Institute of Ionized Gas

<p>The growing demand for renewable energy leads to an increase in the development of alternative energy applications. In this way, shallow geothermics assumes an important role in the global energy transition of building air conditioning. The design of Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) requires a multidisciplinary approach including a good understanding of the underground geological setting, such as hydrogeological aspects and heat flow conditions. Classic monitoring strategies often rely on local and point-based measurements to monitor changes of underground temperature in time, with the limit of not succeeding in a whole delimitation of the Thermal Active Zone (TAZ). In this context, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) can bring relevant information on the temperature distribution for monitoring the induced thermal plume within BHEs (Borehole Heat Exchangers) systems. Geophysics helps the understanding of the thermal processes, in order to front the difficulties arising from Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) implementation. Thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity depend equally in a complex way on different common subsurface and environmental attributes such as, among the main, mineralogical composition, grain size, density, porosity and saturation. Besides, thermal conductivity increases significantly with temperature in wet ground, by making it clear a relationship between both parameters.</p><p>ERT is particularly sensitive to the porous medium temperature and, when applied in time-lapse (TL), could provide spatially distributed information on the changes over time of water content, salinity or temperature. For this reason, in this work we monitored the complex TAZ temporal evolution during a heat injection experiment using a 3D time-lapse ERT survey, arranged in a reduced scale physical model. For a better understanding of measured electrical resistivity values, focused on mapping the extent of a geothermal plume around a borehole, a specific laboratory device was utilized. Grain size distribution, bulk density and saturation of the porous medium are known and established, as well as reliable temperature values acquired through sensors with which calibrate the ERT results. Thus, changes in resistivity can be interpreted to track the evolution of the plume of heated water and used to estimate the temperature change. The propagation of the heat plumes into the ground is also highly sensitive to interstitial water flow rate, thus also this condition was recreated and monitored varying the hydraulic gradient in the experimental device.</p><p>The present work aims to demonstrate the ability of ERT to provide complementary insights about the sub-surface spatio-temporal dynamic for monitoring the extension of TAZ caused by BHEs probes. In addition, the detailed scale adopted and the variable control within a laboratory setup ease the study of the interaction between thermal and electrical properties.</p>

A combined Tof-SIMS, XPS and STM characterization has been performed to study the deposition of a sulphur-functionalized nitronyl nitroxide radical on Au(111) clearly demonstrating the chemisorption of intact molecules. Continuous -wave EPR characterization showed that the radical molecules maintain their paramagnetic character. Pulsed EPR measurements allowed to determine the decoherence time of the nanostructure at 80 K, which turned out to be comparable to the one measured in frozen solution and longer than previously reported for many radicals and other paramagnetic molecules at much lower temperatures. Furthermore, we conducted a state-of-the-art ab initio molecular dynamics study, suggesting different possible scenarios for chemisorption geometries and predicting the energetically favoured geometry. Calculation of the magnetic properties indicates a partial non-innocent role of the gold surface in determining the magnetic interactions between radicals in packed structures. This suggests that the observed EPR spectrum is to be attributed to low-density domains of disordered radicals interacting via dipolar interactions.

<p>In the framework of the III level Seismic Microzonation of the Pieve del Grappa municipality (Treviso, NE Italy), three paleoseismological trenches were dug, in order to investigate activity and capacity of the Crespano del Grappa backthrust.</p><p>The study area is located in the Veneto foothills, where the Plio-Quaternary external front of the Eastern Southern Alps (Castellarin and Cantelli, 2000) presently propagates with a 2-3 mm/y velocity towards the south (Serpelloni et al., 2016). The external front is composed of a series of arcuated WSW-ENE striking, S verging structures (Galadini et al, 2005). Moreover, the area is characterized by a medium-to-low seismicity with only one M>6 earthquake during the last millennium: the 1695 Asolo event, Mw 6.45 (Rovida et al., 2016).</p><p>Regarding the structural framework, the study area is located between the Bassano-Vittorio Veneto Thrust to the north and the Bassano-Cornuda Thrust to the south. The investigated tectonic structure, i.e. the Bassano-Cornuda backthrust, is a N-verging E-W striking reverse structure. Moving from east to the west, it widely crops out near the Castelcucco village, causing a hundred meters displacement in the Miocene Molasse (Braga, 1970). In particular in Crespano village the thrust is responsible of an about 10 m vertical throw in the Quaternary alluvial conglomerates of Lastego river (Parinetto, 1987). Because of the urbanization, the paleoseismological trenches were realized at the eastern (Col Canil) and western (San Vito) borders of the village. In the former case, the trench cut through thick colluvial deposits that probably buried an abandoned valley. Differently, the second and the third trenches affected wide coalescent LGM alluvial fans, which border the southern slope of Mt. Grappa.</p><p>The results testify an intense Pleistocene-Holocene deformation of the Crespano del Grappa backthrust. Particularly, active deformation evidence deals with:</p><ul><li>back-tilting of the Holocene colluvial units;</li> <li>pronounced polyphasic liquefaction episodes, locally completely altering the sedimentary structures of colluvial units;</li> <li>a wide damage zone in the proximity of the morphological scarp and associated with the peak of the induced polarization. This observation testifies that the Crespano del Grappa backthrust reached the surface and displaced topography in the past, probably at the occurrence of one or more events which generated the paleoliquefaction effects;</li> <li>the 3-4 m displacement of the LGM alluvial fan deposits.</li> </ul><p>Concerning the age of the deformation, the dating of the involved units suggests a post LGM activation, probably recent-to-historical.</p><p> </p><p>REFERENCES</p><p>Braga GP, 1970. Rendiconti Fisici dell’Accademia dei Lincei, serie 8, 48(4): 451-455.</p><p>Castellarin A. and Cantelli L., 2000. Journal of Geodynamics. DOI: 10.1016/S0264-3707(99)00036-8.</p><p>Galadini et al., 2005. Geophysical Journal International. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2005.02571.x.</p><p>Parinetto A., 1987. Aspetti morfotettonici del versante meridionale del Grappa e delle colline antistanti. Unpublished degree thesis. University of Padova, Italy.</p><p>Rovida et al., 2016. DOI: http://doi.org/10.6092/INGV.IT-CPTI15.</p><p>Serpelloni et al., 2016. Tectonophysics, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2016.09.026.</p>

The formation of core–shell (CS) nanoparticles (NPS) often requires complex procedures. Due to minimization of interface energy, we show that colloidal Fe–Au CS NPs are obtained in one step, by laser ablation of bimetallic thin films in liquid.

We discuss the relation between the emergence of new phases with broken symmetry within the framework of simple models of biopolymers. We start with a classic model for a chain molecule of spherical beads tethered together, with the steric constraint that non-consecutive beads cannot overlap, and with a pairwise attractive square well potential accounting for the hydrophobic effect and promoting compaction. We then discuss the consequences of the successive breaking of spurious symmetries. First, we allow the partial interpenetration of consecutive beads. In addition to the standard high temperature coil phase and the low temperature collapsed phase, this results in a new class of marginally compact ground states comprising conformations reminiscent of α-helices and β-sheets, the building blocks of the native states of globular proteins. We then discuss the effect of a further symmetry breaking of the cylindrical symmetry on attaching a side-sphere to the backbone beads along the negative normal of the chain, to mimic the presence of side chains in real proteins. This leads to the emergence of a novel phase within the previously obtained marginally compact phase, with the appearance of more complex secondary structure assemblies. The potential importance of this new phase in the de novo design of self-assembled peptides is highlighted.

We study the mechanism of heat generation, induced by an alternating magnetic field, in magnetite nanoparticles doped with manganese, produced by thermal decomposition from organometallic precursors. We investigate a set of four samples obtained by varying the duration of the reflux treatment carried out at a temperature of 300 °C during the synthetic procedure. On increasing this parameter from 60 to 180 minutes, the mean size of the nanoparticles increases, though remaining below 10 nm, as well as the saturation magnetization, which in all the samples, thanks to the Mn doping, is higher than that in magnetite nanoparticles taken as a reference. The combination of these two events has two main consequences. First, it determines the intensity of dipolar interactions between the nanoparticles, thus influencing their magnetic relaxing behavior, which, in turn, is closely related to the heating efficiency. Secondly, in a heating test, it is possible to operate in the regime of non-linear magnetic response of the nanoparticles at values of amplitude and frequency of the alternating field usually employed for biomedical applications. We show that, in this regime, the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) in each sample depends linearly on the fraction of nanoparticles that are not superparamagnetic. This opens the possibility of modulating the heating capacity of the produced nanoparticles, so as to match specific needs, changing only a single synthesis parameter and opportunely exploiting the strict connection between structural features, magnetic properties and measurement conditions.

While the structural complexity of cometary comae is already recognizable from telescopic observations1, the innermost region, within a few radii of the nucleus, was not resolved until spacecraft exploration became a reality2,3. The dust coma displays jet-like features of enhanced brightness superposed on a diffuse background1,4,5. Some features can be traced to specific areas on the nucleus, and result conceivably from locally enhanced outgassing and/or dust emission6–8. However, diffuse or even uniform activity over topographic concavity can converge to produce jet-like features9,10. Therefore, linking observed coma morphology to the distribution of activity on the nucleus is difficult11,12. Here, we study the emergence of dust activity at sunrise on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko using high-resolution, stereo images from the OSIRIS camera onboard the Rosetta spacecraft, where the sources and formation of the jet-like features are resolved. We perform numerical simulations to show that the ambient dust coma is driven by pervasive but non-uniform water outgassing from the homogeneous surface layer. Physical collimations of gas and dust flows occur at local maxima of insolation and also via topographic focusing. Coma structures are projected to exhibit jet-like features that vary with the perspective of the observer. For an irregular comet such as 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, near-nucleus coma structures can be concealed in the shadow of the nucleus, which further complicates the picture. Images of 67P's nucleus from the Rosetta spacecraft, together with numerical simulations, show that the jet-like features of cometary comae can be produced by diffuse activity focused by the nucleus topography as well as non-uniform insolation over the surface.

Integrity of the ocular surface and transparency of the cornea as “window of the eye,” necessary to achieve a good visual acuity, are essential of every persons’ quality of life and for their ability to professionally and socially interact in the community. The homeostasis at the ocular surface is constantly endangered both by microbes and by intrinsic factors, such as metabolic disturbances (e.g., diabetes) reducing the wound healing capability. In addition, the popular use of contact lenses poses a considerable risk for microbial infection due to poor hygiene or overwearing. Infections at the ocular surface clinically present as infections of the conjunctiva (=conjunctivitis) or of the cornea (=keratitis). In advanced stages, corneal defects can result with loss of stromal tissue and potential risk of perforation of the eye. Current treatments involve topical or i.v. use of e.g., antibiotics or of antimycotics and require hospitalization in severe cases. However, some microbes can be therapy-refractive or even -resistent leading to worsening of the clinical situation. Plasma medicine and its desinfective properties open new ways for treatment of microbial infections of the cornea. This can lead to shortening of treatment time, faster recovery for the patient and to an overall reduction of costs for health systems.

The dichroic nonlinear absorption of Ag nanoprism arrays is interpreted using FEM simulations of the polarization-dependent local electric field distribution.

The occupied and unoccupied electronic structures of three high spin TM(acac)3 (TM = Cr, Mn, and Fe) complexes (I, II, and III, respectively) were studied by revisiting their literature vapour-phase He(i) and, when available, He(ii) photoemission (PE) spectra and by means of original near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopic data recorded at the O K-edge (OK-edge) and TM L2,3-edges (TML2,3-edges). The assignments of the vapour-phase He(i)/He(ii) PE spectra were guided by the results of spin-unrestricted non-relativistic Slater transition state calculations, while the OK-edge and TML2,3-edge spectroscopic pieces of evidence were analysed by exploiting the results of spin-unrestricted scalar-relativistic time-dependent density functional theory (DFT) and DFT/ROCIS calculations, respectively. Although the actual symmetry (D3, in the absence of any Jahn-Teller distortion) of the title molecules allowed an extensive mixing between TM t2g-like and eg-like atomic orbitals, the use of the Nalewajski-Mrozek TM-O bond multiplicity index combined with a thorough analysis of the ground state (GS) outcomes allowed the assessment of the TM-O bond weakening associated with the progressive TM 3d-based eg-like orbital filling. The experimental information provided by OK-edge spectra was rather poor; nevertheless, the combined use of symmetry, orbitals and spectra allowed us (i) to rationalise minor differences characterizing spectral features along the series, (ii) to quantify the contribution provided by the ligand-to-metal-charge-transfer (LMCT) excitations to the different spectral features, and (iii) to recognize the t2g-/eg-like nature of the TM 3d-based orbitals involved in LMCT transitions. As far as the TML2,3-edge spectra and the DFT/ROCIS results were concerned, the lowest lying I,IIL3 spectral features included states having either the GS spin multiplicity (S(I) = 3/2, S(II) = 2) or, at higher excitation energies (EEs), states with ΔS = ±1. In contrast to that, only states with ΔS = 0, -1 significantly contributed to the IIIL3 spectral pattern. Along the whole series, the L3 higher EE side was systematically characterized by states involving TM2p → π4 MLCT excitations; as such, coupled-single excitations with ΔS = 0 were involved in I and II, while single MLCT TM2p → π4 transitions with ΔS = -1 were involved in III.