Papers by stefano gianessi
Assessment of a novel Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensor for area-wide soil moisture monitoring
Upgrading standard weather station with cosmic ray neutron sensors in Italy: challenges, results, and opportunities
<p>Over the last decades, several new observation systems have been developed, test... more <p>Over the last decades, several new observation systems have been developed, tested, and implemented in dedicated experimental sites by research groups in many countries all around the World. The data collected at these high-level test sites have boosted research and collaborations providing the basis for new hypothesis testing, better process understanding and model improvements. In contrast, national and more operational ground monitoring networks are still largely based on traditional instruments. Moreover, the different networks and the data are not always well integrated, even at the regional level. For these reasons, the capability to monitor the main components of the hydrological cycle over large areas is still limited and the observation systems to support the management of the water resources and for environmental protections can be improved. By using soil moisture and snow water equivalent monitoring as examples, in this contribution we present and discuss challenges, results and opportunities in upgrading national weather stations and improving the service provided by the public environmental agencies. Specifically, the difficulties of implementing ground monitoring networks are first discussed. The opportunities provided by the development of new non invasive sensors based on cosmic-ray neutrons detection are then presented. The activities and the results conducted during the last years to move this technology further from research to operation are shown. The current uptake from a number of Italian environmental agencies is reported. The key components and current challenges for a successful implementation are finally discussed.</p>
Comparison of cosmic-ray neutron sensing and gamma-ray spectrometry for non-invasive soil moisture estimation over a large cropped field
2022 IEEE Workshop on Metrology for Agriculture and Forestry (MetroAgriFor)
Cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) has emerged as a reliable method for soil moisture and snow est... more Cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) has emerged as a reliable method for soil moisture and snow estimation. However, the applicability of this method beyond research has been limited due to, among others, the use of relatively large and expensive sensors. This paper presents the tests conducted to a new scintillator-based sensor especially designed to jointly measure neutron counts, total gamma-rays, and muons. The neutron signal is firstly compared against two conventional gas-tube-based CRNS sensors at two locations (Austria and 20 Germany). The estimated soil moisture is further assessed at four agricultural sites in Italy based on gravimetric soil moisture collected within the sensor footprint. The results show that the signal detected by the new scintillator-based CRNS sensor is well in agreement with the conventional CRNS sensors and with the gravimetric soil moisture measurements. In addition, the muons and the total gamma-rays simultaneously detected by the sensor show promising features for a better correction of the incoming variability and for 25 discriminating irrigation and precipitation events, respectively. Further experiments and analyses should be conducted, however, to better understand the added value of these additional data for soil moisture estimation. Overall, the new scintillator design shows to be a valid and compact alternative to conventional CRNS sensors for non-invasive soil moisture monitoring that can open the path to a wide range of applications. 1 Introduction 30 Soil moisture plays a key role in the hydrological cycle controlling water and energy fluxes at the land surface
Nella seguente tesi si è trattato di come l'archiviazione, elaborazione e analisi dei dati ge... more Nella seguente tesi si è trattato di come l'archiviazione, elaborazione e analisi dei dati geografici, ottenuti tramite la tecnica del telerilevamento satellitare, riesca a restituire un modello che espliciti le forme geomorfologiche dell'area di studio. La Cordillera de la Sal nel Deserto di Atacama (Cile) rappresenta un contesto estremamente arido, privo di vegetazione e dotata di morfologie macroscopiche ben evidenti, dove la tecnica di telerilevamento satellitare può esprimere a pieno tutte le sue potenzialità. Sono state costruite delle carte geomorfologiche che mirano a mettere in evidenza la relazione tra idrografia superficiale e quella sotterranea
Assessment of a new non-invasive soil moisture sensor based on cosmic-ray neutrons
2021 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for Agriculture and Forestry (MetroAgriFor)
Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting... more Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting our oceans today. Increased demand for new polymer products alongside the longevity and resistance to decomposition of the plastics currently in existence offers ocean ecosystems little relief from the barrage of mismanaged plastic waste that enters waters globally. Clean up efforts have been implemented across the planet with the goal of combating this scourge; however, resources to accomplish this goal are limited and the afflicted area is vast. With the assistance of remote sensing, mitigation efforts can be applied tactfully to maximize positive impacts while limiting expenditure of resources. Remotely sensed data can be applied indirectly, providing parameters for models predicting the paths of marine debris throughout the world's oceans, or directly, using remote sensors to locate areas with concentrations of debris in need of remediation. Although remote sensing technology has yet to achieve the resolution and accuracy to be relied on solely in this application, it has the potential to be a very useful tool in the fight to rid oceans of marine debris.
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Papers by stefano gianessi