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Rockslides are one of the most dangerous hazards in mountainous and hilly areas. In this study, a rockslide that occurred on 30 November 2022 in Castrocucco, a district located in the Italian municipality of Maratea (Potenza province) in the Basilicata region, was investigated by using pre- and post-event high-resolution 3D models. The event caused a great social alarm as some infrastructures were affected. The main road to the tourist hub of Maratea was, in fact, destroyed and made inaccessible. Rock debris also affected a beach club and important boat storage for sea excursions to Maratea. This event was investigated by using multiscale and multisensor close-range remote sensing (LiDAR and SfM) to determine rockslide characteristics. The novelty of this work lies in how these data, although not originally acquired for rockslide analysis, have been integrated and utilized in an emergency at an almost inaccessible site. The event was analyzed both through classical geomorphological analysis and through a quantitative comparison of multi-temporal DEMs (DoD) in order to assess (i) all the morphological features involved, (ii) detached volume (approximately 8000 m3), and (iii) the process of redistributing and reworking the landslide deposit in the depositional area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, the airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system has become a useful tool for acquiring high-resolution topographic data, especially in active tectonics studies. Analyzing Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) from LiDAR exposes morpho-structural elements, aiding in the understanding of fault zones, among other applications. Despite its effectiveness, challenges persist in regions with rapid deformation, dense vegetation, and human impact. We propose an adapted workflow transitioning from the conventional airborne LiDAR system to the usage of drone-based LiDAR technology for higher-resolution data acquisition. Additionally, drones offer a more cost-effective solution, both in an initial investment and ongoing operational expenses. Our goal is to demonstrate how drone-based LiDAR enhances the identification of active deformation features, particularly for earthquake-induced surface faulting. To evaluate the potential of our technique, we conducted a drone-based LiDAR survey in the Casamicciola Terme area, north of Ischia Island, Italy, known for the occurrence of destructive shallow earthquakes, including the 2017 Md = 4 event. We assessed the quality of our acquired DTM by comparing it with existing elevation datasets for the same area. We discuss the advantages and limitations of each DTM product in relation to our results, particularly when applied to fault mapping. By analyzing derivative DTM products, we identified the fault scarps within the Casamicciola Holocene Graben (CHG) and mapped its structural geometry in detail. The analysis of both linear and areal geomorphic features allowed us to identify the primary factors influencing the current morphological arrangement of the CHG area. Our detailed map depicts a nested graben formed by two main structures (the Maio and Sentinella faults) and minor internal faults (the Purgatorio and Nizzola faults). High-resolution DEMs acquired by drone-based LiDAR facilitated detailed studies of the geomorphology and fault activity. A similar approach can be applied in regions where the evidence of high slip-rate faults is difficult to identify due to vegetation cover and inaccessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Italian national territory is characterised by the widespread presence of cavities dating back to different periods, especially in urban areas. The lack of knowledge of the position of the entrances, planimetric developments and state of preservation contributes to accentuating the unknowns related to sinkhole risk, which are directly related to potential cavity collapses with the opening of surface chasms. To deepen knowledge with a view to risk mitigation, a method has been developed to employ surveys obtained from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to locate entrances even in hard-to-access urban areas. These surveys, properly supported with GNSS stations, were then integrated with cavity surveys obtained from low-cost lidar mounted on iPhones. Comparisons were made with traditional surveying techniques to better understand the reliability of the surveys made with low-cost lidar. The 3D models obtained, combined with geomechanical surveys of the rock masses hosting the cavities, allowed the application of simplified and empirical methods for an initial stability assessment. This method was tested on a portion of the municipality of Grotte di Castro (Province of Viterbo—Italy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, fluvial geomorphology and ecohydraulic research have extensively used field observations, remote sensing or hydrodynamic modelling to understand river systems. This study presents an innovative approach that combines field surveys, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)‐based topographical and biomass analyses and model‐derived hydro‐morphodynamic geostatistics to examine short‐term biogeomorphological changes in the wandering gravel‐bed Orco River in Italy. Our primary hypothesis is that hydro‐morphological variables can be robust descriptors for riparian vegetation distribution. From a geomorphological perspective, our study confirms the prevalent wandering behaviour of the Orco River. Moreover, we identified a widening trend in braiding and anabranching sections, particularly downstream. This is evident because of hotspots of flood‐induced morphological reactivation and the redistribution of sediments from the riverbed to lateral bars, resulting in a multi‐thread pattern. Our analysis reveals a net increase in biomass during the observation period despite frequent flood disturbances. We attributed it to two opposing biogeomorphological dynamics: the reduced flow disturbance in some regions due to flood‐induced geomorphological changes and the self‐healing of lateral connectivity through river wandering. Such a net increase indicates that transitional rivers store carbon in the form of vegetation biomass due to their short‐term morphological instability and the different timescales between vegetation and morphological adjustments. Finally, we supported our initial hypothesis with three key findings: (i) a signature of vegetation not just on topography but also on hydro‐morphological conditions, summarised by inundation probability; (ii) the lower variance in vertical topographical changes in vegetated areas compared with bare ones; and (iii) the introduction of a new parameter, named inundation viscosity, derived from the product of mean bed shear stress and average inundation duration, as a discriminating factor for colonisation conditions. These results underscore the value of our comprehensive approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the summer of 2017, huge wildfires in the British Columbia region (Canada) led to the injection of a remarkably high concentration of biomass burning aerosol in the atmosphere. These aerosol masses reached the city of Naples, Italy, at the end of August 2017, where they were characterized by means of a multiwavelength lidar and a sun–sky–lunar photometer. Here we report on the optical and microphysical properties of this aerosol in an intriguing condition, occurring on 4 September 2017, which is characterized by an interesting multi-layered vertical distribution of the aerosol. The Lidar profiles highlighted the presence of four aerosol layers, with two located in the lower troposphere and the other two at stratospheric altitudes. A rather thorough characterization of the biomass burning aerosol was carried out. The aerosol depolarization ratio showed an increasing dependence on the altitude with averaged values of 2–4% for the tropospheric layers, which are indicative of almost spherical smoke particles, and larger values in the stratospheric layers, suggestive of aspheric particles. Lidar-derived size distributions were retrieved for the first three aerosol layers, highlighting a higher particle concentration in the fine-mode fraction for the layers observed at higher altitudes. A dominance of fine particles in the atmosphere (fine-mode fraction > 0.8) with low absorption properties (absorption AOD < 0.0025 and SSA > 0.97) was also observed over the whole atmospheric column by sun photometer data. The space-resolved results provided by the lidar data are consistent with the columnar features retrieved by the AERONET sun photometer, thus evidencing the reliability and capability of lidar characterization of atmospheric aerosol in a very interesting condition of multiple aerosol layers originating from Canadian fires overpassing the observation station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on a very complex environment, namely the Ionian coast of the Basilicata region, Southern Italy, which includes different kinds of beaches, river mouths and built-up areas. This complex environment is used as a test case to analyze the time variability of the coastline using measurements that were remotely sensed by the satellite European Copernicus Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mission. First, the accuracy of the coastline, extracted by the SAR, is discussed with respect to finer-spatial-resolution drone-based light detection and ranging (LIDAR) measurements. Then, a time series of SAR dual-polarimetric measurements acquired by the European Copernicus mission is used to discuss the time variability of the coastline of the area of interest in a time period spanning from 2015 to 2021. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the SAR-based coastline is better than 15 m, which is reasonably good precision for monitoring the erosion/accretion processes that characterize the area of interest at a moderate scale. The estimated time variability of the extracted coastline suggests a dominant erosion process, which is always within 60 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of light detection and ranging technologies, i.e. terrestrial laser scanner (TLS), airborne laser scanner (ALS) and mobile laser scanner (MLS), together with the unmanned aerial vehicles digital photogrammetry (UAV-DP) and satellite data are proving to be fundamental tools to carry out reliable muographic measurement campaigns. The main purpose of this paper is to propose a workflow to correctly plan and exploit these types of data for muon radiography aims. To this end, a real case study is presented: searching for hidden tombs in the Etruscan necropolis of Palazzone (Umbria, Italy). A high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) and three-dimensional models of the ground surface/sub-surface of the study area were created by merging data obtained using different survey methods to achieve the most accurate three-dimensional environment. Indeed, the simulated muon flux transmission used to infer relative transmission values, and the estimated density distribution, depends on the reliability of the three-dimensional reconstructed ground surface model. The aim of this study is to provide knowledge on the use of TLS and UAV-DP data and GPS-acquired points within the transmission-based muography process and how these data could improve or worsen the muon imaging results. Moreover, this study confirmed that muography applications require a multidisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Frinco Castle (AT-Italy) was the focus of a critical requalification and restoration project and historical knowledge. The initial medieval nucleus was modified and enriched by other architectural parts giving the current shape over the centuries. These additions gave the castle its actual internal and external complexity and an extreme structural fragility: in 2014, a significant portion collapsed. The main objective of this work was to obtain 3D metric documentation and a historical interpretation of the castle for reconstruction and fruition purposes. The local administration has planned knowledge processes from 2021: an integrated 3D geodetic survey of the entire castle and stratigraphic investigations of masonries. Both surveys were essential for understanding the architectural composition as well as the historical evolution of the court. NURBS modelling and a stratigraphic analysis of masonries allowed for the implementation of 3D immersion related to the historical interpretation. Furthermore, this modelling choice was essential for virtually reconstructing the collapsed area and helping the restoration phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale slow-moving deep-seated landslides are complex and potentially highly damaging phenomena. The detection of their dynamics in terms of displacement rate distribution is therefore a key point to achieve a better understanding of their behavior and support risk management. Due to their large dimensions, ranging from 1.5 to almost 4 km2, in situ monitoring is generally integrated using satellite and airborne remote sensing techniques. In the framework of the EFRE-FESR SoLoMon project, three test-sites located in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (Italy) were selected for testing the possibility of retrieving significant slope displacement data from the analysis of multi-temporal airborne optic and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) surveys with digital image correlation (DIC) algorithms such as normalized cross-correlation (NCC) and phase correlation (PC). The test-sites were selected for a number of reasons: they are relevant in terms of hazard and risk; they are representative of different type of slope movements (earth-slides, deep seated gravitational slope Deformation and rockslides), and different rates of displacement (from few cm/years to some m/years); and they have been mapped and monitored with ground-based systems for many years (DIC results can be validated both qualitatively and quantitatively). Specifically, NCC and PC algorithms were applied to high-resolution (5 to 25 cm/px) airborne optic and LiDAR-derived datasets (such as hillshade and slope maps computed from digital terrain models) acquired during the 2019–2021 period. Qualitative and quantitative validation was performed based on periodic GNSS surveys as well as on manual homologous point tracking. The displacement maps highlight that both DIC algorithms succeed in identifying and quantifying slope movements of multi-pixel magnitude in non-densely vegetated areas, while they struggle to quantify displacement patterns in areas characterized by movements of sub-pixel magnitude, especially if densely vegetated. Nonetheless, in all three landslides, they proved to be able to differentiate stable and active parts at the slope scale, thus representing a useful integration of punctual ground-based monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest ecosystems' structure and biomass monitoring are crucial for understanding the contribution of forests to the global greenhouse gas balance. NASA's Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) mission collects waveform lidar data to estimate Above Ground Biomass Density (AGBD). While of great interest, GEDI data are challenging to download and pre-process and require coding expertise, limiting their usage. In this paper, we introduce GEDI4R, an open-source R package providing efficient methods for downloading, reading, clipping, visualizing, and exporting GEDI data. GEDI4R was tested over the whole of Italy, and more than 11 million GEDI pulses were downloaded in less than 10 hours. The GEDI pulse density in forests ranged between 132 per km2 (in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Italian administrative region) and 61 pulses per km2 (in Trentino Alto-Adige). A regional-level comparison between the official growing stock volume estimates reported in the last Italian forest inventory and the AGBD extracted from the GEDI data acquired over the forest revealed large correlations (r2 = 0.77). Our package facilitates the usage of GEDI AGBD data, which provides innovative information to monitor carbon cycle dynamics at the global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grapevines are one of the most intensely treated crops with a high potential risk to health and biodiversity. Thus, the distribution control of agrochemicals is crucial to obtain a high quality and sustainable product for intensive viticulture. Although the search for systems to reduce the waste of chemical products is consistent in some countries, such as Italy, the machinery used are obsolete. The development of an upgrading system for sprayers can be a good compromise to achieve the pollution reduction without requiring huge investments. Field tests were conducted using a LIDAR-based prototype coupled to a commercial sprayer. This study tested the distribution performance using water-sensitive papers and evaluated the infections of grapevine downy and powdery mildews. The results showed a distribution in the vegetation gaps with a higher frequency in the coverage classes >20% in the standard treatment and 10–15% in the LIDAR treatment. Treatments performed with LiDAR reduced the incidence of downy mildew and severity of powdery mildew. The innovative sprayer reduces the distribution of agrochemicals thanks to the on/off control of the nozzles in the voids of vegetation and, meanwhile, controls vineyard fungal disease, so it can be a good way to meet the sustainability and quality of the production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the potential of an integrated approach using aerial LiDAR, aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanning, and archaeological survey to detect the presence and configuration of lost medieval settlements under canopy. This approach was applied to the site of Altanum (Calabria, Italy), on the hill of Sant'Eusebio, completely covered by vegetation. Altanum was a large fortified settlement characterised by a long occupation, especially during the Byzantine and Norman-Swabian periods. The activity began by carrying out a LiDAR survey of the whole hill. The acquired LiDAR data were processed and filtered in order to obtain a DFM (Digital Feature Model) useful for the identification of features of archaeological interest. Several enhancement techniques were performed on DFM to increase the visibility of archaeological features. The features thus identified were subsequently surveyed through the use of terrestrial and aerial photogrammetry integrated with laser scanning to document the visible buildings. The most significant result of the study was to create a single GIS platform with the integration of all data in order to delineate the whole settlement layout, as well as to produce 2D and 3D datasets useful for the for knowledge and protection of the identified remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater is one the most important renewable water resources of the planet but, due to climate change, surface freshwater available in the form of lakes, rivers, reservoirs, snow, and glaciers is becoming significantly threatened. As a result, surface water level monitoring is fundamental for understanding climatic changes and their impact on humans and biodiversity.This study evaluates the accuracy of the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) instrument for monitoring inland water levels. Four lakes in northern Italy were selected for comparison with gauge station measurements. To evaluate the accuracy of GEDI altimetric data, two steps of outlier removal are proposed. The first stage employs GEDI metadata to filter out footprints with very low accuracy. Then, a robust version of the standard 3σ test using a 3NMAD (Normalized Median Absolute Deviation) test is iteratively applied.After the outlier removal, which led to the elimination of between 80% to 87% of the data, the remaining footprints show an average standard deviation of 0.36 m, a mean NMAD of 0.38 m, and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.44 m, proving the promising potentialities of GEDI L2A altimetric data for inland water monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understory is an essential ecological and structural component of forest ecosystems. The lack of efficient, accurate, and objective methods for evaluating and quantifying the spatial spread of understory characteristics over large areas is a challenge for forest planning and management, with specific regard to biodiversity and habitat governance. In this study, we used terrestrial and airborne laser scanning (TLS and ALS) data to characterize understory in a European beech and black pine forest in Italy. First, we linked understory structural features derived from traditional field measurements with TLS metrics, then, we related such metrics to the ones derived from ALS. Results indicate that (i) the upper understory density (5–10 m above ground) is significantly associated with two ALS metrics, specifically the mean height of points belonging to the lower third of the ALS point cloud within the voxel (HM1/3) and the corresponding standard deviation (SD1/3), while (ii) for the lower understory layer (2–5 m above ground), the most related metric is HM1/3 alone. As an example application, we have produced a map of forest understory for each layer, extending over the entire study region covered by ALS data, based on the developed spatial prediction models. With this study, we also demonstrated the power of hand-held mobile-TLS as a fast and high-resolution tool for measuring forest structural attributes and obtaining relevant ecological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the geomorphological map of the upper sector of the Roncovetro active landslide (Enza Valley, Emilia-Romagna, Italy). The 1:1500 scale map provides an accurate picture of the landslide in October 2014. The map is mainly based on the data collected during an airborne LiDAR survey. The capability of LiDAR to ‘penetrate’ the vegetation cover makes these data the most complete and accurate topographic dataset of this landslide. The map shows that the upper sector of the Roncovetro landslide consists of gravity- and water runoff-related forms. Gravitational features are linked to sliding and flowing movements that characterize the short- and long-term behaviour of the landslide. By comparing the 2014 LiDAR-Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with the 1973 DEM provided by the Emilia-Romagna Region, we calculated that 6.2 ± 0.8 × 105 m³ of material has moved from the top of the Roncovetro landslide in about 40 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of the energy transition and the building of energy communities are driving forward the exploitation of the potential for rooftop photovoltaic power generation. Estimating rooftop PV generation potential requires the processing of different types of data, such as the cadastral information of buildings, a detailed description of available rooftop areas, and solar irradiance data. High-resolution estimation based on GIS data is normally limited to small survey areas. Instead, by using an algorithm for the efficient calculation of shadows over rooftops, and the integration of solar irradiance over time, we developed a procedure that allows for the rapid full census assessment of rooftop photovoltaic potential with a spatial resolution of 1 m, applicable at the regional scale and requiring minimal computational resources. We applied this approach to the rooftops of buildings in Sardinia, an island and region of Italy of particular interest for the energy transition. In addition to estimating the geographic potential, we carried out a preliminary assessment of the technical and economic potential, yielding a maximal photovoltaic rooftop generation potential of 22 TWh for the entire region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of forest biomass is an essential parameter for managing the forest in a sustainable way, as forest biomass data availability and reliability are necessary for forestry and forest planning, but also for the carbon market as well as to support the local economy in the mountain and inner areas. However, the accurate quantification of the above-ground biomass (AGB) is still a challenge both at the local and global levels. The use of remote sensing techniques with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms can be an excellent trade-off between resolution, scale, and frequency data of AGB estimation. In this study, we evaluated the combined use of RGB images from UAV, LiDAR data and ground truth data to estimate AGB in a forested watershed in Southern Italy. A low-cost AGB estimation method was adopted using a commercial fixed-wing drone equipped with an RGB camera, combined with the canopy information derived by LiDAR and validated by field data. Two modelling methods (stepwise regression, SR and random forest, RF) were used to estimate forest AGB. The output was an accurate maps of AGB for each model. The RF model showed better accuracy than the Steplm model, and the R2 increased from 0.81 to 0.86, and the RMSE and MAE values were decreased from 45.5 to 31.7 Mg ha-1 and from 34.2 to 22.1 Mg ha-1 respectively. We demonstrated that by increasing the computing efficiency through a machine learning algorithm, readily available images can be used to obtain satisfactory results, as proven by the accuracy of the Random forest above biomass estimation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both in the literature and in practical applications, several works have dealt with rockfall analysis and the planning of mitigation measures. It is also possible to find inventories and papers that describe historical events. However, it is challenging to find methodologies or studies about inventorying rockfall mitigation or their efficiency over time. In Italy, many rockfall barriers and other mitigation solutions have been built in the last decades, and one of the most urgent problems is their correct management and maintenance. Lauria, a small town in southern Italy, can be considered an example of this common condition exacerbated by a wildfire in 2017. This work presents a methodology for assessing rockfall risk and creating a geodatabase of mitigation structures focused on small communities. We used digitalization of archival sources to reconstruct and geocode the record of mitigation works. An available database of historical landslides was used to reconstruct the most relevant rockfall events. Moreover, we coupled this with Sentinel-2 images and high-resolution orthophotos to map the wildfire area. Data obtained from the UAV-LiDAR survey were used to map the mitigation structures. The aim was to create a reliable state-of-the-art method, described in an operational monograph, to be used by experts for the design of new rockfall mitigation structures in both an affordable and efficient way. Moreover, we created a simple webGIS and a 3-D interactive view, helpful in disseminating rockfall hazards and mitigation strategies among the population at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, characterization of the optical and microphysical properties of extremely fresh biomass burning aerosol is presented. This work aims to characterize, for the first time to our knowledge, freshly formed smoke particles observed only a few minutes after they were emitted from a nearby forest fire. The smoke particles were detected by combining passive (sun-photometer) and active (Raman lidar) techniques. On 14 August 2021, an EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) multi-wavelength Raman lidar and a co-located AERONET sun-photometer in Potenza, South Italy, observed an extremely fresh smoke plume. The lidar measurements, carried out from 22:27 to 02:16 UTC, revealed a thick biomass burning layer below 2.7 km. The particle depolarization ratio at 532 nm was 0.025, and lidar ratios at 355 and 532 nm were, respectively, 40 and 38 sr. The mean value of the Ångström exponent was 1.5. The derived size distribution was bimodal with a peak at 0.13 µm, an effective radius mean value of 0.15 µm, and a single scattering albedo of 0.96 at all wavelengths. The real part of the refractive index was 1.58 and the imaginary was 0.006. The AERONET measurements at 5:34 UTC confirmed the lidar measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildland fires and windthrows represent relevant disturbances for forest ecosystems worldwide. In this context, especially for Italian catchments, the interaction between windthrows and changes in wildfire behaviour starting from ALS data processing is scarcely investigated. Therefore, this research aims to compute a multi-temporal analysis of the interaction between windthrows and wildfire behaviour in a forested area (Veneto region, northern Italy), recently affected by the renamed Vaia windstorm. The semi-empirical FlamMap model was applied, starting from ALS data processing implemented in R for mapping the spatial distribution of forest attributes and fuels within the catchment. The role of windthrows in altering wildfire behaviour was investigated considering ALS point clouds acquired before and after the occurrence of the storm Vaia. Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), Canopy Height Models (CHMs), topographic data and metrics describing forest structure were extracted from ALS data for both scenarios at 5 m resolution, to compare changes in wildfire behaviour over time. Differences in Rate of Spread (RoS), flame length (FL), midflame windspeed (WS) and arrival time (AT) were assessed, and their correlation with windstorm damages was investigated at the catchment detail. , An increase of RoS, FL, and WS greater than 30 m/min, 3 m and 1.1 m/s were respectively estimated in windthrown areas, as well as a decrease of AT greater than 30 min, attesting the key role of windthrows in altering wildfire behaviour over time. The correlation between windthrows and changes in wildfire attributes was finally modeled by computing regression analysis, with R 2 of 0.86, 0.93, 0.62, and 0.91 resulted for RoS, FL, WS and AT. This research represents a pilot case study for better detecting changes in wildfires behaviour due to windthrows occurrence, therefore proposing and carrying out effective planning and management strategies for disturbed forest stands over time., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Accurate digital elevation models represent the basic tool for a large spectrum of applications, including geological, architectonic, archaeological, and urbanistic studies. However, aggressive urbanization may significantly alter the morphology of areas of interest. Such is the case of the active Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy, where all the buildings, facilities, infrastructures, quarries, and landfills altered the original volcanic morphology. To avoid these limitations, we analyzed a set of vintage aerial photographs acquired in 1943 by Italy's Military Geographic Institute (IGM). We reconstructed the study area's topography before the deep anthropic modification from the 1960s onwards by applying Structure-from-Motion photogrammetric processing. On the reconstructed orthomosaic and a historical-Digital Surface Model (hDMS), we conducted geomorphic analyses along 18 longitudinal stream profiles outside, across the border, and inside the caldera, underlining that the rectilinear sections with preferred orientations and increased incision values suggest a strong structural underpinning on valley incision and stream paths. The analysis of the spatial distribution of sinuosity, SL index, Chi (χ) value and knickpoint maps suggests the presence of tectonic lineaments that influence the stream network from the pre-caldera (>40 ka) to recent times, producing articulated caldera and craters geometry as well as affecting the localization of volcanic vents. The comparison between the 1943 hDSM and 2013 LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) DSM allowed us to spotlight the areas that show the most significant differences due to anthropic intervention that obliterated critical features, thus supporting our motivation to use this base. Overall, the results indicate that long-lived volcano-tectonic and tectonic structures control the orientation of drainage patterns and their re-arrangements during volcano-tectonic deformation phases. Finally, a comprehensive structural map, based on the merged 1943 hDSM and the bathymetric DEM, is presented together with a conceptual evolutionary model of the stream network across the caldera border. Under the proper acquisition conditions, vintage aerial photographs can provide a useful tool for morphological analysis and can be applied to several topics in the geosciences. • The original topography of Campi Flegrei is restored using historical aerial photographs. • Several geomorphic indices highlight the activity of volcano-tectonic structures. • Rectilinear and deeply incised valleys occur in different sectors. • NE–SW and NW–SE oriented tectonic features are overprinted by E–W oriented features. • Tectonic lineaments control the occurrence of volcanism through time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the first results of the Ancient Hillforts Survey, a large-scale lidar-based analysis and ground-truthing aimed at creating a representative and comparative dataset of hillforts in Italy unbiased by site location or vegetational canopy. An analysis of 15,300 km2 spanning Campania, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, and Apulia detected 305 new suspected hillforts. The area was visually interpreted using image blends of lidar visualizations (VAT method) based on in-house-generated digital terrain models. Interobserver and intraobserver interpretational biases were tested and CORINE Land Cover data used to evaluate the representativeness of the legacy data compared with the new dataset and to estimate the number of sites for no-data areas. The results from the Daunian mountains (Apulia) are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in advancing knowledge of historically under-surveyed areas and in addressing long-term debates. Here, the data showed a novel hillfort system interpretable as Samnite, dating between the 6th and 3rd century b.c. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illegal archaeological excavations, generally denoted as looting, is one of the most important damage factors to cultural heritage, as it upsets the human occupation stratigraphy of sites of archaeological interest. Looting identification and monitoring are not an easy task. A consolidated instrument used for the detection of archaeological features in general, and more specifically for the study of looting is remote sensing. Nevertheless, passive optical remote sensing is quite ineffective in dense vegetated areas. For these type of areas, in recent decades, LiDAR data and its derivatives have become an essential tool as they provide fundamental information that can be critical not only for the identification of unknown archaeological remains, but also for monitoring issues. Actually, LiDAR can suitably reveal grave robber devastation, even if, surprisingly, up today LiDAR has been generally unused for the identification of looting phenomenon. Consequently, this paper deals with an approach devised ad hoc for LiDAR data to detect looting. With this aim, some spatial visualization techniques and the geomorphon automatic landform extraction were exploited to enhance and extract features linked to the grave robber devastation. For this paper, the Etruscan site of San Giovenale (Northern Lazio, Italy) was selected as a test area as it is densely vegetated and was deeply plundered throughout the 20th century. Exploiting the LiDAR penetration capability, the prediction ability of the devised approach is highly satisfactory with a high rate of success, varying from 85–95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest planning, forest management, and forest policy require updated, reliable, and harmonized spatial datasets. In Italy a national geographic Forest Information System (FIS) designed to store and facilitate the access and analysis of spatial datasets is still missing. Among the different information layers which are useful to start populating a FIS, two are essential for their multiple use in the assessment of forest resources: (i) forest mapping, and (ii) data from Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS). Both layers are not available wall-to-wall for Italy, though different local sources of information potentially useful for their implementation already exist. The objectives of this work were to: (i) review forest maps and ALS data availability in Italy; (ii) develop for the first time a high resolution forest mask of Italy which was validated against the official statistics of the Italian National Forest Inventory; (iii) develop the first mosaic of all the main ALS data available in Italy producing a consistent Canopy Height Model (CHM). An on-line geographic FIS with free access to both layers from (ii) and (iii) was developed for demonstration purposes. The total area of forest and other wooded lands computed from the forest mask was 102,608.82 km2 (34% of the Italian territory), i.e., 1.9% less than the NFI benchmark estimate. This map is currently the best wall-to-wall forest mask available for Italy. We showed that only the 63% of the Italian territory (the 60% of the forest area) is covered by ALS data. These results highlight the urgent need for a national strategy to complete the availability of forest data in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public, and particularly museum-based, collections provide invaluable opportunities for analysis. The objects in these collections typically offer relatively complete examples which often become reference points for newly excavated material or analyses. However, aside from issues of provenance and occasionally authenticity, one of the biggest challenges with the analysis of objects in museum collections is, perhaps ironically, their public and collection-based context. Objects on display are often only directly analysed immediately following their initial discovery and are then increasingly restricted for direct analysis (e.g. placed behind glass, displayed in such a way that their removal is difficult, etc.). Although visible to millions, once in a collection the level of analysis possible is often limited and superficial. In this paper we discuss the analysis of three collections of ancient Italian armour now housed in collections, both public and private. We examine some of the ethical considerations when looking at such collections. We also discuss the issues faced when analysing and making digital models of objects, which are used to explore the nature and importance of military equipment in Italy during the first millennium BCE. In addition, we argue that, although famous, many of the pieces held in collections are currently being underutilized in studies of the ancient world. We suggest digitization, even when conducted quickly, can help to unlock more information from previously excavated and analysed items and we highlight the pros and cons of various techniques when working in museum-based contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Authors are encouraged to provide a concise description of the specific application or a potential application of the work. This section is not mandatory. Volcanologists have demonstrated that carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes are precursors of volcanic eruptions. Controlling volcanic gases and, in particular, the CO2 flux, is technically challenging, but we can retrieve useful information from magmatic/geological process studies for the mitigation of volcanic hazards including air traffic security. Existing techniques used to probe volcanic gas fluxes have severe limitations such as the requirement of near-vent in situ measurements, which is unsafe for operators and deleterious for equipment. In order to overcome these limitations, a novel range-resolved DIAL-Lidar (Differential Absorption Light Detection and Ranging) has been developed as part of the ERC (European Research Council) Project "BRIDGE", for sensitive, remote, and safe real-time CO2 observations. Here, we report on data collection, processing techniques, and the most significant findings of the experimental campaigns carried out at the most hazardous volcanic areas in Italy: Pozzuoli Solfatara (Phlegraen Fields), Stromboli, and Mt. Etna. The BrIdge voLcanic LIdar—BILLI has successfully obtained accurate measurements of in-plume CO2 concentration and flux. In addition, wind velocity has also been retrieved. It has been shown that the measurements of CO2 concentration performed by BILLI are comparable to those carried out by volcanologists with other standard techniques, heralding a new era in the observation of long-term volcanic gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 15 October 2015, a storm-induced flood hit the central sector of Benevento Province (southern Italy) causing two deaths and severe damage to infrastructure, buildings and local agriculture. This area has a long history of similar events and since 1924 its major river segments have been monitored with several hydrometric stations. We used data from two of these stations and a LiDAR derived high-resolution topography to develop a flood hazard map. For map computation, we first derived a flood inundation map from topography. Subsequently we estimated the probability of exceedance of each specific fluvial stage from the combination of a Generalized Extreme Value and a Gamma fits of available hydrometric data. As boundary condition, we considered a reference scenario corresponding to an estimated 500 year flood. The hazard maps provide an overview of the flood hazard in the central sector of Benevento Province and floodplains zonation in flood perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to define a methodology for terraced areas survey and rapid mapping in a complex environment, like Ligurian (Northwestern Italy) one, where a remarkable percentage of its surface is estimated as terraced and where the canopy coverage makes their recognition very hard. Methodology steps are the definition of LiDAR survey parameters, morphometric filtering and GIS processing for final mapping. Each phase is oriented to provide a reliable terrace mapping, also practicable in canopy-covered areas due to a particular attention to land cover influence. The work considers a case study (Rupinaro basin) close to Cinque Terre, with a mixed land cover (terraces, forest and urbanized areas). The methodology provided encouraging results detecting 448 ha of terraces, 95% of them located under canopy cover. This finding pointed out that terraces mapping cannot rely only on photo-interpretation, as canopies will hamper their detection. Mapping of these areas, frequently characterized by abandonment, is crucial while identifying potential trigger factors for slope instabilities. This case study highlighted the importance of a carefully planned production chain, that should start from LiDAR survey parameter choice, providing the best input for analysis algorithm and providing the correct identification of terraces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravel-bed rivers are fluvial systems featuring highly complex morphological and evolutionary patterns because of their configuration characterized by the contemporary presence of many distinct morphological units. Complexity can also be observed in the response of gravel-bed rivers to flow conditions, which can be highly varied. This work aims to analyze the evolution of gravel and vegetated areas in a gravel-bed river during a period of persistent low flow conditions, focusing also on the responses exhibited by the different types of riparian vegetation. To this end, a 2200 m-long segment of the Piave River (NE Italy) was considered. It was surveyed twice by LiDAR (August 2003 and August 2010), permitting the analysis of the spatial-temporal evolution of gravel and vegetated areas through both cover type analysis and the DoD technique. During the study period (August 2003 – August 2010), the flow conditions were constantly ordinary, i.e., under-bankfull. The cover type analysis stressed an increase of +115 % in vegetated areas, which have diffusely colonized the river corridor. However, the low flow conditions also induced geomorphic changes with 54 % of the study area affected by variations in surface elevation. The DoD computed a diffuse deposition over the main and secondary channels, while erosion was observed in specific areas of the main fluvial island and along the right floodplain. In terms of vegetation changes, five eroded patches were identified, which contributed to 60 % of the vegetated area entirely eroded in the study reach. These patches were mainly characterized by mature vegetation taller than the mean vegetation height observed over the study reach. Therefore, the analysis of the response of the Piave River to persistent under-bankfull flows stressed a complex evolution of the gravel and vegetated areas, which can be appreciated also because of low flow conditions, emphasizing the composite dynamics typical of a gravel-bed river. These results could improve riverine management considering vegetation structure and dimension, as well as the geomorphic settings of gravel-bed rivers in view of future low flow conditions. • The response of a gravel bed river to persistent low flows was analyzed. • The absence of high-magnitude events led to a marked expansion of the vegetated areas. • 54 % of the study area was affected by geomorphic changes. • Erosion was mainly observed in specific vegetated patches with mature vegetation. • Cantilever bank failure could have been the main mechanism behind the noted erosions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Automatic DEM-based procedures for floodplain delineation. • Flow-depth, flow-cross-sectional area scaling laws. • Mapping of floodplains in ungauged basins. Recent advances in remote sensing technologies along with the increased availability of topographic data have lately encouraged the development of automatic DEM (Digital Elevation Model)-based procedures for floodplain delineation. Geomorphic methods, establishing relationships between flood descriptors and morphologic catchment characteristics, appear particularly suitable to be implemented within a GIS algorithm. In the present work, four simplified geomorphic approaches based on "flow-depth scaling laws" (FD) or "flow-cross-sectional area scaling laws" (FA) with contributing area and two methods employing two different flood descriptors (Hydro-Geomorphic Method, HGM and Geomorphic Flood Index method, GFIM) have been applied for the preliminary evaluation of floodplain extent using high resolution DEMs (i.e. LiDAR at 1 and 2 m resolution) as the main input. Taking as a case study six of the largest basins located in southern Italy, the performances of these methods were evaluated and critically compared using government agency derived flood hazard maps as benchmarks. Results show that the adoption of FD especially when combined with morphology to formulate the GFIM, allows to efficiently predict the flood-prone areas with low computational costs. At the same time, performances of the flood mapping procedures based on "flow-area scaling laws", although in principle more appealing, seem to be slightly lower. Overall, the proposed approaches can be applied for rough mapping of floodplains in ungauged basins or in data-scarce regions where standard flood hazard maps are unavailable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital reconstruction of the history of a buried medieval village is the main focus of this paper. The study, based on remote sensing and historical sources, is the starting point of the development of a serious game aimed at educational purposes and exploitation of remote sensing data in the field of edutainment. The selected historical scenario is Yrsum, a village in Basilicata (South of Italy), founded in the 11th century and abandoned in the 14th century. A LiDAR survey along with satellite multispectral data (suitably elaborated for feature extraction) as well as the historical sources and archaeological records provided useful information on the ‘forma urbis’ of the medieval settlement from its foundation to its abandonment. The extraction of the archaeological features and the analysis of urban pattern put in evidence similarities with some medieval settlements based on “motte and bailey” typology that spread in Southern Italy, France and England from the 11th to the 13th century. After the virtual reconstruction, an interactive application articulated both on bi-dimensional and three-dimensional elements have been developed. The major novelty compared to most common video games has been the possibility to derive the game from rigorously scientific data. The player enjoys and learns within a logic of an edutainment game (a combination of education and entertainment), which has become by now a well-established concept but still rarely applied in the field of cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of rising sea level, many estuaries and bays show an overall trend to sedimentary infilling. Among these coastal environments, the Bay of Somme is a hypertidal tide and wave-dominated estuary, filled in by marine sands, with a superficy of 70 km2. This study proposes a spatial zonation of the intertidal area of the bay based on the combination of information on sediments, seabed morphology and dynamics. Data come from a surficial sediment sampling campaign and six airborne LiDAR topographic surveys, acquired over the period 2011–2013, providing information on grain size, carbonate content, bedform occurrence and seabed dynamics. The Main Map shows the morpho-sedimentary and -dynamic zonation used as a basis to describe infilling stages in the bay. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Solfatara is part of the active volcanic zone of Campi Flegrei (Italy), a densely populated urban area where ground uplift and increasing ground temperature are observed, connected with rising rates of CO2 emission. A major pathway of CO2 release at Campi Flegrei is diffuse soil degassing, and therefore quantifying diffuse CO2 emission rates is of vital interest. Conventional in-situ probing of soil gas emissions with accumulation chambers is accurate over a small footprint but requires significant time and effort to cover large areas. An alternative approach is differential absorption LIDAR, which allows for a fast and spatially integrated measurement. Here, a portable hard-target differential absorption LIDAR has been used to acquire horizontal 1-D profiles of CO2 concentration at the Solfatara crater. To capture the non-isotropic nature of the diffuse degassing activity, a 2-D tomographic map of the CO2 distribution has been inverted from the 1-D profiles. The acquisition was performed from a single half space only, which increases the non-linearity of the inverse problem. Nonetheless, the result is in agreement with independent measurements and furthermore confirms an area of anomalous CO2 degassing along the eastern edge as well as the center of the Solfatara crater. The method has important implications for measurements of degassing features that can only be accessed from limited angles, such as airborne sensing of volcanic plumes. CO2 fluxes retrieved from the 2-D map are comparable, but modestly higher than emission rates from previous studies, perhaps reflecting a more integrated measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of vegetation in supporting life on Earth is widely known. Nevertheless, the relevance of riparian corridors has been overlooked for a long time, leading to a dramatic reduction of vegetated buffers alongside them. Vegetation monitoring systems, including those for biomass estimation, are required to manage riparian corridors properly. Field surveys may support monitoring, but their usefulness is reduced by numerous drawbacks, therefore needing coupling with other data sources. The present work shows how Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) datasets can integrate targeted field measurements to estimate above-ground biomass at temperate or boreal latitudes and generate accurate biomass maps over large areas. By referring to the case study of the Orco river (northwest Italy), we defined a technique to reconstruct the geometry of an individual shrub from LiDAR point clouds. We tested the technique by comparing field measurements with Terrestrial and Airborne Laser Scanner data (TLS and ALS, respectively), assessing the former's superiority but the broader range of applicability of the latter. After these preliminary tests, we coupled the presented technique with a literature algorithm for individual tree detection, providing a more generalized procedure for the overall mapping and budgeting of riparian biomass based on ALS data. We applied the procedure to a fluvial bar of the Orco river, achieving a quantitative assessment of the shrub and tree biomass budget for 2019 and 2021 and visualizing the changes that occurred in that period. These results allowed us to shed light on the prevailing natural and anthropogenic processes in the investigated area and provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed procedure. [Display omitted] • EBE is a new method to monitor and map riparian corridors by airborne laser scanners. • EBE integrates airborne LiDAR and field data to yield biomass maps at the reach scale. • Individual tree detection is combined with concave hull shrub geometry reconstruction. • Terrestrial and airborne laser scanners are compared to estimate plant volume. • Airborne LiDAR data need a field-based volume correction for vegetation mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulations with the Advanced Research-Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF-ARW) have been performed in order to simulate water vapor mixing ratio (WVMR) vertical profiles over southeastern Italy. An optimal setup of the model has been identified changing the default model land cover database and using a fine model vertical resolution in the lower levels. Among different tests, the selected implementation is the one that best reproduced the experimental WVMR profiles retrieved from the Brindisi radiosounding station and the ground-based Raman lidar measurements at Lecce site. The use of the WRF model to simulate WVMR profiles along the tracks of the spaceborne lidar CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) on two case studies has revealed that numerical models are reliable tools, particularly useful when no ground measurements of water vapor are available. In particular, it is shown that the inhomogeneous distribution of moisture in the domain, as emerging from the model simulations, may significantly affect the CALIOP validation procedures. Such procedures are based on the intercomparison of the satellite retrieved aerosol profiles with those measured, nearly at the same time, with a ground-based lidar located few km away from the sites where CALIOP aerosol products are delivered in the selected events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different high-resolution techniques can be employed to obtain information about the three-dimensional (3D) surface of glaciers. This is typically carried out using efficient, but also expensive and logistically demanding, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technologies, such as airborne scanners and terrestrial laser scanners. Recent technological improvements in the field of image analysis and computer vision have prompted the development of a low-cost photogrammetric approach, which is referred to as 'structure-from-motion' (SfM). Combined with dense image-matching algorithms, this method has become competitive for the production of high-quality 3D models. However, several issues typical of this approach should be considered for application in glacial environments. In particular, the surface morphology, the different substrata, the occurrence of sharp contrast from solar shadows and the variable distance from the camera positions can negatively affect the image texture, and reduce the possibility of obtaining a reliable point cloud from the images. The objective of this study is to test the structure-from-motion multi view stereo (SfM-MVS) approach in a small debris-covered glacier located in the eastern Italian Alps, using a consumer-grade reflex camera and the computer vision-based software PhotoScan. The quality of the 3D models produced by the SfM-MVS process was assessed via the comparison with digital terrain models obtained from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) surveys that were performed at the same epochs. The effect of different terrain gradients and different substrata (debris, snow and firn) was also evaluated in terms of the accuracy of the reconstruction by SfM-MVS versus TLS. Our results show that the quality of this new photogrammetric approach is similar to the quality of TLS and that point cloud densities are comparable or even higher compared with TLS. However, special care should be taken while planning the SfM survey geometry, to optimize the 3D model quality and spatial coverage. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past two decades have seen significant improvements in the study of river morphology, in particular with regard to the analysis of the processes governing fluvial evolution resulting from the erosion and transport of sediments. Important results have been achieved thanks to the evolution of both instrumental and computational tools. Within the former framework, new technologies have allowed a more detailed representation of terrain (digital terrain model (DTM) obtained by light detection and ranging (LiDAR) survey), while, within the latter, the increase in the calculation speed of the latest platforms and the development of new mathematical and numerical algorithms have enabled the simulation of a much more complex phenomena. This paper discusses the application of a cellular automaton model (CAESAR) on a river reach. Simulated and measured data are compared through statistical approaches. The method is applied to a wandering stretch of River Pellice in the Italian north-western Alps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, non-invasive microtremor survey is applied for the preliminary characterization of the thermal district of Caldiero, in the eastern Po Plain (Italy), a thermal resource known since the Roman times for the presence of warm springs. The work's aim was to test the suitability of the microtremor passive technique for the preliminary characterization of a thermal basin, in terms of resonance properties between the alluvial deposit covers and the rocky bedrock. In particular, the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) single-station technique is adopted to estimate the resonance properties of the geothermal basin. More than 100 HVSR single-station measurements are collected and analyzed in the area studied. HVSR information is integrated with the findings of the analysis of the data relative to more than 20 deep wells. Such an integration permits the calibration for validation of the geophysical data. The correlation between the results from microtremor survey, LiDAR data analysis, and wells information highlighted the main geological structures of the site, which are potentially responsible for the thermal waters arising. HVSR results are then interpreted in terms of regional geological setting, textural, and hydrogeological properties of the superficial deposits and the underlying rocky bedrock. The results of this method confirm the existence of significant correlations between the resonance behavior of the basin, as determined by the HVSR technique, and the geological assessment. This suggests that the single-station technique could be a very promising tool for a rapid and preliminary non-invasive method for the near-surface general characterization of geothermal basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface slip distributions for an active normal fault in central Italy have been measured using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), in order to assess the impact of changes in fault orientation and kinematics when modelling subsurface slip distributions that control seismic moment release. The southeastern segment of the surface trace of the Campo Felice active normal fault near the city of L'Aquila was mapped and surveyed using techniques from structural geology and using TLS to define the vertical and horizontal offsets of geomorphic slopes since the last glacial maximum (15 ± 3 ka). The fault geometry and kinematics measured from 43 sites and throw/heave measurements from geomorphic offsets seen on 250 scarp profiles were analysed using a modification of the Kostrov equations to calculate the magnitudes and directions of horizontal principal strain-rates. The map trace of the studied fault is linear, except where a prominent bend has formed to link across a former left-stepping relay-zone. The dip of the fault and slip direction are constant across the bend. Throw-rates since 15 ± 3 ka decrease linearly from the fault centre to the tip, except in the location of the prominent bend where higher throw rates are recorded. Vertical coseismic offsets for two palaeo earthquake ruptures seen as fresh strips of rock at the base of the bedrock scarp also increase within the prominent bend. The principal strain-rate, calculated by combining strike, dip, slip-direction and post 15 ± 3 ka throw rate, decreases linearly from the fault centre towards the tip; the strain-rate does not increase across the prominent fault bend. The above shows that changes in fault strike, whilst having no effect on the principal horizontal strain-rate, can produce local maxima in throw-rates during single earthquakes that persist over the timescale of multiple earthquakes (15 ± 3 ka). Detailed geomorphological and structural characterisation of active faults is therefore a critical requirement in order to properly define fault activity for the purpose of accurate seismic hazard assessment. We discuss the implications of modelling subsurface slip distributions for earthquake ruptures through inversion of GPS, InSAR and strong motion data using planar fault approximations, referring to recent examples on the nearby Paganica fault that ruptured in the Mw 6.3 2009 L'Aquila Earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geomorphological change detection through the comparison of repeated topographic surveys is a recent approach that benefits greatly from the latest developments in topographical data acquisition techniques. Among them, airborne LiDAR makes the monitoring of geomorphological changes a more reliable and accurate approach for natural hazard and risk management. In this study, two LiDAR digital terrain models (DTMs) (2 m resolution) were acquired just before and after a complex 340 000 m3 landslide event (4 November 2010) that generated a debris flow in the channel of the Rotolon catchment (eastern Italian Alps). The analysis of these data was used to set up the initial condition for the application of a dynamic model. The comparison between the pre- and post-event DTMs allowed us to identify erosion and depositional areas and the volume of the landslide. The knowledge of the phenomenon dynamics was the base of a sound back analysis of the event with the 3-D numerical model DAN3D. This particular code was selected for its capability to modify the rheology and the parameters of the moving mass during run-out, as actually observed along the path of the 2010 debris flow. Nowadays some portions of Mt. Rotolon flank are still moving and show signs of detachment. The same soil parameters used in the back-analysis model could be used to simulate the run-out for possible future landslides, allowing us to generate reliable risk scenarios useful for awareness of civil defense and strategy of emergency plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interdisciplinary study of the archaeological landscape of the Trieste area (northeastern Italy), mainly based on airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR), ground penetrating radar (GPR), and archaeological surveys, has led to the discovery of an early Roman fortification system, composed of a big central camp (San Rocco) flanked by two minor forts. The most ancient archaeological findings, including a Greco-Italic amphora rim produced in Latium or Campania, provide a relative chronology for the first installation of the structures between the end of the third century B.C. and the first decades of the second century B.C. whereas other materials, such as Lamboglia 2 amphorae and a military footwear hobnail (type D of Alesia), indicate that they maintained a strategic role at least up to the mid first century B.C. According to archaeological data and literary sources, the siteswere probably established in connection with the Roman conquest of the Istria peninsula in 178-177 B.C. They were in use, perhaps not continuously, at least until the foundation of Tergeste, the ancestor of Trieste, in the mid first century B.C. The San Rocco site, with its exceptional size and imposing fortifications, is the main known Roman evidence of the Trieste area during this phase and could correspond to the location of the first settlement of Tergeste preceding the colony foundation. This hypothesis would also be supported by literary sources that describe it as a phrourion (Strabo, V, 1, 9, C 215), a term used by ancient writers to designate the fortifications of the Roman army. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the recent literature concerning airborne laser scanning for forestry purposes in Italy, and presents the current methodologies used to extract forest characteristics from discrete return ALS (Airborne Laser Scanning) data. Increasing interest in ALS data is currently being shown, especially for remote sensing-based forest inventories in Italy; the driving force for this interest is the possibility of reducing costs and providing more accurate and efficient estimation of forest characteristics. This review covers a period of approximately ten years, from the first application of laser scanning for forestry purposes in 2003 to the present day, and shows that there are numerous ongoing research activities which use these technologies for the assessment of forest attributes (e.g., number of trees, mean tree height, stem volume) and ecological issues (e.g., gap identification, fuel model detection). The basic approaches – such as single tree detection and area-based modeling – have been widely examined and commented in order to explore the trend of methods in these technologies, including their applicability and performance. Finally this paper outlines and comments some of the common problems encountered in operational use of laser scanning in Italy, offering potentially useful guidelines and solutions for other countries with similar conditions, under a rather variable environmental framework comprising Alpine, temperate and Mediterranean forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have verified the suitability of LiDAR for the estimation of forest metrics over large areas. In the present study we used LiDAR as support for the characterization of structure, volume, biomass and naturalistic value in mixed-coniferous forests of the Alpine region. Stem density, height and structure in the test plots were derived using a mathematical morphology function applied directly on the LiDAR point cloud. From these data, digital maps describing the horizontal and vertical forest structure were derived. Volume and biomass were then computed using regression models. A strong agreement (accuracy of the map = 97%, Kappa Cohen = 94%) between LiDAR land cover map (i.e., bare soil, forest, shrubs) and ground data was found, while a moderate agreement between coniferous/broadleaf map derived from LiDAR data and ground surveys was detected (accuracy = 73%, Kappa Cohen = 60%). An analysis of the forest structure map derived from LiDAR data revealed a prevalence of even-age stands (66%) in comparison to the multilayered and uneven-aged forests (20%). In particular, the even-age stands, whether adult or mature, were overwhelming (33%). A moderate agreement was then detected between this map and ground data (accuracy = 68%, Kappa Cohen = 58%). Moreover, strong correlations between LiDAR-estimated and ground-measured volume and aboveground carbon stocks were detected. Related observations also showed that stem density can be rightly estimated for adult and mature forests, but not for younger categories, because of the low LiDAR posting density (2.8 points m-2). Regarding environmental issues, this study allowed us to discriminate the different contribution of LiDAR-derived forest structure to biodiversity and ecological stability. In fact, a significant difference in floristic diversity indexes (species richness - R, Shannon index - H') was found among structural classes, particularly between pole wood (R=15 and H'=2.8; P <0.01) and multilayer forest (R=31 and H'=3.4) or thicket (R=28 and H'=3.4) where both indexes reached their maximum values [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Surface measurements of multi-channel aerosol mass concentration are analyzed together with LIDAR observations at L''Aquila, a central Italy site part of the EARLINET network (http://www.earlinet.org/), with the main purpose of discriminating aerosol particles originated from in-situ sources and those transported from remote sites, and their effects on local aerosol load and on the aerosol optical depth. Four major episodes of both Saharan desert and forest fire aerosol transport were observed during spring–summer months of 2007. The analysis of these events shows that at the ground surface the aerosol mass concentration increase due to desert dust particles is about 160% of the PMcoarse, whereas forest fires increase the PM1 by about 150%, with respect to typical reference unperturbed conditions during the same time period. Calculation of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the LIDAR retrieved aerosol extinction at 351nm shows that the corresponding increases in AOD are 95% for Saharan dust and 220% in case of forest fires. These results show that in a site impacted by aerosol transport from the desert and frequent forest fires, the first has the bigger effect in terms of local aerosol load in the coarse mode, whereas the latter impacts more the PM1 and the UV aerosol extinction and optical depth. A well tested radiative transfer model (TUV, Madronich and Floke, 1998), extended to the solar near infrared spectrum, has been used to calculate the top-of-atmosphere radiative change due to these transported aerosols: the calculated change is of the order of 0.5–1W/m2 for forest fire events end 1–2W/m2 for Saharan dust. The larger impact of desert aerosols is due to their much larger effective radius with respect to forest fire aerosols, whose scattering efficiency rapidly declines for solar wavelengths in the visible and near infrared range. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A small, portable, polarization lidar system with scanning capability was used to perform range resolved measurements of fresh erupted volcanic plume from Mount Etna in Italy. Measurements were carried out on November 15, 2010 during a volcanic plume emission event by placing the lidar very close to volcano summit craters. Depolarization measurements highlighted that aerosol of different shape and optical properties were emitted by the two involved vents, Bocca Nuova and North-East Craters. In the plume emitted from Bocca Nuova Crater the mean value of aerosol linear depolarization ratio resulted near to zero, corresponding to non depolarizing particles or liquid droplets, while values of (16 ± 2)% and (45 ± 3)% were observed in the ash plume emitted from North-East Crater, in the morning and in the afternoon, respectively. The retrieved values of volcanic aerosol depolarization ratio, aerosol backscattering and lidar-ratio allowed distinguishing the changes in the properties of the emitted aerosol. Furthermore, the ash mass concentration at source was estimated, reaching a maximum value of 24,000 ± 6000 μg m− 3, with an additional systematic uncertainty of 50% related to the assumption of an effective radius of 10 μm for ash particles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ABSTRACT LiDAR data were used to quantify and analyse a rockfall event which occurred in 2003 in the Western Dolomites (Italian Alps). In addition to previously existing airborne laserscanning (ALS) data, high resolution terrestrial laserscanning (TLS) data were collected. By using the original point clouds, the volume, axial ratio and runout length of single boulders as well as the surface roughness in the runout zone of the rockfall were derived. The total volume of the rockfall event of approximately 10 000 m³ was estimated by a reconstruction of the pre-event surface at the detachment zone. The analysis of the laser scanning data of the accumulation zone revealed a power law scaling for boulder volumes larger than 8 m³. The dependence of runout length on boulder volume is complex; it is moderated by particle sphericity. In addition, we used ALS and TLS data to derive the spatial distribution of surface roughness on the talus cone. TLS allow for more accurate roughness mapping than ALS data, but for most applications the point density of ALS data seems to be sufficiently high to derive measures of roughness. Different sampling approaches for plane fitting on the scale of 5 m did not show significant effects besides the computational time. The results of our analyses provide important perspectives for rockfall modelling and process understanding with potential applications in both 'applied' (natural hazards) and 'pure' geomorphological research. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High resolution, LIDAR-derived digital elevation models of volcanic areas can significantly improve knowledge of lava flow morphology and emplacement mechanisms. Here we focus on single flow units, presenting a new semi-automatic procedure which provides a quantitative analysis of their shape. The method relies on the automatic processing of the elevation profiles obtained on transects orthogonal to the flow unit axis. The initial phase of the Mount Etna flank eruption from September 2004 is taken as test case, and the procedure is applied on an active lava flow, which was emplaced on the eastern flank of the volcano. The main topographic dataset used is a 2-m-resolution digital elevation model obtained from a LIDAR survey. Starting from the axis of a lava flow unit, our method yields morphometric data on the flow unit at a 2m spacing, calculating parameters including flow width, channel width, the heights of the levees, inward and outward slope of levees, and estimating pre-emplacement slope along the axis. The procedure is embedded in a customized GIS, which allows easy processing, handling and displaying of data. The procedure has also been applied to another flow unit emplaced during the October–November 1999 overflow from the Bocca Nuova crater. Results show that the channel width seems to accommodate first‐order trends of the pre-emplacement slope along the flow unit axis, while it is little affected by high frequency changes in slope; in contrast, flow unit width and flow unit thickness are apparently influenced by small‐scale changes in slope. The different emplacement conditions of the two flow units are reflected by the overall contrasting morphologies, as shown by the different average thickness and by the different ratios between (i) flow width vs. channel width and (ii) flow unit section area vs. channel width. The new method provides an enhanced, systematic and thorough morphometric description of flow units, which may improve the understanding of the emplacement mechanisms of lava flows on Earth and other planets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examines the shoreline change evolution at two spatiotemporal scales over ca. 18 km of Platamona-Maritza beach (northwest Sardinia, Italy). A multitemporal dataset spanning the period 1955-2010 was used and made up of archival aerial photographs, orthophotos, satellite imagery, light detection and ranging data, terrestrial laser scanner, Global Positioning System, and recent and historical topographic maps. We integrated this dataset by implementing a repeatable processing procedure, for which the global sensitivity for shoreline change estimation was evaluated (ca. 10 m as a product of time interval and change rate). The applied methodology indicates that the wet/dry boundary can be used as a good shoreline proxy. It is also demonstrated how reliable shoreline positional uncertainty (from 1.9 to 8.6 m) can be estimated whenever a large set of multitemporal data is available and geomatic tools are properly integrated. Results showed how shoreline evolutionary trends affected the entire coastal zone and roughly migrated from east to west, with the largest rates between 1970 and 2000. Where long-term analysis provided higher erosion rates, a sediment volumetric change was estimated, although only for a 2-year window and for a 300-m-wide stretch of beach. An analysis of geomorphic features along the coast also indicates variable longshore drift direction as a consequence of changes in a combination of wind, wave, and current regimes. A direct relationship between the evolutionary trend of hydrometric and pluviométrie data recorded at the study site highlight that, although rainfall regime is nearly constant, average discharge of main rivers underwent a dramatic decrease since 1965 in conjunction with land use change and upstream dam construction for agriculture and urban development. Therefore, it has been argued that river sediment supply also was reduced; hence, besides other natural and anthropogenic causes, it likely influenced erosion and accretion events in the southern sector of the Gulf of Asinara. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]