Antonio Vecchio

A Simple Model for the Solar Cycle

A simple nonlinear model which describes the 11-year solar cycle can be derived from the usual α−ω dynamo theory in the form of a Van der Pol equation. Solar activity displays also small-scale inter-cycle persistent stochastic oscillations with a Hurst exponent of the order of H≃0.76±0.01. The results obtained from the Van der Pol oscillator superimposed on a fractional Brownian motion which describes the stochastic fluctuations are presented.

Proper Orthogonal Decomposition of Solar Photospheric Motions

The spatiotemporal dynamics of the solar photosphere is studied by performing a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of line of sight velocity fields computed from high resolution data coming from the MDI/SOHO instrument. Using this technique, we are able to identify and characterize the different dynamical regimes acting in the system. Low-frequency oscillations, with frequencies in the range 20-130 microHz, dominate the most energetic POD modes (excluding solar rotation), and are characterized by spatial patterns with typical scales of about 3 Mm. Patterns with larger typical scales of approximately 10 Mm, are associated to p-modes oscillations at frequencies of about 3000 microHz.

SIGN SINGULARITY AND FLARES IN SOLAR ACTIVE REGION NOAA 11158

Solar Active Region NOAA 11158 has hosted a number of strong flares, including one X2.2 event. The complexity of current density and current helicity are studied through cancellation analysis of their sign-singular measure, which features power-law scaling. Spectral analysis is also performed, revealing the presence of two separate scaling ranges with different spectral index. The time evolution of parameters is discussed. Sudden changes of the cancellation exponents at the time of large flares?and the presence of correlation with Extreme-Ultra-Violet and X-ray flux?suggest that eruption of large flares can be linked to the small-scale properties of the current structures.

Recurrent flares in active region NOAA 11283

The authors wish to thank the referee for his/her very useful comments and suggestions, which led to a sounder version of the article. This research work has received funding from the European Commissions Seventh Framework Programme under the grant agreements No. 284461 (eHEROES project), No. 312495 (SOLARNET project), No. 606862 (F-Chroma project). This research work is partly supported by the Italian MIUR-PRIN grant 2012P2HRCR on The active Sun and its effects on Space and Earth climate and by Space Weather Italian COmmunity (SWICO) Research Program. The research by the KSU astronomy unit – A.E. and A.S.K. – was supported by King Saud University, Deanship of Scientific Research, College of Science Research Center.

Aeromagnetic investigation of southern Calabria and the Messina Straits (Italy): Tracking seismogenic sources of 1783 and 1908 earthquakes

Southern Calabria and the NE corner of Sicily (Italy) were struck in 1783 and 1908 A.D. by two of the most catastrophic earthquakes ever in European history. Although it is generally acknowledged that the seisms were yielded by normal faults rupturing the upper crust of the Calabria-Peloritani terrane, no consensus exists on seismogenic source location and orientation. Here we report on a high-resolution low-altitude aeromagnetic survey of southern Calabria and Messina Straits. In southern Calabria we document a broad weakly positive (5–10 nT) anomaly zone interrupted by three en echelon SW-NE null to negative magnetic anomaly corridors. Euler deconvolution and magnetic modeling show that the anomaly pattern is produced by a 1–1.5 km thick crustal “layer” located within 3 km depth. This layer is offset by a 25 km long NE trending fault that corresponds to the Armo normal fault, recently inferred to be the source for the 1908 earthquake. Few kilometers to the south, we also document a subparallel and previously unrecognized fault, entering the Messina Straits and likely joining the Armo fault at depth. Further east, we model a 40 km long normal fault, probably extending northeastward for additional 40 km, running along the south Calabria axis from Aspromonte to the Serre mountains and partly following the 18 km long surface rupture witnessed by Deodat de Dolomieu after the 1783 earthquake. Thus, aeromagnetic data suggest that the sources of the 1783 and 1908 earthquakes are en echelon faults belonging to the same NW dipping normal fault system straddling the whole southern Calabria.

Electrostatic fluctuations in the solar wind: An evidence of the link between Alfvénic and electrostatic scales

Electrostatic activity in the frequency range of few kHz represents a very common phenomenon observed in the solar wind since first observation from Helios spacecraft. In this paper we present a detailed comparison between electrostatic fluctuations detected by STEREO spacecraft and the results of kinetic numerical simulations. By using a novel approach, made by a combination of two different numerical models, we provide a convincing interpretation of the space observations in terms of the electrostatic branch of the so-called ion-bulk waves able to survive against Landau damping even at small values of Te/Tp. The comparison between data and numerical simulations allows to characterize the chain of physical mechanisms, able to efficiently transfer energy from the Alfvenic scales down to scales of the order of the Debye length, through the excitation of the observed electrostatic fluctuations.

THE EMPIRICAL MODE DECOMPOSITION TO STUDY THE QUASI-BIENNIAL MODULATION OF SOLAR MAGNETIC ACTIVITY AND SOLAR NEUTRINO FLUX

The time variability of solar activity indices such as sunspot areas (SAs) and green-line coronal emission, fluxes of solar energetic protons and galactic cosmic rays (CRs) in the period 1974–2001 has been investigated through the empirical mode decomposition (EMD). We found that the quasi-biennial periodicity is a prominent time scale of solar variability, having the energetic particle indices an amplitude comparable with the 11 years one. Moreover, we provide evidence for the quasi-biennial modulation of the solar neutrino flux, which results to be also significantly correlated with the fluxes of solar energetic protons and galactic CRs. The significance of all the correlation has been tested by applying both bootstrap and Monte Carlo methods.

Flooding scenario for four Italian coastal plains using three relative sea level rise models

ABSTRACT The coastal areas of the central Mediterranean Sea are sensitive to climate change and the consequent relative sea level rise. Both phenomena may affect densely urbanized and populated areas, causing severe damages. Our maps show the land-marine flooding projections as effects of the expected relative sea level rise for four Italian coastal plains using (i) IPCC AR5 estimations, based on the IPCC RCP 8.5 emission scenarios and (ii) the Rahmstorf 2007 model. Isostatic and tectonic data were added to the global projections to estimate the relative sea changes expected along the coastline by 2100, as well as sea-flooding. The northern Adriatic map shows the study area, extending for about 5500 km2, and is presented at a scale of 1:300,000 with two inset maps at a scale of 1:150,000. The Oristano coastal plain is about 125 km2; the map scale is at 1:60,000 with an inset map scale at 1:33,000. The Cagliari coastal study area extends for 61 km2; the map scale is at 1:60,000 with two inset maps at 1:30,000. The Taranto area extends for 4.2 km2 and is represented at a scale map of 1:30,000, while the three inset maps are at a scale of 1:10,000.

The MASSIMO system for the safeguarding of historic buildings in a seismic area: operationally-oriented platforms

Abstract In this paper, the non-invasive system MASSIMO is presented for the monitoring and the seismic vulnerability mitigation of the cultural heritage. It integrates ground-based, airborne and spaceborne remote sensing tools with geophysical and in situ surveys to provide the multi-spatial (regional, urban and building scales) and multi-temporal (long-term, short-term, near-real-time and real-time scales) monitoring of test areas and buildings. The measurements are integrated through web-based GIS and 3D visual platforms to support decision-making stakeholders involved in urban planning and structural requalification. An application of this system is presented over the Calabria region for the town of Cosenza and a test historical complex.

ADAHELI+: exploring the fast, dynamic Sun in the x-ray, optical, and near-infrared

Abstract. Advanced Astronomy for Heliophysics Plus (ADAHELI+) is a project concept for a small solar and space weather mission with a budget compatible with an European Space Agency (ESA) S-class mission, including launch, and a fast development cycle. ADAHELI+ was submitted to the European Space Agency by a European-wide consortium of solar physics research institutes in response to the “Call for a small mission opportunity for a launch in 2017,” of March 9, 2012. The ADAHELI+ project builds on the heritage of the former ADAHELI mission, which had successfully completed its phase-A study under the Italian Space Agency 2007 Small Mission Programme, thus proving the soundness and feasibility of its innovative low-budget design. ADAHELI+ is a solar space mission with two main instruments: ISODY+: an imager, based on Fabry–Pérot interferometers, whose design is optimized to the acquisition of highest cadence, long-duration, multiline spectropolarimetric images in the visible/near-infrared region of the solar spectrum. XSPO: an x-ray polarimeter for solar flares in x-rays with energies in the 15 to 35 keV range. ADAHELI+ is capable of performing observations that cannot be addressed by other currently planned solar space missions, due to their limited telemetry, or by ground-based facilities, due to the problematic effect of the terrestrial atmosphere.