PhD in Earth System and Global Changes

 Analysis of mountains springs reaction to ongoing climatic variations in the Umbria region

The ongoing climate change is determining a general warming and different precipitation rates. Besides the change in rainfall regime, a general decrease of snowfall and a shorter snow persistence on land surface have been recognized in mountain areas of Central Apennines. These factors deeply influence the hydrological cycle, determining   significant modifications of aquifers recharge rates, which affect springs average discharge and the shape of discharge hydrographs.   

In the Distretto idrografico dell’Appennino Centrale the drinkable water requirements are almost entirely met by exploiting groundwater resources and 75% of groundwater supplied to aqueducts comes from springs (AUBAC, 2024). About 60% of water withdrawal sites in the Umbria region are represented by springs and in some areas

springs supply drinkable water to the wide majority of residents. Besides being one of the main sources of drinkable water, springs fed by mountain aquifers, whose recharge areas are virtually unaffected by human activity, are sentinels of the effects of climate change.

The aim of the project, which will use selected important springs in the Umbria Region as sentinels to investigate the effects of climate change on ground water from mountain regions, is to integrate hydrogeological data, including geochemical and tracer tests data,  geo-structural information needed to define the geological structure of the spring systems and meteo-climatic data, both ground based and from remote sensing retrievals, to define  how precipitation rates and snowfall  are changing and how these changes influence springs regime.

To understand the mechanisms regulating the spring discharge and regime in a changing climate and in different geo-structural situations is of primary importance for estimating spring water availability in the future.  The results of the project will allow to set possible management strategies of springs in the Umbria region which, at the same time, satisfy water needs and guarantee the preservation of groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDE).

Info: costanza.cambi@unipg.it

CLIMAP – Climate and Ecosystem Perturbations in the Umbria-Marche Apennines: a Deep-Time Perspective

The ongoing climate crisis highlights the need to understand how ecosystems respond to rapid environmental perturbations. The geological record of the Umbria-Marche Apennines represents an exceptional archive of past climate change and provides a unique opportunity to investigate the interactions between climate, the carbon cycle, ocean oxygenation and ecosystem response. The Early Cretaceous succession of this region records several major environmental perturbations, including the Faraoni and Selli events, associated with changes in oceanographic conditions and carbon cycling.

This PhD project aims to reconstruct the response of terrestrial and marine ecosystems to Early Cretaceous climate perturbations through an integrated palynological and geochemical approach. Selected stratigraphic sections from Umbria and the neighbouring Marche region will be investigated using pollen and spores, dinoflagellate cysts and palynofacies. Changes in terrestrial vegetation, continental runoff, marine productivity and oxygenation will be reconstructed and integrated with carbon-isotope and geochemical records. Particular attention will be devoted to morphological and chemical changes in palynomorphs as potential indicators of environmental stress.

By comparing intervals preceding, spanning and following major climatic perturbations, the project will identify patterns of ecosystem resistance, collapse and recovery, providing a deep-time perspective for understanding biological responses to ongoing and future climate change. At the same time, the project will enhance the scientific and cultural value of the geological heritage of Umbria and the Umbria-Marche Apennines, promoting key stratigraphic successions as natural archives of global environmental change and contributing to their dissemination, conservation and geotouristic valorisation.

Info: amalia.spina@unipg.it

From industrial wastes to resources: decarbonization and circular economy

The ecological transition is a necessary path towards sustainable development and one of the goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda. The concepts of decarbonization and circular economy are among the key points to ensure this. The present research proposal is dedicated to the development of strategies to improve the sustainability of industrial processes using geomaterials. The fine-tuned technologies will be optimized along the path of (i) decarbonization of production processes, (ii) ex-situ carbon storage and (iii) reuse of waste geomaterials that will reach the status of end-of-waste and become second-generation geomaterials. The characterization and optimization of waste feedstocks and products will be carried out using both in-house instrumentations, national/international facilities and collaborations with public and private laboratories/industries.

Info: azzurra.zucchini@unipg.it

Geological and geophysical contributes to a new seismotectonic map of Umbria and surrounding regions

Historical and instrumental seismicity catalogues demonstrate that Umbria is one of the most hazardous regions of Italy.  In the last few decades, several sequences have struck Umbria and surrounding Apennines regions, with mainshocks equal or larger than 6.0.  Despite the huge number of published papers, the relationships between earthquakes, faults and mechanical stratigraphy of the crust are still largely unexplored.  Aim of this project is to produce a prototype of seismotectonic map of Umbria and surrounding regions, capable of fully including the geological knowledge, e.g. the position of the actual active faults and the lateral and vertical variations of the mechanical stratigraphy of the crust.

Info: massimiliano.barchi@unipg.it

Geophysical characterization of Quaternary extensional basins in Umbria through microtremors and active multiscale geophysical data: a contribution to seismic hazard assessment

The Quaternary basins in Central Italy have historically been affected by medium- to high-intensity earthquakes. Several studies have attempted to address the stratigraphic and structural complexities that hinder both geological modeling at different scales and the reliable assessment of site response. However, the accurate definition of basin geometry and the hierarchy of bordering active faults still represent open questions within the scientific community.

In this study, carried out in collaboration with national and international institutions, new and extensive passive seismic data acquired at selected sites in Umbria (microtremor measurements from single stations and 2D seismic arrays) will be analyzed and integrated with complementary geophysical and geological datasets from the literature, as well as with data obtained from novel high-resolution techniques (e.g., Deep Ground Penetrating Radar - DGPR, and Electrical Resistivity Tomography - ERT, active seismic).

The main objective is to reconstruct in detail the 3D architecture of selected Quaternary basins and their bounding faults (e.g., the Colfiorito and Norcia basins). This integrated approach will provide a more robust framework for improving seismic hazard assessment and identifying local ground motion amplification effects.

Info: maurizio.ercoli@unipg.it

Multi-Matrix Digital Geochemical Atlas of Umbria

The proposed theme is associated with the activities delineated in the 'Digital Geochemical Atlas' project, which is funded by the Umbria Region.  The subject under discussion pertains to a range of interrelated topics, including but not limited to environmental geochemistry, big data management, geostatistics, numerical simulations of environmental systems and geographic information systems (GIS).

The primary objective of this study is to develop a numerical geochemical model based on newly acquired compositional data. The model will be used to produce a comprehensive compilation of high-definition digital maps. These maps will illustrate the distribution of heavy metals and trace elements in soils, stream sediments and groundwater in Umbria.

The Multi-Matrix Digital Geochemical Atlas of Umbria is a twofold instrument. Firstly, it serves as a research tool to investigate the mechanisms of weathering, water-rock interaction and the transport of metals. Secondly, it functions as a geological analysis tool designed to support spatial planning. In particular, it plays a key role in determining the natural backgrounds in different natural matrices, enabling the distinction of natural background values and anthropogenic signatures.

Info: francesco.frondini@unipg.it

Systematic, paleoecological and taphonomic assessment of fossil cetaceans from Allerona (Umbria)

The area of Allerona in southwestern Umbria is known for its rich record of fossils of marine invertebrates and vertebrates, commonly referred to the Early Pleistocene. Among the latter, at least four skeletons of whales (Mammalia: Cetacea: Mysticeti) in different states of preservation have been recovered in the last 25 years but never studied in detail so far. This project aims at defining the systematic and taphonomic features of the specimens and to support reconstructing the paleoenvironment where they lived, by combining also information from sedimentological and geochemical proxies as well as data derived from other fossil taxa (eg, microfossils, mollusks, chondrichthyans, osteichthyans). The project will include field work to collect geological and paleontological data and lab work for the preparation and study of the vertebrate fossils to be carried out at the Museo dei Cicli Geologici in Allerona.

Info: marco.cherin@unipg.it

Towards predictive conservation: archaeometry, nanostructured materials and AI-driven approaches for Cultural Heritage

Archaeometry applies scientific methods to the study of cultural heritage materials, combining non-invasive and micro-invasive analyses, to characterize composition, technology, provenance and degradation of artefacts. In parallel, nanomaterials have become central to conservation for their compatibility with heritage substrates and their capacity to support cleaning, consolidation and protection. This project develops an integrated, multiscale framework for the characterization, interpretation and conservation of stone artefacts and historic mortars, addressed as a coupled pigment-substrate-binder system. Investigations span from bulk to nanoscale, combining multi-technique analytical approaches with the development of sustainable nanostructured conservation agents, tested at pristine, artificially aged and naturally aged stages. The project is centered on the Etruscan Hypogeum of Volumni in Perugia and complemented by additional case studies with diverse materials, environments and conservation histories. The experimental dataset will feed a vertically integrated AI workflow (diagnostic, predictive, prescriptive and generative) transforming materials data into operational conservation guidance.

Info: paola.comodi@unipg.it

Urban Geodiversity for Geo-Digital Twins: Palaeomorphological reconstruction for climate resilience and geoenvironmental risk mitigation

Urban areas hide a buried geomorphological heritage as ancient drainage networks, original topographic surfaces, modified or buried landforms, that influence present-day hydrological processes and environmental hazards, particularly during extreme events.

The central objective of this PhD project is to develop a methodology for identifying and characterising urban geodiversity and integrating it into Geo-Digital Twins, with the aim of representing the multitemporal evolution between the original morphology, anthropogenic transformations and present-day risk conditions.

The analysis, supported in a GIS environment, starts with input data as historical cartography and archival aerial imagery, but also LiDAR-derived models through to geomorphometric analysis. All of these converge in the reconstruction of pre-urbanisation palaeographic and palaeohydrographic surfaces, validated against independent sources (archaeological data, historical records, flood information).

The Geo-Digital Twin framework will then enable what-if scenario analyses to assess how geomorphological inheritance may condition the spatial distribution of future hazards in the context of climate change (intensification of rainfall, subsidence, slope instability, flooding).

Moreover, the same results could be used to identify areas suitable for the definition and enhancement of ecosystem services aimed at reducing the impacts of climate change, including urban heat-island effects and the development of urban green networks, by integrating biotic and abiotic data and knowledge.

The primary case studies are cities located in the Umbria region, with different geomorphological and geological constrains and urban contexts making them ideal laboratories for testing the methodology.

The expected outputs include: methodologies for mapping urban geodiversity, multitemporal geomorphological databases, digital layers for integration into digital twins and numerical modelling, and operational guidelines supporting adaptive planning and risk mitigation.

Info: laura.melelli@unipg.it