PO FESR Sicilia SECESTA VIASAFE: Application of the monitoring network for ash fallout from the Etna volcano to mobility management in the Etnean territory
Link to the Italian Version
DESCRIPTION: The SECESTA-VIASAFE project aims to the optimiation and valildation of a sensors network for monitoring of the ash fallout phenomenon on the Etna volcano, addressing both urban and sub-urban areas, and to the development of new services for both the flight and road mobility in the metropolitan area of Catania, Italy.
PROJECT OBJETIVES
- Optimization and extension of the monitoring system developed during the SECESTA project.
- Optimization of algorithms for the estimation of main characteristics of the volcanic ash.
- Development of algorithms for the prediction of volcanic ash fallout, based on meteorological models of particles dispersal validated in real-time by acquired data.
- SIT development for the estimation of quantities aimed at the assessment of volume and type of the deposited volcanic material.
- Installation and experimental validation of the updated sensors node network, in the southern side of the volcano, mainly aimed to support airport operation.
- Development of an electronic signal system to dynamically show speed limit for vehicles in A18 highway, on the basis of the deposited ash during on-going volcanic activity in the areas of interest.
- Development of a mobile phone App to disseminate information on ash fallout and the usability of ordinary roads system to users and relevant authorities.
RESULTS
- Vision-based prototypes for monitoring of the volcanic ash fallout phenomenon have been realized.
- Engineered vision-based systems for monitoring of the volcanic ash fallout phenomenon have been realized.
- Algorithms for the estimation of main characteristics of the volcanic ash have been implemented.
- Algorithms for the prediction of the volcanic ash fallout, based on meteorological models of particles dispersal validated in real-time by acquired data have been developed.
- A SIT for the estimation of quantities aimed at the assessment of volume and type of the deposited volcanic material has been developed.
- A sensor-node network, mainly aimed to support the airport operation and the safety of people driving on the highway, has been realized in the southern side of the volcano.
- A system has been developed which elaborates data provided by models predicting volcanic ash fallout phenomenon on the A18 and RA15 highway to generate alert messages. Codified messages are automatically conveyed to informative systems handled by traffic authorities, for data elaboration and visualization of warning messages by screens available through the highway.
- A mobile phone App, aimed to communicate information related to the ash fallout phenomenon and usability of ordinary roads system to users and relevant authorities, has been developed.
- A protocol for recycling volcanic ash, after its removal from roads in the metropolitan town of Catania, has been developed with the support of an external company with expertise in the special waste treatment. This should simplify the temporary storage and significantly reduce costs for the disposal of volcanic ash to be faced by public entities in charge of managing road mobility.
FUNDING: The SECESTA VIASAFE project (n. 08CT6202000208 – CUP G69J18001010007) was funded thanks to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2014/2020 Sicily, under Axis 1 – Specific Objective 1.1 – Action 1.1.5. “. Eligible expenditure amount INGV Osservatorio Etneo: 350,000.00 euro. Contribution amount INGV Osservatorio Etneo: 350,000.00 euro.
WEBSITE: https://secesta.eu/
