G. Ranieri

Geophysical Methods in Surveying Old Landfills

Evaluation of parameters required to diagnose state of old landfills in view of reclamation is generally performed by means of mechanical probings to obtain samples of various materials (biogas, leachate, waste, soil etc.) for analysis.

Near Surface Features by TDEM Imaging

The TDEM soundings in environmental and archaeological investigation require a data acquisition, usually performed with small size loop (3 and 10 m) and robust techniques for the data processing and imaging. We describe the data processing for the subsoil imaging in archaeological and environmental investigation using a simple direct transform and a robust inversion method. The direct transform is applied to image the TDEM data in archaeological investigation for detecting high resistive features, such as void and tombs. A second example permitted to verify the suitability of the laterally constraint inversion to map the subsoil characterised by high electrical conductivity due to the presence of leachate in an industrial waste landfill.

Detection of Old Mine Cavities

The application of geophysical techniques for detecting air filled cavities has been applied to a typical example in which the risk of collapse of old mine cavities concerns an area of great environmental and landscape interest.

On the resolution of radar tomography

The paper describes a simple procedure useful for modelling GPR tomographic data based on the ray tracing theory; the method achieves to generate synthetic radar traces for 2-D modelling of cross-borehole. The technique is suitable to verify the opportunity and the resolution of a radar survey for tomographic data processing.

Effects of Magnetic Fields on Seeds Germination

In geophysics is recently increasing the interest on the interaction between lands biological organisme and natural and artificial fields. In the last 30 years these items have been traditional studied by biophysicists at microscopical level (cellular and molecular) while, the present work consider a bigger scale approach. In the present work, we are reporting on the first experimental results obtained by the study, at macroscopic level, of the effects on seeds germination when magnetic field of the same order of the vertical component of the earth magnetic field is artificially produced.

Improvement of desert areas by means of geoelectroosmosis

Over the last twenty years the problem of desertification and its natural causes, connected to climate fluctuations, has become alarming not only in developing countries but also in industrialised countries. Soil usage capability loss has often dramatic consequences on the life of the people who live in the desertified areas. The methods now used to try to prevent the desertification process in the risk areas or to improve the desertified areas, are usually empirical, quite rudimental, and not so effective; it is therefore necessary to set up scientific methods that could be applied to solve the desertification problem at least in local circles.