerosion phenomena, attributable to epilithic and endolithic forms, particularly boring sponges. On the contrary, ignimbrites suffer a lower degree of biological colonization related to the activity of other species, such as serpulids and bryozoans. In bricks, biocolonisation is correlated to the type of temper used in the artifact, the quartz pastes having a greater susceptibility to biological attack than the volcanic ones.

A primary objective in the development of a navigation system is to test the effectiveness of its algorithms together with their capability of operating in real time. With this in mind a Virtual Laboratory capable of simulating the main features of general aviation aircraft navigational sensors together with their interface to the on-board computer has been developed. Some features regarding the DGPS ground segment have also been included in order to test the integrity of the algorithms that are part of the architecture conceived for the FODIAS. Realism in the simulated environment guarantees higher reliability of the performances obtainable in simulation, and confidence about the repeatability of results during real flight tests, drastically reducing the cost of development.

Integrity is a critical requirement for aerospace navigation systems. In this paper integrity issues are coped with a new FDI technique implemented by a snapshot RAIM algorithm based on position domain tests. The approach consists of the joint exploitation of all the possible Least Squares (LS) solutions of the GPS linear estimation problem under a single fault on a pseudorange measurement. The loci described by the different LS position solutions by varying the fault size and the faulty satellite are investigated. The exact non linear dependence of the loci from the fault size is considered. No linear approximation is used. This results in a new criterion and algorithm for the faulty satellite isolation. The effectiveness of the proposed method in the isolation of faulty satellite has been compared with a classic FDI method and demonstrated by Montecarlo simulations based on real data.

The authors present a waveform relaxation (WR)method for systems of nonlinear Volterra integral equations (of the second kind) with a weakly singular kernel. A convergence analysis is performed for the continuous and discrete WR methods. In the latter case, the numerical method is a generalization of a 1-point collocation method. Superlinear convergence is shown in the continuous WR case.

The next generation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are implementing Binary Offset Carrier (BOC) modulation. These signals were expected to provide not only better precision in the estimation of the signal's delay and phase but also more robustness to multipath effects. The advantage of BOC signals is that the main lobe of the correlation is very narrow although they present side lobes. For high-order signals, the amplitude of the side lobes can be similar to the amplitude of the main one or even exceed it under specific scenarios. One kind of techniques that mitigates the ambiguity problem is called Side Lobes Cancellation (SLC). The idea of these methods is to see the BOC signal as a sum of different sub-signals which are orthogonal in time domain. These techniques compute the cross-correlation function between the incoming BOC signal and the sub-signals obtaining sub-correlations functions and then they combine them in order to achieve an unambiguous correlation. Although, this kind of techniques are able to work with any kind of BOC signals, there are very few papers that deal with high-order BOC signals or even with BOCcos signals. This paper presents a thorough study about Side Lobes Cancellation methods (SLC), with special emphasis on high-order BOC signals. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the behaviour on Side lobe Cancellation methods (SLC) for high-order BOCcos signals.

Le previsioni della popolazione di Roma, fino al 2024, che vengono presentate nel volume sono le prime effettuate con criteri di rigorosa analisi scientifica ed hanno inoltre il pregio di spingere lo studio territoriale fino al livello dei singoli Municipi. Assumendo come anno di partenza il 2009, esse forniscono oggi indicazioni sugli scenari del quindicennio appena iniziato: un tempo breve, se commisurato alla vita delle generazioni, ma congruo da un punto di vista amministrativo. Il progetto è stato svolto in collaborazione tra il Centro di ricerca su Roma dell'Università "La Sapienza" e l'Ufficio di Statistica e Censimento di Roma Capitale e si è concretizzato in un intenso e continuo scambio di informazioni nell'ambito di una chiara divisione di compiti basata sulle rispettive competenze: l'Ufficio di Statistica si è fatto carico della predisposizione delle documentazioni di base riguardanti la popolazione dei Municipi romani fino al 2009; il Centro di ricerca ha provveduto all'elaborazione di tali dati e a tutte le operazioni necessarie per l'effettuazione delle previsioni. Il testo è suddiviso in tre parti. Nella prima, dopo un capitolo introduttivo nel quale vengono anche sintetizzati i risultati dell'intera ricerca, e un secondo che illustra le problematiche tecniche e metodologiche che hanno condotto alla definizione della popolazione virtuale di partenza delle previsioni, vengono attentamente studiati in altrettanti capitoli le caratteristiche ed i comportamenti della popolazione di Roma e dei suoi Municipi nel corso del primo decennio del secolo presente, in termini di strutture e dinamiche demografiche (fecondità, mortalità, migratorietà) e di mobilità all'interno del territorio comunale. Nella seconda parte sono definite le ipotesi sul futuro andamento dei comportamenti demografici dei residenti romani che hanno portato alla individuazione di tre possibili scenari evolutivi della popolazione romana dal 2009 al 2024. In pari tempo vengono presentati i metodi e le tecniche impiegati nella realizzazione delle previsioni, consistenti nel classico approccio fornito dal modello multiregionale e in una nuova tecnica, ideata nell'ambito del Centro di ricerca su Roma, basata su un approccio stocastico e resa operativa da un programma informatico ad hoc. L'impiego di tali tecniche ha infine reso disponibile l'insieme delle previsioni i cui risultati principali, comunali e municipali, sono illustrati nei capitoli che compongono la terza parte del volume e i cui dati analitici, per l'intera città e per i singoli Municipi, figurano nella corposa appendice di tavole statistiche che compare in fondo al testo. A seconda delle ipotesi adottate, la futura popolazione di Roma Capitale potrà aumentare di circa 145 mila unità o diminuire di circa 125 mila. In ogni caso si prevedono un ulteriore invecchiamento dell'aggregato demografico capitolino ed una diminuzione del numero annuo di nascite. Ma i dati complessivi di Roma rappresentano la sintesi di situazioni territoriali assai diverse tra loro; infatti, i diciannove Municipi costituiscono oggi un arcipelago di popolazioni caratterizzato da una forte variabilità di comportamenti demografici e tali differenze appaiono manifestarsi anche nelle stime degli andamenti futuri.

In this multidisciplinary contribution, several diagnostic tests were carried out in order to characterize the stone materials, forms of alteration, and protective products applied in the past to two monumental tombs located in the Protestant Cemetery of Rome (Italy). The Protestant Cemetery is a very important historic site, and has been included in the List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World since 2005. In this work, two of its tombs were studied: those of Karl (or Charles) Brjullov, a Russian painter who lived in the first half of the nineteenth century, and of Lady Elisa Temple, wife of the artist Sir Grenville Temple. The tombs are both made of white marble and travertine, and the same forms of alteration and degradation, such as blackish biological patinas, black crusts, and chromatic alterations, were found on both monuments. Petrographic analysis of the different lithotypes made it possible to determine textural characteristics, evaluate the state of preservation, and formulate some hypotheses about their provenance by means of oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios, and evaluation of maximum grain size (MGS) and shape preferred orientation (SPO) of calcite grains. Laboratory culture analysis identified autotrophic species and, in some cases, black patinas caused by fungal species were found. Lastly, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that some synthetic protective products had been used in previous, undocumented restoration processes on some portions of both graves.

A monitoring circuit for individual photovoltaic (PV) panels in grid-connected systems is proposed, which exhibits a number of features devised to simplify and reduce cost of diagnostics and maintenance of the PV plant. In particular, the system is provided with an effective energy harvesting supply stage, which eliminates the requirement for external supply or batteries; furthermore, no cables are needed for data transfer due to the adoption of a rugged wireless connectivity.

Volcanic rocks on the island of Lipari show the entire range of Sr, Nd, Pb isotopic compositions displayed by other islands in the Aeolian archipelago. The rapid isotopic evolution of subaerial volcanic rocks on Lipari towards crustal values together with the appropriate isotopic composition of the neighbouring Calabrian crust (Serre) indicate that many geochemical characteristics observed in the lavas can be attributed to contamination and mixing with crustal materials and melts. Interpretation of the data is complicated by the fact that underplating onto the crust-mantle boundary and the specific lithologies present in the crustal section differ underneath each individual sector of the island. In the central and northern parts of the island, metapelitic rocks were incorporated to provide the more radiogenic Sr isotopic compositions of some lavas. The products from M. Guardia in the southern part of Lipari, where activity is restricted to the last 30–40 ka, bear geochemical similarities to the island of Vulcano, where it is proposed that considerable remobilization of the crust took place in the presence of mafic mantle-derived melts. On Lipari the petrogenetic processes of magma mixing and assimilation dominate over fractional crystallization, and the observed increase of K2O over Na2O can be correlated with contributions from metapelitic crustal lithologies. It is suggested that the variability in isotopic composition and the budget of alkalis (Na2O versus K2O) in the lavas can be explained by invoking a heat source from an intruding asthenospheric MORB-type mantle into a cooler lithospheric crust/mantle during the opening of the Tyrrhenian basin.

In their literary texts, some classical Roman authors such as Gaius Plinius Secundus and Marcus Vitruvius Pollio stress the importance of milling when preparing mortars. Following these indications, this work describes the effects of milling between lime (calcium hydroxide) and clay brick powder before and after the addition of water. Starting and resulting materials were investigated by XRPD, SEM/EDS, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry (DSC/TC), colorimetry, densimetry and porosimetry. Prolonged milling changes the mineralogy of the starting materials and increases their reactivity. The final lime pastes, starting from materials milled for varying periods of time, had different mineralogical and physical characteristics. These results may help to clarify the reasons for the marked differences in durability of some historical mortars.

A hand specimen from Lipari belonging to the Aeolian calc-alkaline/shoshonitic series provides evidence that the phenomenon of mingling takes place both repeatedly and frequently in magmatic processes. The term «multiple magma mingling» (MMM) describes this repeated mingling, which occurs between primitive and evolved magmas of both mantle and crustal origin. The single sample from Lipari examined here shows how MMM can simultaneously generate all the magma types of the Aeolian magmatic system. There is strong evidence that the genetic mechanism is of dynamic type (forced mechanical mixing). Given the particular phenomenon involved, evidence of MMM normally is obliterated rapidly by ionic diffusion, and a hybrid magma is obtained.

The volcanic products from Lipari define an evolutionary trend with a high gradient of K-enrichment, similar to the calc-alkaline to potassic volcanism of other islands in the Aeolian arc. Stratigraphic reconstruction of the island based on field and geochronological data indicate that the volcanic activity can be subdivided in two stages. The first stage, from 223 to 42 ka, consists of six eruptive cycles and is characterized by basalts and basalt-andesites showing progressive increase in both SiO2 and K2O contents with time. The second stage consists of four cycles erupted since 42 ka and is marked by an apparent rejuvenation of the geochemical system with the appearance of the first rhyolitic products. Fractional crystallization, assimilation and mixing models suggest that the geochemistry of Lipari volcanism evolved with time by a complex interplay between two mantle-derived components, one sub-alkaline and the other alkaline, in addition to crustal melts and/or crustally-derived materials. A petrogenetic model in which fractional crystallization was subordinate to mixing best fits the geochemical data and petrographic observations of macro- and microscopic features. Melts from the crustal and mantle end-members are almost always present in the system but the relative proportions appear to vary with time. The sub-alkaline mantle component (source of Tyrrhenian tholeiites) is an important contributor to the early evolution of the volcanism in Lipari; input from the alkaline mantle component (source of the Roman Comagmatic Province) increases with time, and the crustal component becomes dominant in the later activity. The preferred petrogenetic model for the temporal evolution of the volcanic system in Lipari involves melting initially caused by an increase in the thermal input related to the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea and/or to subduction processes. The quick rise of the isotherms and almost contemporaneous melting of source materials with different compositions favored complex mixing during ascent of the melts.