ARPA-E

About: ARPA-E is a government organization based out in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Climate change. The organization has 1161 authors who have published 1267 publications receiving 30049 citations. The organization is also known as: Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy.

Hydrogeological characterization of peculiar Apenninic springs

Abstract: . In the northern Apennines of Italy, springs are quite widespread over the slopes. Due to the outcropping of low-permeability geologic units, they are generally characterized by low-yield capacities and high discharge variability during the hydrologic year. In addition, low-flow periods (discharge lower than 1 Ls -1 ) reflect rainfall and snowmelt distribution and generally occur in summer seasons. These features strongly condition the management for water-supply purposes, making it particularly complex. The "Mulino delle Vene" springs (420 m a.s.l., Reggio Emilia Province, Italy) are one of the largest in the Apennines for mean annual discharge and dynamic storage and are considered as the main water resource in the area. They flow out from several joints and fractures at the bottom of an arenite rock mass outcrop in the vicinity of the Tresinaro River. To date, these springs have not yet been exploited, as the knowledge about the hydrogeological characteristics of the aquifer and their hydrological behaviour is not fully achieved. This study aims to describe the recharge processes and to define the hydrogeological boundaries of the aquifer. It is based on river and spring discharge monitoring and groundwater balance assessment carried out during the period 2012–2013. Results confirm the effectiveness of the approach, as it allowed the total aliquot of discharge of the springs to be assessed. Moreover, by comparing the observed discharge volume with the one calculated with the groundwater balance, the aquifer has been identified with the arenite slab (mean altitude of 580 m a.s.l.), extended about 5.5 km 2 and located 1 km west of the monitored springs.

Radon exchange dynamics in a karst system investigated by radon continuous measurements in water: first results.

Abstract: In 2008 the underground Karst Laboratory of Bossea Cave started research on radon exchange dynamics between bedrock, cave waters (main collector and percolations) and indoor underground atmosphere. Radon air concentrations, normally high, increase more and more during the collector's floods. An explanation of this is a radon-water solubilisation process more effective in flood events, because of a greater rock-water contact surface. Radon is then carried by water into the cave and released into the air. To verify this, continuous measurements of radon concentration are needed not only in the air, but also in the waters of the cave. So a new device for continuous radon monitoring in water was tested, connected to the AlphaGuard radon monitor. For the first 6 months of 2010, for different sections of the cave, the correlations between radon in the air, radon in the waters and the collector's stream flow fluctuations were presented and discussed.

Study of ageing and fading in CR-39 detectors for different storage conditions

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ageing and fading on PADC detector response, as a function of the storage time and temperature. Several groups of CR-39 detectors provided by Radosys, Ltd. were exposed at the reference radon chamber of the Istituto Nazionale di Metrologia delle Radiazioni Ionizzanti, at the ENEA centre in Casaccia. The results indicate that low-temperature storage inhibits the effect of both ageing and fading. Finally, the overall reduction in CR-39 sensitivity due to the combined ageing/fading effect was estimated. In particular, the sensitivity of the detectors continuously exposed in air at room temperature over 6 and 3 months was reduced, respectively, by 7.5 and 4 %.

Sensitivity experiments of a severe rainfall event in north-western Italy: 17 August 2006

Abstract: . This study is embedded into a wider project named "Tackle deficiencies in Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF)'' in the framework of the COSMO ( CO nsortium for S mall-scale MO delling) community. In fact QPF is an important purpose of a numerical weather prediction model, for forecasters and customers. Unfortunately, precipitation is also a very difficult parameter to forecast quantitatively. This priority project aims at looking into the COSMO Model deficiencies concerning QPF by running different numerical simulations of various events not correctly predicted by the model. In particular, this work refers to a severe event (moist convection) happened in Piemonte region during summer 2006. On one side the results suggest that details in orography representation have a strong influence on accuracy of QPF. On the other side COSMO Model exhibits a poor sensitivity on changes in numerical and physical settings when measured in terms of QPF improvements. The conclusions, although not too general, give some hint towards the behaviour of the COSMO Model in a typical convective situation.