The thin and medium filters of the EPIC camera on-board XMM-Newton: measured performance after more than 15 years of operation     

Marco Barbera  Fabio Gastaldello  Luisa Sciortino  Simonpietro Agnello  Gianpiero Buscarino  Alfonso Collura  Nicola La Palombara  Ugo Lo Cicero  Nicola Sartore  Andrea Tiengo  Salvatore Varisco  Anna Maria Venezia 《Experimental Astronomy》2016,42(2):179-197

After more than 15 years of operation of the EPIC camera on board the XMM-Newton X-ray observatory, we have reviewed the status of its Thin and Medium filters. We have selected a set of Thin and Medium back-up filters among those still available in the EPIC consortium and have started a program to investigate their status by different laboratory measurements including: UV/VIS transmission, Raman scattering, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and Atomic Force Microscopy. Furthermore, we have investigated the status of the EPIC flight filters by performing an analysis of the optical loading in the PN offset maps to gauge variations in the optical and UV transmission. We both investigated repeated observations of single optically bright targets and performed a statistical analysis of the extent of loading versus visual magnitude at different epochs. We report the results of the measurements conducted up to now. Most notably, we find no evidence for change in the UV/VIS transmission of the back-up filters in ground tests spanning a 2 year period and we find no evidence for change in the optical transmission of the thin filter of the EPIC-pn camera from 2002 to 2012. We point out some lessons learned for the development and calibration programs of filters for X-ray detectors in future Astronomy missions.  相似文献   

Problems Related to Lichen Transplants to Monitor Trace Element Deposition in Repeated Surveys: A Case Study from Central Italy     

Luisa?Frati  Giorgio?Brunialti  Stefano?LoppiEmail author 《Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry》2005,52(3):221-230

The results of a transplant experiment with the fruticose lichen Evernia prunastri aimed at monitoring the trends of trace elements deposition in a repeated biomonitoring study are reported. Data comparability between the two surveys and interpretation of the results were addressed in this study. The ratio between the concentration of each element after the exposure and in control samples prior to exposure (exposed-to-control ratio, EC ratio), as well as an appropriate interpretative scale, were adopted as a means of determining the temporal trends of element accumulation by lichen transplants. The results showed that the method adopted is indeed a reliable tool, pinpointing a Zn smelting plant and an oil refinery as principal pollution sources in the area, which indicate that elements associated with the former were similarly accumulated in both 2002 and 2003, while elements associated with the latter tended to decrease in 2003.  相似文献   

Response of antioxidant systems to copper in the gills of the clam Ruditapes decussatus   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Geret F  Serafim A  Barreira L  Bebianno MJ 《Marine environmental research》2002,54(3-5):413-417

Copper (Cu) is an essential element for biological systems, however, when present in excess, is toxic. Metallothioneins can play an important role in Cu homeostasis and detoxification. Moreover, Cu can catalyse the production of toxic hydroxyl radicals that cause lipid peroxidation but defence systems in the cells can limit the oxidative damage. The present study was performed to investigate the effect of three Cu concentrations (0.5, 2.5 and 25 microg l(-1)) on the response of antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), selenium-dependent glutathion peroxidase and total glutathion peroxidase), total proteins, metallothioneins (MT), malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in the gills of the clam, Ruditapes decussatus. The activity of antioxidant enzymes and total proteins, MT and MDA concentrations were measured in the gills of the clams after 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of Cu exposure. Results indicate that Cu only induces an imbalance in the oxygen metabolism during the first week of Cu exposure due to a decrease in mitochondrial SOD and CAT, selenium-dependent and total glutathion peroxidase activities. Cu also causes lipid peroxidation, measured by the MDA formation, that was Cu dependent. In the gills of clams exposed to 25 microg Cu/l, the excess of Cu triggers the induction of MT synthesis after 3 days of exposure.  相似文献   

Some limitations in using <Superscript>222</Superscript>Rn to assess river–groundwater interactions: the case of Castel di Sangro alluvial plain (central Italy)     

Luisa Stellato  Emma Petrella  Filippo Terrasi  Paolo Belloni  Maria Belli  Umberto Sansone  Fulvio Celico 《Hydrogeology Journal》2008,16(4):701-712

²²²Rn was used to assess river–groundwater interactions within Castel di Sangro alluvial aquifer (Italy). The effectiveness of results obtained through this indicator was verified by also analyzing δ¹⁸O, major ions and temperature in both surface and groundwater, and carrying out piezometric head monitoring and discharge measurements. Hydrogeological investigations suggested that the river infiltrates into the aquifer in the south-eastern aquifer portion, while groundwater discharges into the river in the north-eastern portion. The latter phenomenon is supported by ²²²Rn data. Nevertheless, flow-through conditions cause the modelled discharge along this river reach, estimated by ²²²Rn data in a degassing-corrected two-component mixing model, to be greater than the measured discharge. Concerning river infiltration into the aquifer, δ¹⁸O, major ions and temperature data show that the river contribution is negligible in terms of aquifer recharge. Thus, the observed increase in ²²²Rn concentration in that portion of the aquifer is due to the enrichment process caused by infiltration of rainwater (²²²Rn free) which flows from the local divide area. Hence, in the study site, the use of only ²²²Rn to predict river–groundwater interactions causes some estimation inaccuracies and it must be coupled with other hydrochemical and hydrogeological parameters to gain a thorough understanding of such interactions.  相似文献   

Industrial pollution at Bagnoli (Naples, Italy): benthic foraminifera as a tool in integrated programs of environmental characterisation   总被引：1，自引：1，他引：0  

Romano E  Bergamin L  Finoia MG  Carboni MG  Ausili A  Gabellini M 《Marine pollution bulletin》2008,56(3):439-457

In the 20th century an important industrial plant operated on the coastal area of Bagnoli. After its closing, an integrated study of environmental characterisation aimed at restoration started. The survey conducted was based on chemical and sedimentological analyses integrated with benthic foraminifera analyses. Statistical analysis of the data shows sectors with a distinct type and degree of pollution. Particularly, pollution linked to the silty sediment fraction, mainly due to Pb and Zn, was recognised in front of the southern sector of the plant. The study of benthic foraminifera provides evidence for a pollution-tolerant character in some species like Haynesina germanica and Quinqueloculina parvula. In addition, two species among the 113 recognised show high percentages of abnormal specimens. These percentages show a statistical correlation with some pollutants (PAHs, Mn, Pb and Zn). In addition, Energy Dispersive Spectrometry shows small amounts of Fe ions included in deformed tests of Miliolinella subrotunda. Because the number of these deformations is positively correlated to the concentration of PAHs, Mn and Zn, the inability of some specimens to exclude the foreign elements from the crystalline reticulum of the test could be attributed to the potential toxic effect of these pollutants.  相似文献   

Silicic melts produced by reaction between peridotite and infiltrating basaltic melts: ion probe data on glasses and minerals in veined xenoliths from La Palma, Canary Islands     

E. Wulff-Pedersen  E. -R. Neumann  R. Vannucci  P. Bottazzi  L. Ottolini 《Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology》1999,137(1-2):59-82

Mantle xenoliths hosted by the historic Volcan de San Antonio, La Palma, Canary Islands include veined spinel harzburgites and spinel dunites. Glasses and associated minerals in the vein system of veined xenoliths show a gradual transition in composition from broad veins to narrow veinlets. Broad veins contain alkali basaltic glass with semi-linear trace element patterns enriched in strongly incompatible elements. As the veins become narrower, the SiO₂-contents in glass increase (46 → 67 wt% SiO₂ in harzburgite, 43 → 58 wt% in dunite) and the trace element patterns change gradually to concave patterns depleted in moderately incompatible elements (e.g. HREE, Zr, Ti) relative to highly incompatible ones. The highest SiO₂-contents (ca. 68% SiO₂, low Ti-Fe-Mg-Ca-contents) and most extreme concave trace element patterns are exhibited by glass in unveined peridotite xenoliths. Clinopyroxenes shift from LREE-enriched augites in basaltic glass, to REE-depleted Cr-diopside in highly silicic glass. Estimates indicate that the most silicic glasses represent melts in, or near, equilibrium with their host peridotites. The observed trace element changes are compatible with formation of the silicic melts by processes involving infiltration of basaltic melts into mantle peridotite followed by reactions and crystallization. The Fe-Mg interdiffusion profiles in olivine porphyroclasts adjacent to the veins indicate a minimum period of diffusion of 600 years, implying that the reaction processes have taken place in situ in the upper mantle. The CaO-TiO₂-La/Nd relationships of mantle rocks may be used to discriminate between metasomatism caused by carbonatitic and silicic melts. Unveined mantle xenoliths from La Palma and Hierro (Canary Islands) show a wide range in La/Nd ratios with relatively constant, low-CaO contents which is compatible with metasomatism of “normal” abyssal peridotite by silicic melts. Peridotite xenoliths from Tenerife show somewhat higher CaO and TiO₂ contents than those from the other islands and may have been affected by basaltic or carbonatitic melts. The observed trace element signatures of ultramafic xenoliths from La Palma and other Canary Islands may be accounted for by addition of small amounts (1–7%) of highly silicic melt to unmetasomatized peridotite. Also ultramafic xenoliths from other localities, e.g. eastern Australia, show CaO-TiO₂-La/Nd relationships compatible with metasomatism by silicic melts. These results suggest that silicic melts may represent important metasomatic agents. Received: 15 November 1998 / Accepted: 17 May 1999  相似文献   

The fractal properties of topography as controlled by the interactions of tectonic,lithological, and geomorphological processes          下载免费PDF全文

Luisa Liucci  Laura Melelli 《地球表面变化过程与地形》2017,42(15):2585-2598

Landscape topography widely exhibits fractal structure. Because of the complexity of relief geometry this structure is not homogeneous in space, and the study of its spatial characteristics represents a powerful method for investigating the interrelationships between landforms and underlying processes. We explore these interrelationships using the digital elevation model (DEM) of an area located in central Italy, where landscape topography is strongly linked to its geological evolution, being characterized by alternating intermountain basins and mountain ranges trending NW–SE. A modified version of the method based on the standard deviation of relief elevations is used to evaluate the fractal parameters of relief after tiling the DEM in spatial units characterized by homogeneous fractal geometry, and statistical methods in conjunction with spatial analysis techniques are applied to the resulting terrain datasets. Both the lowest and (to a lesser extent) the highest values of fractal dimension are found to follow the ridge‐and‐valley trend. Low fractal dimension is observed in the mountain ranges characterized by massive strata of limestone, and along the fault scarps defining the contact between the intermountain basins and the surrounding slopes, where sediment deposition prevails. High fractal dimension is observed in regions characterized by highly erodible terrigenous lithology, and in areas where tectonic activity favors erosional processes mainly by rivers. The analysis of the (fractal) power law parameters also suggests that each major lithological complex has its own characteristic fractal signature. These results provide new insights into the link between the fractal properties of topography and the tectonic, lithological, and geomorphological features of the area, and show that the analysis approach proposed is useful to depict key aspects about the geomorphological and geological setting of an area, using only a DEM. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

Stochastic analysis of the linear equivalent response of bridge piers with aseismic devices     

Luisa Carlotta Pagnini  Giovanni Solari 《地震工程与结构动力学》1999,28(5):543-560

The dynamic response of bridge piers with aseismic devices to earthquake excitation is evaluated by the stochastic equivalent linearization technique. The seismic acceleration is schematized through a Gaussian stationary random process. The pier is considered linear elastic, the span is idealized as a rigid mass, the restoring force of the device is represented through a non-linear differential model. The study of the complex modes of the linearized system gives an interpretation of the mechanical behaviour, leads to a formally elementary solution and highlights some phenomena which are typical of the hysteretic systems, particularly of those marked by weak hardening. Even though the solution is limited to the stationary field, it brings out several noteworthy considerations about the effective non stationary behaviour of the structure. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

Polarimetric receiver in the forty gigahertz band: new instrument for the Q-U-I joint Tenerife experiment     

Enrique Villa  Juan L. Cano  Beatriz Aja  J. Vicente Terán  Luisa de la Fuente  Ángel Mediavilla  Eduardo Artal 《Experimental Astronomy》2018,45(1):127-146

This paper describes the analysis, design and characterization of a polarimetric receiver developed for covering the 35 to 47 GHz frequency band in the new instrument aimed at completing the ground-based Q-U-I Joint Tenerife Experiment. This experiment is designed to measure polarization in the Cosmic Microwave Background. The described high frequency instrument is a HEMT-based array composed of 29 pixels. A thorough analysis of the behaviour of the proposed receiver, based on electronic phase switching, is presented for a noise-like linearly polarized input signal, obtaining simultaneously I, Q and U Stokes parameters of the input signal. Wideband subsystems are designed, assembled and characterized for the polarimeter. Their performances are described showing appropriate results within the 35-to-47 GHz frequency band. Functionality tests are performed at room and cryogenic temperatures with adequate results for both temperature conditions, which validate the receiver concept and performance.  相似文献   

Topotactic formation of ferrisicklerite from natural triphylite under hydrothermal conditions     

Peter Schmid-Beurmann  Luisa Ottolini  Frédéric Hatert  Thorsten Geisler  Magdalena Huyskens  Volker Kahlenberg 《Mineralogy and Petrology》2013,107(4):501-515

The topotactic oxidation and delithiation reaction from triphylite, Li(Fe,Mn)PO₄, leading to ferrisicklerite, Li_<1(Fe³⁺,Mn²⁺)PO₄, was investigated under hydrothermal conditions. A cuboid cut from a triphylite single-crystal (Palermo Mine, New Hampshire, USA) with the composition Li_0.93(3)(Fe²⁺ _0.733(6),Fe³⁺ _0.015(1),Mn²⁺ _0.210(4),Mg_0.063(2))_1.021(8)P_1.00(2)O₄ in addition with ground bulk material were treated with KMnO₄ and 30 % H₂O₂(aq) as oxidizing agent in a 0.1 N hydrochloric acid solution in the temperature range between 60 and 200 °C. At 120 °C a rim of 0.1 mm thickness of ferrisicklerite had formed around the core of unreacted triphylite. The sharp reaction boundary was clearly visible, due to the reddish brown absorption colors of ferrisicklerite, compared to colorless triphylite. Using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) and ⁵⁷Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy the product ferrisicklerite was characterized and its composition determined as Li_0.30(7)(Fe²⁺ _0.049(1)Fe³⁺ _0.65(2)Mn²⁺ _0.218(5)Mg_0.062(2))_0.98(1)P_1.01(3)O₄, with unit cell parameters a?=?4.795(1), b?=?9.992(4), and c?=?5.886(2) Å. EPMA investigations across the reaction boundary showed no changes in the concentrations of Fe, Mn, Mg, and P. In contrast, SIMS measurements clearly proved the delithiated state of the ferrisicklerite product. Polarization microscopy revealed that the orientation of the ferrisicklerite rim was the same as that of the original triphylite single-crystal, confirming the strictly topotactic character of the reaction.  相似文献