The rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are responsible for fundamental changes occurring in seawater carbonate chemistry. For both air and water, there is a pressing need to assure metrological traceability thus obtaining comparable measurement results on spatial and temporal scales. At INRIM several activities are carried out to establish the metrological traceability for carbon dioxide measurement results. Two primary methods, the gravimetry and the dynamic dilution, are used for the preparation of reference standards for composition which can be used to calibrate sensors and analytical instrumentation for carbon dioxide determination both in atmosphere and seawater. An overview of possible approaches is given.

The Calabria’s Ionian continental slope is deeply incised by canyons which are characterized by V-shape cross-sections in their upper parts and Ushape cross-sections in their terminal parts. These conditions are favorable, under seismic action, it may give rise to submarine landslides. In this study, we propose a 3D numerical modeling of tsunami waves generated by an underwater slump with “Geowave” software. The simulated gravity instability zone is near the “Venere 1” head Canyon situated close Cirò Marina coastal area. The availability of a detailed bathymetric map both with a good knowledge of the local geology allowed us to obtain reliable simulation results. Interesting results of tsunami simulation, in the abovementioned shoreline areas, show that the amplitude of wave run-up ranges from 0.50 m up to 0.90 m. This difference in run-up is ascribed to the directional effects and to the different coastal morphology.

The grain size analysis of marine sediments is considered as a basic tool in the marine environmental research. In particular, information on sediment characteristic is needed, for example, for studies on sediment contamination, ecology of benthic communities, seismic studies, remote sensing surveys, beach nourishment, etc. A critical review of the main methods used for sampling, measuring and classifying marine sediments is reported here. It was deduced that no ideal method in order to obtain the highest accuracy of data exists, but the choice of the most suitable one should be adapted to the specific aim of the study.

The ecology team of the Biology Department of the University of Bari has developed the MEMO (Marine Environment MOnitoring system) baited lander to explore the Mediterranean marine ecosystems. MEMO is equipped with 2 video cameras, a multiparametric probe and a current meter. It can work down to 1000 m in depth for 24 consecutive hours. From 2010, the MEMO lander has been deployed in some deep-sea sensitive and vulnerable habitats of the Mediterranean Sea, as part of national and international research projects. Data on the environmental parameters (depth, salinity, temperature and current) and on the distribution, size and behaviour of the benthopelagic fauna have been recorded. The different studies provided new contributions to the knowledge of biodiversity in the deep waters and in fragile and structurally complex habitats, such as coralligenous, cold-water corals and canyons in the Mediterranean Sea.

The most widespread acquisition methods for lakes and sea bottom geological data are ship-, ROV- or AUV-based; geophysical methods and the related instruments for morpho-bathymetric survey allow to characterize large areas, even at high depths, but with high costs. It is known that shallow waters can represent a limit for certain vessels and techniques, preventing the acquisition in the nearshore zone. To overcome the limits, i.e. to survey with high accuracy nearshore shallow waters with a low budget, we tested and tuned the “GeoDive” method that allowed us to survey two test sites, featured by the presence of “block fields” (i.e., accumulations of huge blocks and boulders of gravitational origin) under shallow waters. The “GeoDive” allowed us to map the submerged morphologies and to acquire highresolution optical images for further photogrammetric processing. The latter was fundamental to obtain 3D high-resolution models, also with conditions of low visibility. An Action Sport Cam (ASC) HD has been used for video acquisition, in addition to the equipment used during scientific diving. By coupling the processed underwater-acquired data with the direct surveys performed by underwater SCUBA operators, it was possible to perform some morphological and sedimentological measurements and observations on the experimental targets, with the help of suitable markers.