In this paper we study the Casimir energy of a sample made by N cavities, with $$N\gg 1$$ N ≫ 1 ,... more In this paper we study the Casimir energy of a sample made by N cavities, with $$N\gg 1$$ N ≫ 1 , across the transition from the metallic to the superconducting phase of the constituting plates. After having characterised the energy for the configuration in which the layers constituting the cavities are made by dielectric and for the configuration in which the layers are made by plasma sheets, we concentrate our analysis on the latter. It represents the final step towards the macroscopical characterisation of a “multi-cavity” (with N large) necessary to fully understand the behaviour of the Casimir energy of a YBCO (or a GdBCO) sample across the transition. Our analysis is especially useful to the Archimedes experiment, aimed at measuring the interaction of the electromagnetic vacuum energy with a gravitational field. To this purpose, we aim at modulating the Casimir energy of a layered structure, the multi-cavity, by inducing a transition from the metallic to the superconducting ph...
Monitoring the displacements of the buildings during the execution of underground works is a very... more Monitoring the displacements of the buildings during the execution of underground works is a very demanding activity in large urban areas contexts, due to the number of structures involved and to the duration of the measurements throughout the realization time. Therefore, the surface deformation detection cannot be based on direct measurements using ground-based sensors, only, and should include technologies that allow a systematic and comprehensive monitoring. The satellite DInSAR technique (Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar) provides displacement time series of a large number of measuring points, which can be associated with different portions of a building and are able to reveal differential settlements. Furthermore, the availability of SAR data archived since 1992 allows performing back analyses to evaluate also long-term settlement processes not directly linked to the tunneling works. More recently, the COSMO-SkyMed constellation, developed by the Italian Spa...
Monitoring surface deformation on dams is commonly carried out by in situ geodetic surveying, whi... more Monitoring surface deformation on dams is commonly carried out by in situ geodetic surveying, which is time consuming and characterized by some limitations in space coverage and frequency. More recently microwave satellite-based technologies, such as advanced-DInSAR (Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry), have allowed the integration and improvement of the observation capabilities of ground-based methods thanks to their effectiveness in collecting displacement measurements on many non-destructive control points, corresponding to radar reflecting targets. The availability of such a large number of points of measurement, which are distributed along the whole structure and are characterized by millimetric accuracy on displacement rates, can be profitably adopted for the calibration of numerical models. These models are implemented to simulate the structural behaviour of a dam under conditions of stress thus improving the ability to maintain safety standards. In this wor...
2012 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2012
We investigate the capability improvement of the DInSAR techniques to map deformation phenomena a... more We investigate the capability improvement of the DInSAR techniques to map deformation phenomena affecting urban areas, by performing a comparative analysis of the deformation time series retrieved by applying the full resolution Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) DInSAR technique to selected sequences of SAR data acquired by the ENVISAT, RADARSAT-1 and COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) SAR data. The presented study, focused on the city of Napoli (Italy), allows us to quantify the dramatic increase of the DInSAR coherent pixel density achieved by exploiting the high resolution X-Band CSK SAR images with respect to the RADARSAT-1 and ENVISAT products, respectively; this permits us to analyze nearly all the structures located within the investigated urbanized area and, in many cases, also portions of a same building.
This paper discusses, through two selected case studies based on real data, how the availability ... more This paper discusses, through two selected case studies based on real data, how the availability of the new generation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors, characterized by reduced revisiting time and improved spatial resolution or coverage, is impacting the exploitation of Differential SAR Interferometry (DInSAR) techniques for the detection and monitoring of deformation phenomena. The presented analysis is carried out using X-band data of the COSMO-SkyMed constellation satellites, as well as C-band data acquired by the Sentinel-1A sensor; furthermore, we compare the achieved results to those based on first-generation ERS-1/2 and ENVISAT satellite data. The first case study shows how the COSMO-SkyMed X-band SAR systems open new opportunities for the detection and monitoring of deformation phenomena at the scale of a single building, even when they are characterized by a rather fast dynamic. The second experiment is based on the Sentinel-1A DInSAR measurements and permits us to envisage new scenarios for deformation analysis of very wide areas. The final discussion is devoted to summarise the lessons learned through the presented case studies and to identify the main future actions needed for a full exploitation of the surface deformation measurement capability provided by the new generation of SAR sensor. Keywords Ground deformation Á Remote Sensing Á Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Á DInSAR Á Urban monitoring Á Wide area monitoring Peer reviewed version of the paper presented at conference on Geodesy and Geomatics held at Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in Rome on June 3, 2014.
IEE Proceedings - Radar, Sonar and Navigation, 2002
The paper describes an algorithm to jointly form a track and assign an identity flag to a target ... more The paper describes an algorithm to jointly form a track and assign an identity flag to a target on the basis of measurements provided by a suite of sensors: surveillance radar, high resolution radar and electronic support measures. The algorithm is built around Bayes' inference and Kalinan filters with the interacting multiple model. The improved performance in the track formation and identity estimation, which accrues by the joint tracking and identification algorithm, is evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation and compared to the performance of filters that process the data provided by each single sensor. The joint tracking and identification algorithm plays an important role in modem surveillance systems with non-cooperative target recognition capabilities. List of acronyms and symbols Paper first received 28th January and in revised form 4th Octoher 2002 A.
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2019
The need for a continuous evaluation of the state of preservation of civil infrastructures during... more The need for a continuous evaluation of the state of preservation of civil infrastructures during their lifetime is increasingly requiring advanced monitoring technologies. The improvement of spatial and temporal resolution of the measurements is now one of the most significant achievement, especially for large infrastructures. Monitoring actions are necessary to maintain safety conditions by controlling the evolution of deformation patterns or detecting significant instabilities. Remote sensing technique such as Differential Interferometry by Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) allows identifying environmental vulnerability and potential damages on large road infrastructures thus contributing to plan and optimize maintenance actions. DInSAR data allow to highlight instability processes and to quantify mean deformation velocities and displacement time series. This information can be analysed considering geotechnical and structural characteristics and adopted to evaluate possible safety condition improvement and damage mitigation. Using proximal remote sensing techniques, such as Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR), it is possible to analyse the pavement conditions on 3D models derived from a dense point cloud acquired by Mobile Laser Scanner (MLS). By combining the DInSAR and LiDAR datasets a great improvement is expected in the capability to promptly identifying critical situations and understanding potential risks affecting extended road infrastructures. The principal aim of this paper is to provide a general overview of the most innovative remote sensing techniques for infrastructure safety condition assessments. Furthermore, a methodological approach to define a reliable procedure for data processing and integration is applied on a test area located in the municipality of Rome.
In the maintenance of large infrastructures such as dams, bridges, railways, underground structur... more In the maintenance of large infrastructures such as dams, bridges, railways, underground structures (tunnels, mines) and others, monitoring of deformations plays a key role in maintaining the safety serviceability conditions and for mitigating any consequences due to ageing factors and possible structural failures. [...]
In order to improve the observation capability in one of the most active volcanic areas in the wo... more In order to improve the observation capability in one of the most active volcanic areas in the world, Mt. Etna, we developed a processing method to use the surveillance cameras for a quasi real-time mapping of syn-eruptive processes. Following an evaluation of the current performance of the Etna permanent ground NEtwork of Thermal and Visible Sensors (Etna_NETVIS), its possible implementation and optimization was investigated to determine the locations of additional observation sites to be rapidly set up during emergencies. A tool was then devised to process time series of ground-acquired images and extract a coherent multi-temporal dataset of georeferenced map. The processed datasets can be used to extract 2D features such as evolution maps of active lava flows. The tool was validated on ad-hoc test fields and then adopted to map the evolution of two recent lava flows. The achievable accuracy (about three times the original pixel size) and the short processing time makes the tool suitable for rapidly assessing lava flow evolutions, especially in the case of recurrent eruptions, such as those of the 2011-2015 Etna activity. The tool can be used both in standard monitoring activities and during emergency phases (eventually improving the present network with additional mobile stations) when it is mandatory to carry out a quasi-real-time mapping to support civil protection actions. The developed tool could be integrated in the control room of the Osservatorio Etneo, thus enabling the Etna_NETVIS for mapping purposes and not only for video surveillance.
2008 Second Workshop on Use of Remote Sensing Techniques for Monitoring Volcanoes and Seismogenic Areas, 2008
Focused on the Stromboli Island, this research investigates whether airborne remote sensing syste... more Focused on the Stromboli Island, this research investigates whether airborne remote sensing systems, such as those based on digital photogrammetry and laser scanner sensors, can be adopted to monitor slope deformation and lava emplacement processes in active volcanic areas. Thanks to the capability of extracting accurate topographic data and working on flexible time schedule these methods can be used to
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2014
The methods for understanding rock instability mechanisms and for evaluating potential destructiv... more The methods for understanding rock instability mechanisms and for evaluating potential destructive scenarios are of great importance in risk assessment analysis dedicated to the establishment of appropriate prevention and mitigation actions. When the portion of the unstable rock mass is very large, effective actions to counteract the risks are complex and expensive. In these conditions, an optimal risk management cannot ignore procedures able to faster and accurately acquire i) geometrical data for modeling the geometry of the rock walls and implementing reliable forecasting models and ii) monitoring data able to describe the magnitude and the direction of deformation processes. These data contributes to the prediction of the behavior of a landslide if the measurements are acquired frequently and reliable numerical models can be implemented. Innovative geomatic techniques, based on GPS, Terrestrial Laser Scanning Surveying (TLS), automated total station and satellite and ground SAR Interferometry, have been recently applied to define the geometry and monitoring the displacements of unstable slopes. Among these, TLS is mainly adopted to generate detailed 3D models useful to reconstruct rock wall geometry by contributing to the estimation of geo-mechanical parameters, that is orientation, persistence and apparent spacing of rock discontinuities. Two examples of applications of TLS technique to the analysis of a large front in a quarry and of a rock shoulder of a dam are presented.
In volcanic areas, where it can be difficult to perform direct surveys, digital photogrammetry te... more In volcanic areas, where it can be difficult to perform direct surveys, digital photogrammetry techniques are rarely adopted for routine volcano monitoring. Nevertheless, they have remarkable potentialities for observing active volcanic features (e.g., fissures, lava flows) and the connected deformation processes. The ability to obtain accurate quantitative data of definite accuracy in short time spans makes digital photogrammetry a suitable method for controlling the evolution of rapidly changing large-area volcanic phenomena. The systematic acquisition of airborne photogrammetric datasets can be adopted for implementing a more effective procedure aimed at long-term volcano monitoring and hazard assessment. In addition, during the volcanic crisis, the frequent acquisition of oblique digital images from helicopter allows for quasi-real-time monitoring to support mitigation actions by civil protection. These images are commonly used to update existing maps through a photo-interpretation approach that provide data of unknown accuracy. This work presents a scientific tool (Orthoview) that implements a straightforward photogrammetric approach to generate digital orthophotos from single-view oblique images provided that at least four Ground Control Points (GCP) and current Digital Elevation Models (DEM) are available.
2015 IEEE 15th International Conference on Environment and Electrical Engineering (EEEIC), 2015
A multi-sensor approach has been adopted to investigate the summit area of Mount Etna that from J... more A multi-sensor approach has been adopted to investigate the summit area of Mount Etna that from January 2011 has significantly changed due to the intense volcanic activity from the New South East Crater. WorldView and Pleiades stereopairs were processed to obtain high resolution Digital Elevation Models and orthophotos used to update the topography of the volcano at over 3000 m of elevation. COSMO-SkyMed interferometric pairs provided additional data to attempt a reconstruction of the evolution of the New South East Crater between June 2011 and October 2014. The information retrieved from the optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar datasets were integrated with in-situ measurements and volcanological and geotechnical information thus contributing to the assessment of hazard scenarios.
In recent years, the measurement of dam displacements has benefited from a great improvement of e... more In recent years, the measurement of dam displacements has benefited from a great improvement of existing technology, which has allowed a higher degree of automation. This has led to data collection with an improved temporal and spatial resolution. Robotic total stations and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) techniques, often in an integrated manner, may provide efficient solutions for measuring 3D displacements on precise locations on the outer surfaces of dams. On the other hand, remote-sensing techniques, such as terrestrial laser scanning, ground-based SAR (synthetic aperture radar) and satellite differential interferometric SAR offer the chance to extend the observed region to a large portion of a structure and its surrounding areas, integrating the information that is usually provided in a limited number of in-situ control points. The design and implementation of integrated monitoring systems have been revealed as a strategic solution to analyze different situations in ...
Lava flows produced during Etna flank eruptions represent severe hazards for the nearby inhabited... more Lava flows produced during Etna flank eruptions represent severe hazards for the nearby inhabited areas, which can be protected by adopting prompt mitigation actions, such as the building of diversion barriers. Lava diversion measures were attempted recently during the 1983, 1991-93, 2001 and 2002 Etna eruptions, although with different degrees of success. In addition to the complexity of barrier construction (due to the adverse physical conditions), the time available to successfully slow the advance of a lava flow depends on the lava effusion rate, which is not easily measurable. One method to estimate the average lava effusion rate over a specified period of time is based on a volumetric approach; i.e. the measurement of the volume changes of the lava flow over that period. Here, this has been compared to an approach based on thermal image processing, as applied to estimate the average effusion rates of lava flows during the 1981 and 2001 Etna eruptions. The final volumes were me...
The paper describes an algorithm to jointly form a track and assign an identity flag to a target ... more The paper describes an algorithm to jointly form a track and assign an identity flag to a target on the basis of measurements provided by a suite of sensors: surveillance radar, high resolution radar and electronic support measures. The algorithm is built around Bayes' inference and Kalinan filters with the interacting multiple model. The improved performance in the track formation and identity estimation, which accrues by the joint tracking and identification algorithm, is evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation and compared to the performance of filters that process the data provided by each single sensor. The joint tracking and identification algorithm plays an important role in modem surveillance systems with non-cooperative target recognition capabilities.
In the absence of systematic structural monitoring to support adequate maintenance standards, man... more In the absence of systematic structural monitoring to support adequate maintenance standards, many existing infrastructures may reach unacceptable quality levels during their life cycle, resulting in significant damage and even potential failure. The metropolitan area of the Gulf of Salerno (Italy), served by a complex multimodal transport network connecting the port area to the roads and railways surrounding the urban area, represents an important industrial and commercial hub at the local and international scale. This particular scenario, developed in a complex morphological and geological context, has led to the interference and overlapping of the transport network (highway, railway, main and secondary roads) that run through the piedmont area north of the port. Given the relevance of the area, our research aims to highlight the capabilities of the persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) technique, belonging to the group of differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar ...
The road network of metropolitan Rome is determined by a large number of structures located in di... more The road network of metropolitan Rome is determined by a large number of structures located in different geological environments. To maintain security and service conditions, satellite-based monitoring can play a key role, since it can cover large areas by accurately detecting ground displacements due to anthropic activities (underground excavations, interference with other infrastructures, etc.) or natural hazards, mainly connected to the critical hydrogeological events. To investigate the area, two different Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) processing methods were used in this study: the first with open source using the Persistent Scatterers Interferometry (PSI) of SNAP-StaMPS workflow for Sentinel-1 (SNT1) and the second with the SBAS technique for Cosmo-SkyMed (CSK). The results obtained can corroborate the displacement trends due to the characteristics of the soil and the geological environments. With Sentinel-1 data, we were able to obtain the gene...
<p lang="en-US" align="justify">We present an efficient tool fo... more <p lang="en-US" align="justify">We present an efficient tool for managing, visualizing, analysing, and integrating with other data sources, Earth Observation (EO) data for the analysis of surface deformation phenomena. In particular, we focused on specific <span lang="en-US">E</span><span lang="en-US">O</span> data that are those obtained by an <span lang="en-US">a</span><span lang="en-US">dvanced</span>-processing of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for monitoring wide areas of the Earth's surface. More specifically, <span lang="en-US">we refer to the </span><span lang="en-US">SAR technique called </span><span lang="en-US">advanced differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar </span><span lang="en-US">(</span><span lang="en-US">DInSAR</span><span lang="en-US">)</span> <span lang="en-US">that </span><span lang="en-US">have demonstrated </span><span lang="en-US">its</span><span lang="en-US"> capabilit</span><span lang="en-US">ies</span><span lang="en-US"> to detect, </span><span lang="en-US">to </span><span lang="en-US">map and </span><span lang="en-US">to </span><span lang="en-US">analyse the on-going surface displacement phenomena, </span><span lang="en-US">both spatially and temporally, </span><span lang="en-US">with centimetre to millimetre accuracy t</span><span lang="en-US">hanks to the</span><span lang="en-US"> generat</span><span lang="en-US">ion of</span><span lang="en-US"> deformation maps and time-series</span>. Currently, the DInSAR scenario is characterized by a huge availability of SAR data acquired during the last 25 years, now with a massive and ever-increasing data flow supplied by the C-band Sentinel-1 (S1) constellation of the European Copernicus program.</p> <p class="western" lang="en-US" align="justify"><span lang="en-US">Considering this big picture, the Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) becomes a fundamental tool to implement a framework to handle the informative content of geographic data. Indeed, an SDI represents a collection of technologies, policies, standards, human resources, and related activities permitting the acquisition, processing, distribution, use, maintenance, and preservation of spatial data. </span></p> <p class="western" lang="en-US" align="justify"><span lang="en-US">We implemented an SDI, extending the functionalities of GeoNode, which is a web-based platform, providing an open-source framework based on the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards. </span><span lang="en-US">OGC</span> <span lang="en-US">makes easier</span><span lang="en-US"> interoperability functionalities, </span><span lang="en-US">that represent an extremely important </span><span lang="en-US">aspect because allow the data producers to share geospatial information for all types of cooperative processes, avoiding duplication of efforts and costs. Our </span><span lang="en-US">implemented</span><span lang="en-US"> GeoNode-Based Platform </span><span lang="en-US">extends a Geographic Information System (GIS) to a web-accessible resource and </span><span lang="en-US">adapt</span><span lang="en-US">s the SDI tools </span><span lang="en-US">to DInSAR-related requirements. </span></p> <p class="western" lang="en-US" align="justify"><span lang="en-US">O</span><span lang="en-US">ur efforts have been dedicated to enabling the GeoNode platform to effectively analyze and visualize the spatial/temporal characteristics of the DInSAR deformation time-series and their related products. Moreover, the implemented multi-thread based new functionalities allow us to efficiently upload and update large data volumes of the available DInSAR results into a dedicated geodatabase. </span><span lang="en-US">W</span><span lang="en-US">e </span><span lang="en-US">demonstrate the high performance of implemented</span><span lang="en-US"> GeoNode-Based Platform, </span><span lang="en-US">showing </span><span lang="en-US">DInSAR results relevant to the acquisitions of the Sentinel-1 constellation, collected during 2015-2018 </span><span lang="en-US">over Italy</span><span lang="en-US">.</span></p> <p class="western" lang="en-US" align="justify">This work is supported by the 2019-2021 IREA CNR and Italian Civil Protection Department agreement; the H2020 EPOS-SP project (GA 871121); the I-AMICA (PONa3_00363) project; and the IREA-CNR/DGSUNMIG agreement.</p> <p lang="en-US"…
We present the status of the art of the Archimedes experiment, devoted to measuring the debated i... more We present the status of the art of the Archimedes experiment, devoted to measuring the debated interaction of quantum vacuum fluctuations and gravity. The method is essentially the weighing of the transition energy of a layered superconductor where the contribution of vacuum energy to the transition energy is expected to be relevant. The transition is obtained by modulating the temperature of the superconducting sample at a frequency of about 10 mHz and the expected change of weight is measured with a suitably designed high sensitivity cryogenic beam balance. In this paper, we present an overview of the experiment, discussing the expected signal to be measured, and presenting in particular the result of a prototype balance operated in our present laboratory. In the frequency range of the measurement, the sensitivity is affected mainly by seismic, thermal, sensor, and control noise. We discuss these points showing in particular the design of the cryogenic apparatus, the final balanc...
In this paper we study the Casimir energy of a sample made by N cavities, with $$N\gg 1$$ N ≫ 1 ,... more In this paper we study the Casimir energy of a sample made by N cavities, with $$N\gg 1$$ N ≫ 1 , across the transition from the metallic to the superconducting phase of the constituting plates. After having characterised the energy for the configuration in which the layers constituting the cavities are made by dielectric and for the configuration in which the layers are made by plasma sheets, we concentrate our analysis on the latter. It represents the final step towards the macroscopical characterisation of a “multi-cavity” (with N large) necessary to fully understand the behaviour of the Casimir energy of a YBCO (or a GdBCO) sample across the transition. Our analysis is especially useful to the Archimedes experiment, aimed at measuring the interaction of the electromagnetic vacuum energy with a gravitational field. To this purpose, we aim at modulating the Casimir energy of a layered structure, the multi-cavity, by inducing a transition from the metallic to the superconducting ph...
Monitoring the displacements of the buildings during the execution of underground works is a very... more Monitoring the displacements of the buildings during the execution of underground works is a very demanding activity in large urban areas contexts, due to the number of structures involved and to the duration of the measurements throughout the realization time. Therefore, the surface deformation detection cannot be based on direct measurements using ground-based sensors, only, and should include technologies that allow a systematic and comprehensive monitoring. The satellite DInSAR technique (Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar) provides displacement time series of a large number of measuring points, which can be associated with different portions of a building and are able to reveal differential settlements. Furthermore, the availability of SAR data archived since 1992 allows performing back analyses to evaluate also long-term settlement processes not directly linked to the tunneling works. More recently, the COSMO-SkyMed constellation, developed by the Italian Spa...
Monitoring surface deformation on dams is commonly carried out by in situ geodetic surveying, whi... more Monitoring surface deformation on dams is commonly carried out by in situ geodetic surveying, which is time consuming and characterized by some limitations in space coverage and frequency. More recently microwave satellite-based technologies, such as advanced-DInSAR (Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry), have allowed the integration and improvement of the observation capabilities of ground-based methods thanks to their effectiveness in collecting displacement measurements on many non-destructive control points, corresponding to radar reflecting targets. The availability of such a large number of points of measurement, which are distributed along the whole structure and are characterized by millimetric accuracy on displacement rates, can be profitably adopted for the calibration of numerical models. These models are implemented to simulate the structural behaviour of a dam under conditions of stress thus improving the ability to maintain safety standards. In this wor...
2012 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2012
We investigate the capability improvement of the DInSAR techniques to map deformation phenomena a... more We investigate the capability improvement of the DInSAR techniques to map deformation phenomena affecting urban areas, by performing a comparative analysis of the deformation time series retrieved by applying the full resolution Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) DInSAR technique to selected sequences of SAR data acquired by the ENVISAT, RADARSAT-1 and COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) SAR data. The presented study, focused on the city of Napoli (Italy), allows us to quantify the dramatic increase of the DInSAR coherent pixel density achieved by exploiting the high resolution X-Band CSK SAR images with respect to the RADARSAT-1 and ENVISAT products, respectively; this permits us to analyze nearly all the structures located within the investigated urbanized area and, in many cases, also portions of a same building.
This paper discusses, through two selected case studies based on real data, how the availability ... more This paper discusses, through two selected case studies based on real data, how the availability of the new generation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors, characterized by reduced revisiting time and improved spatial resolution or coverage, is impacting the exploitation of Differential SAR Interferometry (DInSAR) techniques for the detection and monitoring of deformation phenomena. The presented analysis is carried out using X-band data of the COSMO-SkyMed constellation satellites, as well as C-band data acquired by the Sentinel-1A sensor; furthermore, we compare the achieved results to those based on first-generation ERS-1/2 and ENVISAT satellite data. The first case study shows how the COSMO-SkyMed X-band SAR systems open new opportunities for the detection and monitoring of deformation phenomena at the scale of a single building, even when they are characterized by a rather fast dynamic. The second experiment is based on the Sentinel-1A DInSAR measurements and permits us to envisage new scenarios for deformation analysis of very wide areas. The final discussion is devoted to summarise the lessons learned through the presented case studies and to identify the main future actions needed for a full exploitation of the surface deformation measurement capability provided by the new generation of SAR sensor. Keywords Ground deformation Á Remote Sensing Á Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Á DInSAR Á Urban monitoring Á Wide area monitoring Peer reviewed version of the paper presented at conference on Geodesy and Geomatics held at Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in Rome on June 3, 2014.
IEE Proceedings - Radar, Sonar and Navigation, 2002
The paper describes an algorithm to jointly form a track and assign an identity flag to a target ... more The paper describes an algorithm to jointly form a track and assign an identity flag to a target on the basis of measurements provided by a suite of sensors: surveillance radar, high resolution radar and electronic support measures. The algorithm is built around Bayes' inference and Kalinan filters with the interacting multiple model. The improved performance in the track formation and identity estimation, which accrues by the joint tracking and identification algorithm, is evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation and compared to the performance of filters that process the data provided by each single sensor. The joint tracking and identification algorithm plays an important role in modem surveillance systems with non-cooperative target recognition capabilities. List of acronyms and symbols Paper first received 28th January and in revised form 4th Octoher 2002 A.
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2019
The need for a continuous evaluation of the state of preservation of civil infrastructures during... more The need for a continuous evaluation of the state of preservation of civil infrastructures during their lifetime is increasingly requiring advanced monitoring technologies. The improvement of spatial and temporal resolution of the measurements is now one of the most significant achievement, especially for large infrastructures. Monitoring actions are necessary to maintain safety conditions by controlling the evolution of deformation patterns or detecting significant instabilities. Remote sensing technique such as Differential Interferometry by Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) allows identifying environmental vulnerability and potential damages on large road infrastructures thus contributing to plan and optimize maintenance actions. DInSAR data allow to highlight instability processes and to quantify mean deformation velocities and displacement time series. This information can be analysed considering geotechnical and structural characteristics and adopted to evaluate possible safety condition improvement and damage mitigation. Using proximal remote sensing techniques, such as Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR), it is possible to analyse the pavement conditions on 3D models derived from a dense point cloud acquired by Mobile Laser Scanner (MLS). By combining the DInSAR and LiDAR datasets a great improvement is expected in the capability to promptly identifying critical situations and understanding potential risks affecting extended road infrastructures. The principal aim of this paper is to provide a general overview of the most innovative remote sensing techniques for infrastructure safety condition assessments. Furthermore, a methodological approach to define a reliable procedure for data processing and integration is applied on a test area located in the municipality of Rome.
In the maintenance of large infrastructures such as dams, bridges, railways, underground structur... more In the maintenance of large infrastructures such as dams, bridges, railways, underground structures (tunnels, mines) and others, monitoring of deformations plays a key role in maintaining the safety serviceability conditions and for mitigating any consequences due to ageing factors and possible structural failures. [...]
In order to improve the observation capability in one of the most active volcanic areas in the wo... more In order to improve the observation capability in one of the most active volcanic areas in the world, Mt. Etna, we developed a processing method to use the surveillance cameras for a quasi real-time mapping of syn-eruptive processes. Following an evaluation of the current performance of the Etna permanent ground NEtwork of Thermal and Visible Sensors (Etna_NETVIS), its possible implementation and optimization was investigated to determine the locations of additional observation sites to be rapidly set up during emergencies. A tool was then devised to process time series of ground-acquired images and extract a coherent multi-temporal dataset of georeferenced map. The processed datasets can be used to extract 2D features such as evolution maps of active lava flows. The tool was validated on ad-hoc test fields and then adopted to map the evolution of two recent lava flows. The achievable accuracy (about three times the original pixel size) and the short processing time makes the tool suitable for rapidly assessing lava flow evolutions, especially in the case of recurrent eruptions, such as those of the 2011-2015 Etna activity. The tool can be used both in standard monitoring activities and during emergency phases (eventually improving the present network with additional mobile stations) when it is mandatory to carry out a quasi-real-time mapping to support civil protection actions. The developed tool could be integrated in the control room of the Osservatorio Etneo, thus enabling the Etna_NETVIS for mapping purposes and not only for video surveillance.
2008 Second Workshop on Use of Remote Sensing Techniques for Monitoring Volcanoes and Seismogenic Areas, 2008
Focused on the Stromboli Island, this research investigates whether airborne remote sensing syste... more Focused on the Stromboli Island, this research investigates whether airborne remote sensing systems, such as those based on digital photogrammetry and laser scanner sensors, can be adopted to monitor slope deformation and lava emplacement processes in active volcanic areas. Thanks to the capability of extracting accurate topographic data and working on flexible time schedule these methods can be used to
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2014
The methods for understanding rock instability mechanisms and for evaluating potential destructiv... more The methods for understanding rock instability mechanisms and for evaluating potential destructive scenarios are of great importance in risk assessment analysis dedicated to the establishment of appropriate prevention and mitigation actions. When the portion of the unstable rock mass is very large, effective actions to counteract the risks are complex and expensive. In these conditions, an optimal risk management cannot ignore procedures able to faster and accurately acquire i) geometrical data for modeling the geometry of the rock walls and implementing reliable forecasting models and ii) monitoring data able to describe the magnitude and the direction of deformation processes. These data contributes to the prediction of the behavior of a landslide if the measurements are acquired frequently and reliable numerical models can be implemented. Innovative geomatic techniques, based on GPS, Terrestrial Laser Scanning Surveying (TLS), automated total station and satellite and ground SAR Interferometry, have been recently applied to define the geometry and monitoring the displacements of unstable slopes. Among these, TLS is mainly adopted to generate detailed 3D models useful to reconstruct rock wall geometry by contributing to the estimation of geo-mechanical parameters, that is orientation, persistence and apparent spacing of rock discontinuities. Two examples of applications of TLS technique to the analysis of a large front in a quarry and of a rock shoulder of a dam are presented.
In volcanic areas, where it can be difficult to perform direct surveys, digital photogrammetry te... more In volcanic areas, where it can be difficult to perform direct surveys, digital photogrammetry techniques are rarely adopted for routine volcano monitoring. Nevertheless, they have remarkable potentialities for observing active volcanic features (e.g., fissures, lava flows) and the connected deformation processes. The ability to obtain accurate quantitative data of definite accuracy in short time spans makes digital photogrammetry a suitable method for controlling the evolution of rapidly changing large-area volcanic phenomena. The systematic acquisition of airborne photogrammetric datasets can be adopted for implementing a more effective procedure aimed at long-term volcano monitoring and hazard assessment. In addition, during the volcanic crisis, the frequent acquisition of oblique digital images from helicopter allows for quasi-real-time monitoring to support mitigation actions by civil protection. These images are commonly used to update existing maps through a photo-interpretation approach that provide data of unknown accuracy. This work presents a scientific tool (Orthoview) that implements a straightforward photogrammetric approach to generate digital orthophotos from single-view oblique images provided that at least four Ground Control Points (GCP) and current Digital Elevation Models (DEM) are available.
2015 IEEE 15th International Conference on Environment and Electrical Engineering (EEEIC), 2015
A multi-sensor approach has been adopted to investigate the summit area of Mount Etna that from J... more A multi-sensor approach has been adopted to investigate the summit area of Mount Etna that from January 2011 has significantly changed due to the intense volcanic activity from the New South East Crater. WorldView and Pleiades stereopairs were processed to obtain high resolution Digital Elevation Models and orthophotos used to update the topography of the volcano at over 3000 m of elevation. COSMO-SkyMed interferometric pairs provided additional data to attempt a reconstruction of the evolution of the New South East Crater between June 2011 and October 2014. The information retrieved from the optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar datasets were integrated with in-situ measurements and volcanological and geotechnical information thus contributing to the assessment of hazard scenarios.
In recent years, the measurement of dam displacements has benefited from a great improvement of e... more In recent years, the measurement of dam displacements has benefited from a great improvement of existing technology, which has allowed a higher degree of automation. This has led to data collection with an improved temporal and spatial resolution. Robotic total stations and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) techniques, often in an integrated manner, may provide efficient solutions for measuring 3D displacements on precise locations on the outer surfaces of dams. On the other hand, remote-sensing techniques, such as terrestrial laser scanning, ground-based SAR (synthetic aperture radar) and satellite differential interferometric SAR offer the chance to extend the observed region to a large portion of a structure and its surrounding areas, integrating the information that is usually provided in a limited number of in-situ control points. The design and implementation of integrated monitoring systems have been revealed as a strategic solution to analyze different situations in ...
Lava flows produced during Etna flank eruptions represent severe hazards for the nearby inhabited... more Lava flows produced during Etna flank eruptions represent severe hazards for the nearby inhabited areas, which can be protected by adopting prompt mitigation actions, such as the building of diversion barriers. Lava diversion measures were attempted recently during the 1983, 1991-93, 2001 and 2002 Etna eruptions, although with different degrees of success. In addition to the complexity of barrier construction (due to the adverse physical conditions), the time available to successfully slow the advance of a lava flow depends on the lava effusion rate, which is not easily measurable. One method to estimate the average lava effusion rate over a specified period of time is based on a volumetric approach; i.e. the measurement of the volume changes of the lava flow over that period. Here, this has been compared to an approach based on thermal image processing, as applied to estimate the average effusion rates of lava flows during the 1981 and 2001 Etna eruptions. The final volumes were me...
The paper describes an algorithm to jointly form a track and assign an identity flag to a target ... more The paper describes an algorithm to jointly form a track and assign an identity flag to a target on the basis of measurements provided by a suite of sensors: surveillance radar, high resolution radar and electronic support measures. The algorithm is built around Bayes' inference and Kalinan filters with the interacting multiple model. The improved performance in the track formation and identity estimation, which accrues by the joint tracking and identification algorithm, is evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation and compared to the performance of filters that process the data provided by each single sensor. The joint tracking and identification algorithm plays an important role in modem surveillance systems with non-cooperative target recognition capabilities.
In the absence of systematic structural monitoring to support adequate maintenance standards, man... more In the absence of systematic structural monitoring to support adequate maintenance standards, many existing infrastructures may reach unacceptable quality levels during their life cycle, resulting in significant damage and even potential failure. The metropolitan area of the Gulf of Salerno (Italy), served by a complex multimodal transport network connecting the port area to the roads and railways surrounding the urban area, represents an important industrial and commercial hub at the local and international scale. This particular scenario, developed in a complex morphological and geological context, has led to the interference and overlapping of the transport network (highway, railway, main and secondary roads) that run through the piedmont area north of the port. Given the relevance of the area, our research aims to highlight the capabilities of the persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) technique, belonging to the group of differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar ...
The road network of metropolitan Rome is determined by a large number of structures located in di... more The road network of metropolitan Rome is determined by a large number of structures located in different geological environments. To maintain security and service conditions, satellite-based monitoring can play a key role, since it can cover large areas by accurately detecting ground displacements due to anthropic activities (underground excavations, interference with other infrastructures, etc.) or natural hazards, mainly connected to the critical hydrogeological events. To investigate the area, two different Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) processing methods were used in this study: the first with open source using the Persistent Scatterers Interferometry (PSI) of SNAP-StaMPS workflow for Sentinel-1 (SNT1) and the second with the SBAS technique for Cosmo-SkyMed (CSK). The results obtained can corroborate the displacement trends due to the characteristics of the soil and the geological environments. With Sentinel-1 data, we were able to obtain the gene...
<p lang="en-US" align="justify">We present an efficient tool fo... more <p lang="en-US" align="justify">We present an efficient tool for managing, visualizing, analysing, and integrating with other data sources, Earth Observation (EO) data for the analysis of surface deformation phenomena. In particular, we focused on specific <span lang="en-US">E</span><span lang="en-US">O</span> data that are those obtained by an <span lang="en-US">a</span><span lang="en-US">dvanced</span>-processing of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for monitoring wide areas of the Earth's surface. More specifically, <span lang="en-US">we refer to the </span><span lang="en-US">SAR technique called </span><span lang="en-US">advanced differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar </span><span lang="en-US">(</span><span lang="en-US">DInSAR</span><span lang="en-US">)</span> <span lang="en-US">that </span><span lang="en-US">have demonstrated </span><span lang="en-US">its</span><span lang="en-US"> capabilit</span><span lang="en-US">ies</span><span lang="en-US"> to detect, </span><span lang="en-US">to </span><span lang="en-US">map and </span><span lang="en-US">to </span><span lang="en-US">analyse the on-going surface displacement phenomena, </span><span lang="en-US">both spatially and temporally, </span><span lang="en-US">with centimetre to millimetre accuracy t</span><span lang="en-US">hanks to the</span><span lang="en-US"> generat</span><span lang="en-US">ion of</span><span lang="en-US"> deformation maps and time-series</span>. Currently, the DInSAR scenario is characterized by a huge availability of SAR data acquired during the last 25 years, now with a massive and ever-increasing data flow supplied by the C-band Sentinel-1 (S1) constellation of the European Copernicus program.</p> <p class="western" lang="en-US" align="justify"><span lang="en-US">Considering this big picture, the Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) becomes a fundamental tool to implement a framework to handle the informative content of geographic data. Indeed, an SDI represents a collection of technologies, policies, standards, human resources, and related activities permitting the acquisition, processing, distribution, use, maintenance, and preservation of spatial data. </span></p> <p class="western" lang="en-US" align="justify"><span lang="en-US">We implemented an SDI, extending the functionalities of GeoNode, which is a web-based platform, providing an open-source framework based on the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards. </span><span lang="en-US">OGC</span> <span lang="en-US">makes easier</span><span lang="en-US"> interoperability functionalities, </span><span lang="en-US">that represent an extremely important </span><span lang="en-US">aspect because allow the data producers to share geospatial information for all types of cooperative processes, avoiding duplication of efforts and costs. Our </span><span lang="en-US">implemented</span><span lang="en-US"> GeoNode-Based Platform </span><span lang="en-US">extends a Geographic Information System (GIS) to a web-accessible resource and </span><span lang="en-US">adapt</span><span lang="en-US">s the SDI tools </span><span lang="en-US">to DInSAR-related requirements. </span></p> <p class="western" lang="en-US" align="justify"><span lang="en-US">O</span><span lang="en-US">ur efforts have been dedicated to enabling the GeoNode platform to effectively analyze and visualize the spatial/temporal characteristics of the DInSAR deformation time-series and their related products. Moreover, the implemented multi-thread based new functionalities allow us to efficiently upload and update large data volumes of the available DInSAR results into a dedicated geodatabase. </span><span lang="en-US">W</span><span lang="en-US">e </span><span lang="en-US">demonstrate the high performance of implemented</span><span lang="en-US"> GeoNode-Based Platform, </span><span lang="en-US">showing </span><span lang="en-US">DInSAR results relevant to the acquisitions of the Sentinel-1 constellation, collected during 2015-2018 </span><span lang="en-US">over Italy</span><span lang="en-US">.</span></p> <p class="western" lang="en-US" align="justify">This work is supported by the 2019-2021 IREA CNR and Italian Civil Protection Department agreement; the H2020 EPOS-SP project (GA 871121); the I-AMICA (PONa3_00363) project; and the IREA-CNR/DGSUNMIG agreement.</p> <p lang="en-US"…
We present the status of the art of the Archimedes experiment, devoted to measuring the debated i... more We present the status of the art of the Archimedes experiment, devoted to measuring the debated interaction of quantum vacuum fluctuations and gravity. The method is essentially the weighing of the transition energy of a layered superconductor where the contribution of vacuum energy to the transition energy is expected to be relevant. The transition is obtained by modulating the temperature of the superconducting sample at a frequency of about 10 mHz and the expected change of weight is measured with a suitably designed high sensitivity cryogenic beam balance. In this paper, we present an overview of the experiment, discussing the expected signal to be measured, and presenting in particular the result of a prototype balance operated in our present laboratory. In the frequency range of the measurement, the sensitivity is affected mainly by seismic, thermal, sensor, and control noise. We discuss these points showing in particular the design of the cryogenic apparatus, the final balanc...
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