Modelling Applications for Environmental and Cultural Heritage Physics
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course gives insights into the application of models of widespread use in Environmental and Cultural Heritage Physics. The student is provided with advanced modelling competences useful for his/her future both in research and as professional in environmental or cultural heritage fields.
The course is structured using both frontal lessons and practical exercises. Frontal lessons recall physical and mathematical concepts at the basis of the models, and the aims of models application to answer to open issues in environmental (e.g. pollutants source apportionment) or cultural heritage (e.g. material characterization) fields. Practical exercises provide informatics tools for models application and will allow the student to gain experience in results interpretation.
The course is structured using both frontal lessons and practical exercises. Frontal lessons recall physical and mathematical concepts at the basis of the models, and the aims of models application to answer to open issues in environmental (e.g. pollutants source apportionment) or cultural heritage (e.g. material characterization) fields. Practical exercises provide informatics tools for models application and will allow the student to gain experience in results interpretation.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student:
- Knows the presented modelling approaches, their physical and mathematical bases, their importance in environmental and cultural heritage fields, and the main informatic tools for their application;
- Is able to identify the most suitable model to be applied to answer to specific questions in environmental or cultural heritage fields, also depending on the available data. He/she is able to identify and use the most suitable informatic tools to elaborate the available data using the chosen model;
- Can critically interpret the model results to answer to specific questions;
- Can support his/her model choice and can discuss the results in the frame of the open issues in environmental and cultural heritage fields;
- In autonomy, he/she can gain deeper insights into the topics of the course and can approach different programming languages.
- Knows the presented modelling approaches, their physical and mathematical bases, their importance in environmental and cultural heritage fields, and the main informatic tools for their application;
- Is able to identify the most suitable model to be applied to answer to specific questions in environmental or cultural heritage fields, also depending on the available data. He/she is able to identify and use the most suitable informatic tools to elaborate the available data using the chosen model;
- Can critically interpret the model results to answer to specific questions;
- Can support his/her model choice and can discuss the results in the frame of the open issues in environmental and cultural heritage fields;
- In autonomy, he/she can gain deeper insights into the topics of the course and can approach different programming languages.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
1) Analysis of temporal series of environmental data: applications to atmospheric pollutants data.
Introduction to atmospheric pollutants. Temporal series and representation techniques. Introduction to the language R and to the OpenAir package.
Hands-on exercises: application of the data representation techniques to temporal series of atmospheric pollutants and data interpretation.
2) Multivariate analysis of Environmental and Cultural Heritage data.
Introduction to direct and inverse problems.
- Principal Component Analysis (PCA): application to X-ray fluorescence measurements on cultural heritage finds.
Introduction to PCA. Loadings, scores, eigenvalues. Basics of XRF spectrometry and applications in Environmental and Cultural Heritage Physics. XRF spectra. Introduction to Matlab.
Hands-on exercises: PCA applications to in-situ XRF measurements on cultural heritage materials and results interpretation.
- Hierarchical clustering: application to historical finds.
Introduction to cluster analysis. Proximity measurements, hierarchical clustering, dendrograms. Examples of application in Environmental and Cultural Heritage physics.
Hands-on exercises: hierarchical clustering applications to historical finds composition data, and results interpretation.
- Positive Matrix Factorization: applications to chemically characterised PM10 samples. Atmospheric aerosol sources and emission inventories. Introduction to the Positive Matrix Factorization, uncertainties and weights. Missing data, data below detection limit. Weighing approaches. Residuals and scaled residuals. Rotations. Introduction to the EPA-PMF software.
Hands-on exercises: EPA-PMF analysis of a chemically characterised PM10 dataset. Data pretreatment, analysis, optimal solution identification, results discussion.
3 ) Identification and quantification of light-absorbing aerosol sources and components.
Introduction to atmospheric aerosol optical properties. Ångström absorption exponent (AAE). Light absorbing aerosol components, AAE, emission sources. Multi-wavelength absorption analyser model for component apportionment. Aethalometer model for optical source apportionment.
Hands-on exercises: implementation of the Aethalometer model, application to a dataset of multi-wavelength absorption coefficients. Sensitivity test to input free parameters. Discussion of the results.
4) Models based on radiocarbon (14C) measurements for environmental and cultural heritage applications.
14C formation in atmosphere. 14C in living beings and isotopic fractionation. 14C measurements and fraction of modern carbon (fm). Modelling approaches based on fm for historical finds dating and for the identification of fossil/non fossil sources of atmospheric aerosol.
Hands-on exercises: use of fm data on historical finds for dating purposes. Use of fm data on carbonaceous fractions of atmospheric aerosol for the quantification of the contribution of atmospheric aerosol sources. Sensitivity tests to free parameters. Identifying the role of measurement uncertainty on the accuracy of dating and source apportionment results.
5) Basics on meteorological and dispersion models.
Introduction to planetary boundary layer, turbulence, dispersion. Eulerian and lagrangian frame of reference. Gaussian models. Introduction to stochastic models, computational fluid dynamics, eulerian models. Range of application of the models.
Hands-on exercises: applications with open-source dispersion models
Introduction to atmospheric pollutants. Temporal series and representation techniques. Introduction to the language R and to the OpenAir package.
Hands-on exercises: application of the data representation techniques to temporal series of atmospheric pollutants and data interpretation.
2) Multivariate analysis of Environmental and Cultural Heritage data.
Introduction to direct and inverse problems.
- Principal Component Analysis (PCA): application to X-ray fluorescence measurements on cultural heritage finds.
Introduction to PCA. Loadings, scores, eigenvalues. Basics of XRF spectrometry and applications in Environmental and Cultural Heritage Physics. XRF spectra. Introduction to Matlab.
Hands-on exercises: PCA applications to in-situ XRF measurements on cultural heritage materials and results interpretation.
- Hierarchical clustering: application to historical finds.
Introduction to cluster analysis. Proximity measurements, hierarchical clustering, dendrograms. Examples of application in Environmental and Cultural Heritage physics.
Hands-on exercises: hierarchical clustering applications to historical finds composition data, and results interpretation.
- Positive Matrix Factorization: applications to chemically characterised PM10 samples. Atmospheric aerosol sources and emission inventories. Introduction to the Positive Matrix Factorization, uncertainties and weights. Missing data, data below detection limit. Weighing approaches. Residuals and scaled residuals. Rotations. Introduction to the EPA-PMF software.
Hands-on exercises: EPA-PMF analysis of a chemically characterised PM10 dataset. Data pretreatment, analysis, optimal solution identification, results discussion.
3 ) Identification and quantification of light-absorbing aerosol sources and components.
Introduction to atmospheric aerosol optical properties. Ångström absorption exponent (AAE). Light absorbing aerosol components, AAE, emission sources. Multi-wavelength absorption analyser model for component apportionment. Aethalometer model for optical source apportionment.
Hands-on exercises: implementation of the Aethalometer model, application to a dataset of multi-wavelength absorption coefficients. Sensitivity test to input free parameters. Discussion of the results.
4) Models based on radiocarbon (14C) measurements for environmental and cultural heritage applications.
14C formation in atmosphere. 14C in living beings and isotopic fractionation. 14C measurements and fraction of modern carbon (fm). Modelling approaches based on fm for historical finds dating and for the identification of fossil/non fossil sources of atmospheric aerosol.
Hands-on exercises: use of fm data on historical finds for dating purposes. Use of fm data on carbonaceous fractions of atmospheric aerosol for the quantification of the contribution of atmospheric aerosol sources. Sensitivity tests to free parameters. Identifying the role of measurement uncertainty on the accuracy of dating and source apportionment results.
5) Basics on meteorological and dispersion models.
Introduction to planetary boundary layer, turbulence, dispersion. Eulerian and lagrangian frame of reference. Gaussian models. Introduction to stochastic models, computational fluid dynamics, eulerian models. Range of application of the models.
Hands-on exercises: applications with open-source dispersion models
Prerequisites for admission
Knowledge of classical physics and basics of modern physics
Basics of statistics
Basics of programming
Environmental Physics and/or Analytical Methods for Cultural Heritage courses are suggested (not mandatory).
Basics of statistics
Basics of programming
Environmental Physics and/or Analytical Methods for Cultural Heritage courses are suggested (not mandatory).
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons (21 hours) and hands-on exercises (36 hours)
Frontal lessons will introduce the students to:
- the physical-mathematical bases of the proposed models
- the aims of application of the different kinds of models in the light of open questions in the field of Environmental and Cultural Heritage physics
- models application.
Flipped classroom approach can be occasionally used instead of frontal lesson.
Hands-on exercises - based on team-based learning approaches - will deal with case studies.
Stemming from the knowledge and the competences acquired with the frontal lessons, students will:
- be involved in the choice of suitable modelling approaches
- be introduced to the use of informatic tools for models application
- acquire autonomy in the models use, under teacher supervision.
Laboratory activities will also include approaches for data representation and discussion and interpretation of the obtained results.
Frontal lessons will introduce the students to:
- the physical-mathematical bases of the proposed models
- the aims of application of the different kinds of models in the light of open questions in the field of Environmental and Cultural Heritage physics
- models application.
Flipped classroom approach can be occasionally used instead of frontal lesson.
Hands-on exercises - based on team-based learning approaches - will deal with case studies.
Stemming from the knowledge and the competences acquired with the frontal lessons, students will:
- be involved in the choice of suitable modelling approaches
- be introduced to the use of informatic tools for models application
- acquire autonomy in the models use, under teacher supervision.
Laboratory activities will also include approaches for data representation and discussion and interpretation of the obtained results.
Teaching Resources
The following material will be published on the Ariel - UNIMI website:
- Slides of the lessons
- Peer-reviewed papers and other open-source documents suggested during the lessons
- Textbook extracts (available on-line through UniMI library system)
- Brereton R. G.: Chemometrics. Data Driven Extraction for Science. 2nd edition. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., 2018. ISBN 9781118904671
- De Visscher A.: Air dispersion modelling: Foundations and Applications. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2014. ISBN 978-1-118-07859-4
- Everitt B.S., Landau S., Leese M., and Stahl D.: Cluster Analysis. 5th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2011. ISBN: 978-0-470-74991-3
- Tomasi C., Fuzzi S., Kokhanovsky A. Edts: Atmospheric Aerosols - Life Cycles and Effects on Air Quality and Climate. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2017. ePDF ISBN: 978-3-527-33643-2
- Slides of the lessons
- Peer-reviewed papers and other open-source documents suggested during the lessons
- Textbook extracts (available on-line through UniMI library system)
- Brereton R. G.: Chemometrics. Data Driven Extraction for Science. 2nd edition. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., 2018. ISBN 9781118904671
- De Visscher A.: Air dispersion modelling: Foundations and Applications. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2014. ISBN 978-1-118-07859-4
- Everitt B.S., Landau S., Leese M., and Stahl D.: Cluster Analysis. 5th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2011. ISBN: 978-0-470-74991-3
- Tomasi C., Fuzzi S., Kokhanovsky A. Edts: Atmospheric Aerosols - Life Cycles and Effects on Air Quality and Climate. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2017. ePDF ISBN: 978-3-527-33643-2
Assessment methods and Criteria
Two-step learning assessment will be carried out:
1) During laboratory activities, acquisition of competences in programming, use of software, and data elaboration will be evaluated, as well as the acquired level of autonomy.
2) During a final exam (oral test), the acquisition of the other competences will be evaluated, through case-studies discussion.
More in detail, the student will have to:
- Understand the problem of the proposed case-study and identify a modelling approach suitable to solve the problem - in the light of the available data - discussing the choice;
- Know and describe physical and mathematical bases of the proposed model;
- Discuss and interpret the obtained results, in the framework of open questions in Environmental and Cultural Heritage physics.
1) During laboratory activities, acquisition of competences in programming, use of software, and data elaboration will be evaluated, as well as the acquired level of autonomy.
2) During a final exam (oral test), the acquisition of the other competences will be evaluated, through case-studies discussion.
More in detail, the student will have to:
- Understand the problem of the proposed case-study and identify a modelling approach suitable to solve the problem - in the light of the available data - discussing the choice;
- Know and describe physical and mathematical bases of the proposed model;
- Discuss and interpret the obtained results, in the framework of open questions in Environmental and Cultural Heritage physics.
FIS/07 - APPLIED PHYSICS - University credits: 6
Laboratories: 36 hours
Lessons: 21 hours
Lessons: 21 hours
Professor:
Bernardoni Vera
Professor(s)