[DOTTORATO] Dottorandi GA (31)
My Ph.D. project aims to propose a palaeoenvironmental-palaeoclimatic reconstruction of the coastal environments of the Tuscan Pliocene through the studying of fossil record with a multidisciplinary approach.
Some scholars have proposed the Pliocene climate as an analog of that that will characterize the Mediterranean area in the (not-so-far) future. In this basin the ecosystems are dealing with a fierce variety of changes, due to a series of concauses, especially in coastal settings. As an effect of global warming, here the temperatures have increased +1.4°C since the late XIX, that is, significantly more than the global average (+1.1°C). In case of no decarbonization the temperatures are going to increase by an additional 1.5°C by 2050.
In this perspective, the study of Pliocene ecosystems might prove crucial for understanding the future patterns of Mediterranean biodiversity. The Tuscan Pliocene (central Italy) is home to a rich fossil record of vertebrates and invertebrates, mainly from the marine shallows.
Therefore, the Pliocene fossils from selected Tuscan localities (some of which are largely novel to science) are going to be studied from systematic and taphonomic points of view. Palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic inferences will be drawn based on quantitative palaeoecological methods (including geobiochemistry).
The results will be integrated with other records (sedimentology, micropalaeontology etc.) for refining the stratigraphic correlations between the Pliocene terrestrial and marine records, including a high-resolution reconstruction of the sea-level variations witnessed by the analyzed successions. Ultimately, the project promises to result in the elaboration of a reliable reference point for envisioning the future climatic and environmental evolution of the Mediterranean region, and especially of its coastal quarters, as global and regional warming progresses.
RESEARCH INTEREST
- Palaeoecology
- Taphonomy
- Paleoclimatology
- Biochemistry
- Zooarchaeology
Research project: : Integrated palaeoenvironmental-palaeoclimatic reconstruction of the coastal environments of the Tuscan Pliocene: implications for the future evolution of the Mediterranean region.
Supervisors:
Professor Giovanni Bianucci (DST-UNIPI)
Professor Alberto Collareta (DST-UNIPI)
Dr Luca Pandolfi (DST-UNIPI)
Federica Mulè
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra
Università di Pisa
Via Santa Maria 53
56126 Pisa
Italia
I’m a PhD candidate in Seismology/Geophysics at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa. My research focuses on developing advanced methodologies for microseismic data analysis using Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensing (DFOS/DAS) technology. Specifically, my goal is to enhance DFOS-based microseismic monitoring techniques for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) operations. My PhD work is part of the EU-funded HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (Project name: GeoHEAT; Grant agreement ID: 101147571), under the task “AI aided processing of drilling induced microseismicity in real-time”.
During my MSc thesis, I developed a denoising algorithm for borehole DAS-recorded microseismic data, particularly in the context of the offshore Ravenna CCS project with ENI S.p.A, where I collaborated during a 3-month internship. During this time, I supported DAS data acquisition and processing efforts, gaining valuable insights into real-world project management and operations while enhancing problem-solving skills.
As an additional experience during my Master’s program, I completed another internship at SLB (Schlumberger), where I further developed my seismic data processing skills by automating workflows, such as noise attenuation, using Python scripts, and collaborating closely with a diverse, multidisciplinary R&D team.
Overall, these experiences in leading companies sparked my curiosity in research and ultimately led me to pursue a PhD.
I hold a BSc in Earth Sciences (2022) and a MSc in Exploration and Applied Geophysics at University of Pisa (Cum Laude, 2024) from the University of Pisa. My MSc thesis was titled: “Signal Enhancement of Microseismic Data with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS): Applications in CCS Monitoring”.
RESEARCH INTEREST
- Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensing
- Seismology
- Microseismic monitoring
- Induced Seismicity
- Signal Processing
- Machine Learning
Research project: Development of new methodologies for the characterization of induced seismicity in geothermal environments.
Supervisors:
Professor Francesco Grigoli (DST-UNIPI)
Professor Stefan Wiemer (SED-ETHZ)
Dr Alice Pozzoli (ENI S.p.A)
Giulio Pascucci
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra
Università di Pisa
Via Santa Maria 53
56126 Pisa
Italia
Alessio Tomei is a PhD candidate in Geosciences and Environment, at the University of Pisa. Since the start of his of his studies, he has developed a passion for science, particularly chemistry, geology, biology, and environmental issues. His academic focus has been on the on degradation of cultural heritage stones and on environmental monitoring and quality assessment of water, sediments, and soil, using chemical and geochemical analyses. In his master thesis, he investigated the pollution of Chirchik and Akhangaran rivers, located in the Tahskent region, a complex and urbanized region of Uzbekistan.
His PhD project aims to develop an integrated isotopic fingerprinting method that combines hydrogeochemistry, isotope hydrology and the analysis of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs). Particularly, CECs will integrate the analyses of 15N-NH4 and Tritium to detect groundwater contamination from on-site wastewater leakage and off-site intrusion from nearby potential pollution sources. This research could contribute to future integration of CECs and environmental isotopes in monitoring guidelines for surface and groundwater in areas with mixed sources. To explore this, he will study a wastewater treatment plant that receives waste and leachate from various sources.
B. Sc. in Natural and Environmental Sciences awarded in 2022 with the thesis: “Saline Crystallization on stones: Sodium Sulphate action on Marbles, Calcarenites and Sandstones” M. Sc. in Environmental Sciences awarded in 2024 with the thesis: “Quality assessment of Chirchik and Akhangaran river basin, Uzbekistan”.
RESEARCH INTEREST
- Environmental Geochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Isotope Hydrology
- Water monitoring
- Emerging pollutants
Research project: Integrated isotopic fingerprinting protocol development to recognize wastewater contamination derived from wastewater treatment plants.
Supervisors:
Professor Viviana Re (DST-UNIPI)
Dr Brunella Raco (CNR-IGG)
Dr Raffaele Battaglini (Terre Logiche s.r.l.)
Alessio Tomei
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra
Università di Pisa
Via Santa Maria 53
56126 Pisa
Italia