
Festa GiuliaCREF - Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi
Festa Giulia
PhD in Physics
About
104
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Introduction
Giulia Festa is an experimental physicist. Her current research activities focus on a combination of portable instrumentation and consolidated experience in the use of European Large-Scale Facilities for neutron and synchrotron radiation in combination with advanced statistical methods such as Chemometrics and Machine Learning.
Additional affiliations
December 2016 - present
October 2013 - December 2016
Publications
Publications (104)
The increase of brain dimensions and complexity has characterized the evolution of the genus Homo. According to the available fossil and genetic evidence, a crucial stage came before the divergence of Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo sapiens , during the Middle Pleistocene. We consider a specimen of about 400 ka, whose phenotype is at the roots of...
The increase of brain dimensions and complexity has characterized the evolution of the genus Homo. According to the available fossil and genetic evidence, a crucial stage came before the divergence of Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo sapiens, during the Middle Pleistocene. We consider a specimen of about 400 ka, whose phenotype is at the roots of...
The first neutron diffraction study of in-situ anaerobic burning of human bones is reported, aiming at an interpretation of heat-induced changes in bone, which were previously detected by vibrational spectroscopy, including inelastic neutron scattering techniques. Structural and crystallinity variations were monitored in samples of the human femur...
Recently, learning algorithms such as Convolutional Neural Networks have been successfully applied in different stages of data processing from the acquisition to the data analysis in the imaging context. The aim of these algorithms is the dimensionality of data reduction and the computational effort, to find benchmarks and extract features, to impr...
Manuscripts, illuminated codex, books, documents and letters are composite materials, traces of the past starting from the invention of the writing. In this context, dating is one of the most important information for document attribution, and watermarked papeItaly'smarkers for studying their time-spatial distribution. In the Late Middle Ages, Ital...
In this work, the consolidation efficiency of SiO2 nanoparticles (synthesized in the Chemistry laboratories at the Tor Vergata University of Roma) was tested on Pietraforte sandstone surfaces belonging to the bell tower of San Lorenzo (Florence, Italy) and was fully investigated. Nanoparticles (synthesized in large-scale mass production) have been...
Manuscripts, illuminated codex, books, documents and letters are composite materials, traces of the past starting from the invention of the writing. In this context, dating is one of the most important informa- tion for document attribution, and watermarked papeItaly’smarkers for studying their time-spatial distri- bution. In the Late Middle Ages,...
Non‐destructive analytical analyses coupled with classification and regression algorithms are promising techniques for monitoring quality, traceability and safety assessment in food industry. To prevent food fraud, Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is particularly held in check. Here, attenuated total Reflectance‐Fourier Transform Infrared spec...
The “Hypogeum of the Garlands” is a sepulchral site, recently found in Grottaferrata (Lazio, Italy), dating back to the first-second century AD. Two sarcophagi were discovered inside, hosting the human remains of Aebutia Quarta, a rich Roman woman, and her son Carvilius Gemellus. While the body of Carvilius is exceptionally well-preserved, followin...
Spectral preprocessing data and chemometric tools are analytical methods widely applied in several scientific contexts i.e., in archaeometric applications. A systematic classification of natural powdered pigments of organic and inorganic nature through Principal Component Analysis with a multi-instruments spectroscopic study is presented here. The...
Varietals and geographic location are a distinct quality brand in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) production. Italy represents one of the most producers. Here, a pilot study in assessing the elemental geo-markers of Italian EVOO through a semiquantitative EDXRF analysis together with Chemometrics are carried out to find the way to discriminate EVOOs....
Scientists studying cultural heritage use a variety of physics techniques to understand how pieces were made, their history and how to best preserve them. Six scientists who use different techniques describe their work — and how working with cultural heritage can lead to physics developments, too.
The environmental weathering and the formation of efflorescences on the brick walls are studied at the “Casa di Diana” Mithraeum at Ostia Antica archaeological site. Previous studies on subsoil, bedrock, hydrological systems and environmental conditions, and new ion chromatography analysis combined with ECOS-RUNSALT and Medusa-Hydra thermodynamic m...
Since 2018, a scientific research project, the “Lilybaeum Project”, is being carried out by a collaboration of physicists and archaeologists. The goal is to apply forefront analysis techniques to the investigation of archaeological artefacts, both in situ and in the laboratory. The first case study presented in this paper concerns the original inve...
The present and future developments of time-resolved prompt-gamma activation analysis (T-PGAA) at pulsed neutron sources is discussed in the framework of the successful history of neutron-activation techniques. A brief description of the state of the art and the most important user facilities using standard prompt-gamma activation analysis (PGAA) i...
This article highlights the multianalytical study of exuded liquid from an ancient Egyptian sealed alabaster vase by Master’s students in an applied chemistry for cultural heritage course. Master students are introduced to the field of Archaeometry that see the collaboration of experts in different areas of research such as conservators, curators o...
Any system is described by several variables, often in the form of hidden information, able to describe and explain functional mechanisms for the majority of the processes which can be evaluated analytically only when we consider entire complex datasets. The relationship between those variables is the key to identify and quantify correlations among...
Every year, 700 million twenty-foot (container) equivalent units pass through the container terminals of the harbours all over the world. Only a small percentage (34%) are scanned to inspect the presence of radioactive materials. The need for controls is hampered essentially by three factors: the amount of both time and personnel necessary to contr...
We present experimental results and FLUKA Monte-Carlo simulations reproducing the counting efficiency and the energy resolution of the cerium-activated yttrium-aluminium-perovskite photon detectors installed on the VESUVIO neutron spectrometer at the ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source. In particular, we investigate the performance of these detecto...
Advances in research in Cultural Heritage see increasing application of a multidisciplinary approach and the combined use of physical and chemical characterization of artefacts that can be used to define their structure and their state of conservation, also providing valuable information in selecting the most suitable microclimatic conditions for t...
In order to understand the effect of varnishes that act as a barrier to water adsorption by wood – in terms of moisture content – in humid atmospheres, modern maple replica samples have been manufactured by a practicing luthier. They are coated with a variety of recipes thought to have been used in either the original manufacture from the 17th to 1...
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
In this paper, we present the quantitative analysis carried out for the first-time using time-resolved prompt gamma activation analysis (T-PGAA), a recent technique currently under development at ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in Oxfordshire. T-PGAA is a neutron technique, based on the radiative capture reaction, that allows the simultaneous acquisit...
In this work, we present a multi-peak fitting code in order to establish a new protocol for the analysis of spectra at ISIS pulsed Neutron and Muon Source. The protocol, relying on the ROOT framework developed at CERN, has been tailored for the analysis of two specific gamma emitters – 241Am and 133Ba – and its results have been compared to those g...
Aggregation states of amyloid beta peptides for amyloid beta A β 1 – 40 to A β 1 – 42 and A β p 3 – 42 are investigated through small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The knowledge of these small peptides and their aggregation state are of key importance for the comprehension of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease). The SANS techn...
Aggregation states of amyloid beta peptides for amyloid beta A β[subscript 1-40] to A β[subscript 1-42] and A βp[subscript 3-42] are investigated through small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The knowledge of these small peptides and their aggregation state are of key importance for the comprehension of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’...
In this work, we discuss an improved detection procedure for the photon-sensitive yttrium-aluminum-perovskite detectors installed on the VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source. By decreasing the low-level energy threshold of detected photons, we observe an increased count rate up to a factor ∼3, and a decrease of relative e...
Burned skeletal remains are abundant in archaeological and paleontological sites, the result of fire or of ancient funerary practices. In the burning process, the bone matrix suffers structural and dimensional changes that interfere with the reliability of available osteometric methods. Recent studies showed that these macroscopic changes are accom...
The development of black inks has enabled writing to become an established method of communication in history. Although a large research effort has been devoted to the study of pigments and dyes used in ancient Egypt to decorate burial walls and furnishings, or to write on papyrus, to date little attention has been paid to the nature and technology...
Pottery is the most common material found in archaeological excavations and is used as the main tool for chronological dating. Due to the geopolitical instability of the Middle East during the latter part of the last century until recent years, Sumerian pottery studies and analyses are limited. The resumption of archaeological excavations in Iraq d...
Neutron techniques are successfully employed as investigation tools in the field of cultural heritage. Thanks to their interaction processes with matter, neutrons are an effective noninvasive and nondestructive means for phase, internal morphology, elemental and isotopic characterization, and offer unique capabilities. Neutrons are a penetrating pr...
Proceedings of the molecular spectroscopy science meeting 2018
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Technical Report RAL-TR-2018-014
http://purl.org/net/epubs/work/40650049
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's are characterized by neuritic plaques throughout the brain gray matter, associated with neurofibrillary tangles and neuron loss. These plaques are formed by abnormal aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide into insoluble fibrils. In the present work we study the Aβ1−40 peptide in the three aggregation...
The VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source is a unique instrument which makes use of eV neutrons and inverted geometry, allowing deep inelastic neutron scattering experiments with high values of energy and wavevector transfers. The neutron detection techniques on the VESUVIO forward-scattering detector banks is based on (n,...
Following international guidelines by the IEEE and a well-established calibration procedure developed at the Hungarian Institute of Isotopes in Budapest, the experimental absolute efficiency calibration of an Ortec n-type coaxial high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector (GMX Profile series) has been performed, in view of direct application to quantita...
We present here a collection of works reporting on the recent experimental and theoretical activities taking advantage of epithermal neutron spectroscopy, and in particular focusing on recent results presented during the VII International Workshop on Electron-Volt Neutron Spectroscopy held in Rome on 7-8 November 2018.
A joint approach based on the Neutron Resonance Capture Analysis (NRCA) integrated by chemometric tools namely Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is used to determine the semi-quantitative isotopic composition of a large set of Sumerian pottery. Here, we present NRCA results from the experimental campaign carried out on the INES beamline at the ISI...
Despite the large variety of research interests and themes motivating the current neutron research included in this collection, we have found common denominators characterising the manner in which the chosen research methodology tries to tackle the envisaged scientific questions. This article attempts to characterise those trends in current researc...
New evidence of the increased count rate in deep inelastic neutron scattering spectra is provided. Experiments were performed using photon-sensitive yttrium-aluminum-perovskite detectors, installed on the VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source. At present, these detectors work with a low-level discrimination threshold measu...
Several experiments for neutron generation using high intensity laser sources, with a power exceeding 10¹⁹ W/cm² via TNSA (Target Normal Sheath Acceleration) or other similar methods, have been performed in recent years in different laboratories. However, so far there is no one running neutron source based on such a technology. We have just started...
We present an overview of ongoing developments in epithermal neutron spectroscopy using the VESUVIO+ beam line at the ISIS Facility. In its current incarnation, VESUVIO+ provides a suitable platform for further and much-needed progress in the judicious exploitation of epithermal neutrons at a pulsed spallation source, as well as constitutes a neces...
Artifacts from the Egyptian grave goods of Kha and Merit preserved at the Museo Egizio in Turin, have been studied through a synergic combination of non-destructive and non-invasive neutron and gamma techniques (namely neutron imaging, neutron diffraction and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis). Results provide unprecedented morphological reconstruct...
Artifacts from the Egyptian grave goods of Kha and Merit preserved at the Museo Egizio in Turin, have been studied through a synergic combination of non-destructive and non-invasive neutron and gamma techniques (namely neutron imaging, neutron diffraction and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis). Results provide unprecedented morphological reconstruct...
Several experiments of neutron generation using high intensity laser sources, with a power exceeding 10^19W/cm^2 via TNSA (Target Normal Sheath Acceleration) or other similar methods, have been performed in the past years in different laboratories. However, so far there is no one running neutron source based on such a technology. In the framework o...
Ancient musical instruments are complex objects constructed in the past with the aim of obtaining the best sound quality. Construction parameters change during time according to the aesthetics of the historical period and required sonic/musical features. Musical instruments are mostly made of wood, metals and hide. Neutron based methods such as dif...
Neutron scattering techniques are widely used for materials characterization and may be used to study meso-, micro- and nano-structures of objects of cultural heritage interest. This chapter presents the theoretical framework and introductory instrumentation of neutron diffraction techniques together with some practical examples.
Probing our heritage reminds us of a variety of issues in Heritage Science: from the correct determination of historical and cultural time-frame of artefacts, to their location and method of production, to the choice of best treatments and environmental conditions for their restoration. A large variety of chemical, physical and microstructural tech...
Experimental tests are presented that assess the cross-talk level among three scintillation detectors used as neutron counters exploiting the thermal neutron radiative capture on Cd. The measurements were done at the INES diffractometer operating at the ISIS spallation neutron source (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK). These tests follow a prelim...
The environmental γ -ray background on the IMAT beamline at ISIS Spallation Neutron Source, Target Station 2, is characterized via γ spectroscopy. The measurements include gamma exposure at the imaging detector position, along with the gamma background inside the beamline. Present results are discussed and compared with previous measurements record...
Prompt-gamma activation analysis (PGAA) measurements were carried out at the ISIS Spallation Neutron Source on two sets of functional commercial stainless steel orthodontic archwires, aiming at providing insights into the elemental and isotopic composition differences of two nominally equivalent archwires. The results were compared to those obtaine...
This work presents the first neutron characterization of artefacts from the grave-goods of Kha and Merit, a unique cultural treasure of mankind and preserved at the Museo Egizio in Turin. This magnificent collection, discovered in the early years of last century, includes impressive amount of artefacts such as coffins, textiles, metallic and cerami...
Quantitative metallurgical and phase analyses employing neutron diffraction technique were conducted on two as-received commercial rectangular austenitic stainless steel orthodontic archwires, G&H and Azdent, 0.43×0.64 mm (0.017×0.025 inch). Results showed a bi-phase structure containing martensitic phase (45.67% for G&H and 6.62% for Azdent) in ad...
This book provides an extensive overview of the application of neutron characterization techniques in cultural heritage to a broad audience and will be of interest to both scientists and non-scientists in the field. Archaeologists, paleontologists, restaurateurs and conservators, historians and collectors will be fascinated by the wealth of informa...
A collection of more than 1800 carbonized papyri, discovered in the Roman ‘Villa dei Papiri’ at Herculaneum is the unique classical library survived from antiquity. These papyri were charred during 79 A.D. Vesuvius eruption, a circumstance which providentially preserved them until now. This magnificent collection contains an impressive amount of tr...
A collection of more than 1800 carbonized Greek and Latin papyri, discovered in the Roman Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum in the middle of 18th century, is the unique classical library survived from antiquity. These ancient-Herculaneum-papyri were charred during 79 A.D. Vesuvius eruption, a circumstance which providentially preserved them until now...
We present a concept of integrated measurements for isotope identification which takes advantage of the time structure of spallation neutron sources for time resolved γ spectroscopy. Time resolved Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (T-PGAA) consists in the measurement of gamma energy spectrum induced by the radioactive capture as a function of incide...
A collection of more than 1800 carbonized Greek and Latin papyri, discovered in the Roman Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum in the middle of 18th century, is the unique classical library survived from antiquity. These ancient-Herculaneum-papyri were charred during 79 A.D. Vesuvius eruption, a circumstance which providentially preserved them until now...
The diffusion of the organic-polymeric or inorganic-mineral products inside a decayed porous material is a key factor for the evaluation of the efficacy of a conservation treatment. Here, we present a study aimed at the evaluation of neutron imaging as a non-destructive tool for the investigation of stones treated with ammonium oxalate, an inorgani...
In 2005 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna published a report [1] on ‘Development Opportunities of Small and Medium Scale Accelerator Driven Neutron Sources’ which summarized the prospect of smaller sources in supporting the large spallation neutron sources for materials characterization and instrumentation, a theme advocated b...
We demonstrate for the first time the viability of a three-dimensional (3D) elemental imaging technique based on Neutron Resonance Transmission Imaging (NRTI). NRTI is a neutron technique based on the presence of a resonance structure in the neutron-induced reaction cross sections. These resonances allow the identification of elements and isotopes...
The advent of pulsed neutron sources makes available high epithermal neutron fluxes (in the energy range between 500 meV and 100 eV). New dedicated instrumentation, such as Resonance Detectors, was developed at ISIS spallation neutron source in the last years to apply the specific properties of this kind of neutron beam to the study of condensed ma...
The gamma-ray background spectra of VESUVIO and INES beamlines, at the ISIS spallation neutron source, were measured with an HPGe spectrometer. These measurements are intended to provide information on typical gamma-ray background spectra in spallation neutron source environments, with special regard to beamlines employing gamma-ray sensitive detec...