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During the second 2022 summer campaign the team from the University of Catania performed a core drilling of the sediment surrounding the Coralligenous bioconstructions. The analysis of a small dredged portion of the substrate and overlying sediment will provide important data on the evolution of the studied Coralligenous. Furthermore, we have placed some Concretion Accretion Units (CAUs) , structures specifically built for evaluate the colonization processes and the carbonate production.

Summer 2022 is a very important period for the CBR project. One year has passed since the project has started and it is time to check the progresses, assess the situation and continuing with the analysis and monitoring.

The first of these summer campaign has been carried out by the team from the University of Milano-Bicocca. During this period the CBR team has done ROV immersions, SCUBA diving for sample collection (always aided by the SUTTAKKUA diving), photogrammetry of the seafloor, retrieval of the monitoring equipment deployed in the last year.

The CBR team took part to the “Paleodays 2022” conference organised by the Italian Paleontological Society in Asti (Piedmont, Italy). It was the perfect occasion to showcase the project and expose our progresses to the scientific community!

During the CBR5 campaign (in February), the team, with the precious help from Suttakkua diving, has deployed some instruments to collect data on the temperatures, light exposure and currents on the Coralligenous area in Marzamemi.

The currentometer has been set on the sea floor (using some heavy ballast), where he will measure the direction and strenght of the currents. Then, other instruments will measure the water temperature and sunlight changing throughout the many months that they will be underwater.

During the CBR4 campaign the staff from the University of Catania (with the help of Suttakkua diving) has recovered a sediment core off the Marzamemi coast. The analysis of the sediments of this area could give us extremely important information on the Coralligenous colonization and growth.

Here comes the funny part of the research! 

A fundamental step of the research is understanding what species contribute to the formation of the bioconstructions. We are consolidating previous knowledges about the role of the different taxa, which are the constructors, the bafflers, the binders, the dwellers and the destroyers, but we are also having knew interesting discoveries!

At the University of Catania we are focusing on serpulids, bryozoans, foraminifers and ostracods, finding a lot of species, of which some were unexpected!

For our second analysis we had to go a little deeper and cut the build ups entirely.

To cut such a big chunk of rock is no small feat and it did require impressive gear to accomplish.

Luckily, we had the help of Mario Airoldi company. The extremely skilled workers there were able to cut the build-ups without effort with the help of a giant circular saw, usually employed to cut big rock pieces.

Thanks to the flawless cut we were able to recover all the material in beautiful cuts, that are ready to unveil all their knowledge to us.

For our second analysis we had to go a little deeper and cut the build ups entirely.

Let’s start the new year with some good news and awesome pictures!

We are now analyzing the amazing coralligenous samples collected during the CBR2 campaign.

In order to study the build-ups, we have to look at them, not only from the outside, but also from the inside.

To do so, we have employed a double approach: firstly, a non-invasive analysis and secondly an invasive one.

The first analysis is a C-T Scan of the build-ups, utilizing the C-T machine at the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza, usually utilized for patients. We thank Dr. De Ponti and her staff for their help.            

The analysis produced a series of pictures that show the inside of the coralligenous build-ups.

While collecting samples and analyzing the seafloor, we are also developing and testing the corer that will eventually be used on the project’s ROV to drill the coralligenous in its native environment. This work is carried on by the researchers at the University of Calabria.

To avoid testing the drill on the precious coralligenous samples, the drilling test is performed on calcareous tufa (selected for its geomechanical similarity with the coralligenous). The area selected for the collection of the samples is «Pietra Gna’zzita» near the Longobucco village (Calabria, Italy).

The prototype consists in a brushless gearmotor (with two speed ratio) manufactured by 3D printing technologies (plastic and metal) mounted on a linear slider fixed on a stainless-steel frame.

The test bench is designed to simulate drilling in a controlled environment (the water tank), using a 63mm diamond core drill. Several tests allow to evaluate the operating parameters of the coring system (rpm, feed rate, etc.) and the mechanical resistance of samples characterized by large cavities. A wi-fi interface has been used to monitor the motor control unit and record log data.

The results allow to measure the optimal operating parameters to identify the requirements of the system and optimize the design process of the mechatronic platform to be installed on the ROV.

Teachers and students of the International Master’s Degree in Marine Sciences collaborate with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission – UNESCO, for the design and public presentation of the Ocean and Climate Village space at PreCOP26 at the Milano Triennale https://all4climate2021.org/.

The PreCOP is the preparatory ministerial meeting that precedes the COP (Conference of the Parties), the United Nations climate summit. This year PreCOP26 will be hosted in Milan and COP26 will be held in Glasgow.

The Ocean and Climate Village is an educational space where children and families can learn about the message and objectives of the Decade of the Sea, with a focus on climate change and the Mediterranean Sea. The village is designed as a cluster of educational activities for different age groups, from the youngest to the adults.

For more information and book your entrance https://decenniodelmare.it/oceanclimate-village/

@decenniodelmare #triennaleMilano @unimib @ioc_unesco @all4climate2021