The Istituto Nazionale Di Geofisica and Its Historical Archives

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ANNALS OF GEOPHYSICS, VOL. 52, N. 6, December 2009

The Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica and its historical archives

Giuseppina Calcara Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Roma, Italy

Abstract Herewith are presented the contents of the ING (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica) historical archives, recently re- organized to preserve and make available to scholars documents concerning the scientific activity and management of the Institute. The documents date from 1945, when the Institute became an independent board after sep- arating it from the CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche) to 1965. It is a decisive period for the ING, which had been founded in 1936 by Guglielmo Marconi, president of the CNR at the time and by the physicist Antoni- no Lo Surdo, who became its first director until his death in 1949. These valuable papers document how the ING rose from the war destruction, expanded its seismic monitoring network and developed experimental and theo- retical research in all the main fields of the Earth physics.

Key words historical archives Ð Istituto Nazionale These archives include all the documents di Geofisica Ð geophysical research Ð Guglielmo produced by the Institute during its operating Marconi Ð Antonino Lo Surdo years from 1945 to 1965.

1. Introduction 2. The Foundation

The reordering of the historical archives of The ING was actually founded in 1936 as an the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica (ING, Na- institute of the Consiglio Nazionale delle tional Institute of Geophysics), promoted by the Ricerche (CNR, National Research Council) Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia and the documents produced from this date un- (INGV, National Institute of Geophysics and til 1944 are therefore considered to belong to Volcanology) and recently completed in accor- the CNR and are stored in the Archivio Cen- dance with legislation enacted regarding the trale dello Stato (ACS, Central Archives of the archives of public bodies Ð Legislative Decree State). The idea to create a geophysics institute October 29, 1999 n. 490 Ð was carried out to came about during the 1930’s and can be attrib- safeguard the acquired heritage of historical uted to the CNR’s top management. Until this documents and, at the same time, render these time, the Ufficio Centrale di Meteorologia e documents more easily accessible. Geofisica (Central Office of Meteorology and Geophysics, so called since 1923) was respon- sible for geophysics activity. Several observatories and stations, public as well as private, were Mailing address: Dr. Giuseppina Calcara, Istituto Na- distributed throughout the territory (Kingdom zionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Via di Vigna of Italy). However, they worked and carried out Murata 605, 00143 Roma, Italy; Temporarily attached to Archivio Centrale dello Stato, Piazzale degli Archivi 27, their geophysical prospecting research and ob- 00144 Roma, Italy; e-mail: [email protected]; servation campaigns independently of one an- [email protected] other.

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The discoveries made in fundamental the National Institute of Geophysics were offi- physics in the early decades of the 1930’s led to cially signed into an act and Antonino Lo Surdo an increase in more in-depth research in sever- was appointed director (fig. 1). The funds neces- al branches of geophysics-physics of the atmos- sary for setting up an initial installation were au- phere, cosmic ray, and terrestrial magnetism. thorized and headquarters were established with- These areas had, until then, each been re- in the offices of the Higher Institute of Physics at searched separately and still laboured under the the ÇLa SapienzaÈ University of Rome. yoke of their original naturalistic imprint (Do- minici, 1986). The study of geophysics, according to An- 3. The National Geophysical Network tonino Lo Surdo, professor in charge of earth physics studies at the University of Rome at the Among the various research activities per- time, could not be separated from a Çcoordinat- formed by the Institute, seismology studies rep- ed functioning of a homogeneous group of lab- resented the principal line of inquiry to which oratories and observatoriesÈ (ING, 1945) or all the geophysicists of the staff (Pietro Caloi, from the systematic gathering of data carried Guido Pannocchia, Francesco Peronaci, Ezio out by qualified personnel in dedicated insti- Rosini) dedicated their efforts, carrying out tutes. In fact, Lo Surdo firmly believed in the studies on the composition of the Earth, the practical applications of research results in characteristics of superficial and inner stratifi- fields such as communications, defence, public cations, the propagation of seismic waves, and works, and mining activities. It is therefore ev- on methods for determining the absolute inten- ident that the reasons behind the need to reor- sity of macro-seismic events (Lo Surdo, 1940). ganize geophysical research and services under September 1, 1938 marked the beginning of a single, centralized, national leadership were recording activity at the Çexperimental seismic manifold. stationÇ, albeit using a limited number of in- An initial draft for the soon-to-be-founded struments installed in dedicated areas of the geophysics institute was presented by Gino headquarters. This was to become the founda- Cassinis (full professor of Topography and Ge- tion of the budding national seismic network. odesy at the Milan Polytechnic, and also secre- As far as other research fields were con- tary of CNR Commettee of Geodesy and Geo- cerned Ð ionosphere, cosmic rays, atmospheric physics) on May 8, 1936 during a meeting of electricity Ð the Institute also availed itself of the the CNR Executive Board, which in those days collaboration of other University physicists was composed of Guglielmo Marconi (Presi- who, under contract, carried out research work dent), Ugo Frascherelli (General Secretary) and for the Institute in their field of specialization. Vincenzo Azzolini (Managing Director). Some For example, studies regarding the ionosphere time later, Antonino Lo Surdo announced his were entrusted to Ivo Ranzi who, in 1938, came own project draft in which he outlined an insti- up with the first instrument for atmospheric ra- tute divided into five divisions, each specialized dio sounding; one of the few of its kind in the in a different area of geophysics: seismology, world at that time. The cosmic ray research terrestrial and atmospheric electricity, atmos- group was made up of Gilberto Bernardini, pheric optics and radiation, meteorology and Bernardo N. Cacciapuoti, Marcello Conversi, terrestrial magnetism. These divisions were to Mario Ageno and Oreste Piccioni. Lo Surdo, to- include a network of stations, laboratories and gether with Guglielmo Zanotelli, conducted sci- workshops (CNR, 1936a). entific inquiries into microwave physics, while After having examined both these project Enrico Medi was involved in atmospheric elec- drafts, the Executive Board decided that the two tricity studies. Among the papers deposited in were not that dissimilar and charged its secre- the archives, there is also a testimony regarding tary general, Ugo Frascherelli, with the task of applied research carried out for the military, per- integrating them (CNR, 1936b). formed by Lo Surdo himself and commissioned So, in November 1936, the papers creating by the War, Navy and Air Ministries.

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Naples, including the clinometric station on Vesuvius; in Catania, including the clinometric station on Mount Etna; a station for atmospheric electricity in Rome at St. Alessio; and in Trie- ste (CNR, 1940).The distinction between observatory and station was for all practical purposes established. The observatories were to be for the purpose of detecting as many observable natural phenomena as possible via the installation of various types of apparatus, and for carrying out experimental studies and research which would mark them as study centres; each would have a resident geophysicist as station director along with a support staff of technicians and assistants (ING, 1954). The stations were to be of a small- er size, with the installation of specialized instruments regarding, among others, seismic, meteorological, and electricity studies. The stations, for the most part, were run by a director, often a professor and in any case an expert in the field at hand, along with a technician. Several of the buildings in which the observatories and stations were located were the property of the Institute others were set up under contract in schools, universities and religious in- Fig. 1. Resolution establishing the Istituto Nazionale stitutes (see the inventory, series ÇX - Istituti, os- di Geofisica (Nov. 15, 1936). servatori e stazioniÈ, for more informations). Notwithstanding the difficulties created by the ongoing war, in 1942 saw the seismic observatories in Catania, Genoa, and Padua, along One of the most important tasks of the insti- with the seismic stations in Rome, Bologna and tute was that assigned by Parliamentary Act Salo’ became operative. Twelve kilometres January 5, 1939 no. 18, whereby the responsi- from Rome, on the Via Ardeatina at St. Alessio, bility for geophysics services was transferred an observatory for studies on atmospheric elec- from the Ufficio Centrale di Meteorologia to tricity phenomena and terrestrial and solar radi- the CNR and therefore on to the ING. This re- ation was running (CNR, 1943 ca.). organization of services involved the creation Correspondence between the heads of the of a nationwide geophysics network made up of observatories and stations in Rome provide an a seismic network and several stations for the insight into how the setting up and running of study of the ionosphere, atmospheric electricity the network continued non-stop until the spring and geomagnetism. of 1943: slowing down after the summer of that The draft presented by Lo Surdo for the or- year as the conflict became more intense fol- ganization of the network and discussed in May lowing the landing of the Allied troops. 1940 read that Çwith the exception of explicit changes madeÈ, this network was to be made up of Çmain stationsÈ: in Rome, Pavia, Rocca di 4. The ING Autonomy Papa, and Messina; and of Çminor stationsÈ: in Salò, Padua, Udine, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, The ING officially became an autonomous, Pisa, Bari, Foggia, Cuglieri, and in Calabria. non-profit organization under the supervision ÇSpecial stationsÈ were also provided for: in of the Ministry of Education by delegated de-

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Fig. 2. Galitzin seismographs installed at Roma seismic station (1939).

cree ÇluogotenenzialeÈ March 3, 1945 no. 82. to allow the Institute to face its most pressing When the decree became effective, the ING’s problem of starting up activities again after the statute was drawn up defining its institutional war. Among these were: rebuilding and repairs obligations (Decree of temporary head of State to structures damaged during the conflict (Roc- December 13, 1946 n. 731), its administrative ca di Papa, St. Alessio, Genoa, Salò, Bologna, and management organigram, along with their Florence, Naples); completion of the new responsibilities, norms and regulations regard- equipment for the seismic network that would ing the staff, which was to include forty per- include stations in Bari, Palermo and Cagliari; sons. The Institute was organized with a Direc- the construction of new ionosphere apparatus tor (Chairman of the Board), a Board of Direc- and four stations for atmospheric electricity tors, an Administrative Board, an Advisory studies; continued research into the best sites Committee, and an Audit Board. for the magnetism observatory and its network. Once a legal entity in its own right, the Insti- A paper filed in June 1948 reports on the sit- tute had to face the issue of financing. In 1945 uation: the seismic network had at that time the Ministry of the Treasury assigned interim fi- fourteen stations and observatories Ð University nancing of 2,030,000 liras; 80% of the funds of Rome, Trieste, Padua, Salò, Pavia, Genoa, went to cover expenses for personnel. Lo Surdo Bologna, Florence, Rocca di Papa, Naples (two requested a substantial increase in these funds in stations), Catania and Messina Ð, along with a order to be able to finance the scientific activity seismic station in Merano. The atmospheric and the functioning of the Institute itself. electricity division had its main observatory in Parliamentary Act October 16, 1947 no. Rome at St. Alessio, the radiations and atmos- 1293 allotted an annual sum of 26,000,000 li- pheric optics division had its offices, equipment ras, along with a lump sum of 13,460,000 liras and instruments in the observatory at Rocca di

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Papa. The Institute was charged with the task of Rocca di Papa, Rome St. Alessio, Rome Uni- setting up a nationwide network for magnetism versity, L’Aquila, Reggio Calabria, Gibilman- studies made up of a central, main observatory na, Messina, Cuglieri, Vesuvius; stations: Asia- and several peripheral stations (ING, 1948a). go, Padua, Bologna, Florence, Catania, Paler- As for the Institute’s scientific production, mo, Tormezzo, Siena). Every two weeks the twelve years of scientific research saw 150 seismic division published a provisional draft monographs and published papers Çregarding bulletin and every month, a final version con- original work in geophysics carried out within taining the results of the elaborations of the net- the InstituteÈ (ING, 1948b). Moreover, the work data. ING’s Director had founded a journal entitled The ionosphere division had two stations set Annali di Geofisica (first published in 1948) to up in St. Alessio. Data recorded there was elab- which many illustrious foreign seismologists orated and sent in monthly bulletins to interna- contributed: among these J.P. Rothe’, K.E. tional data collection centres. The importance Bullen, L. Mintrop, B. Gutenberg, V. Keylis- of ionosphere data had grown considerably in Borok, E. Teysseyre. those years and as a consequence the Institute had assumed the role of providing ionosphere sounding services for the entire national territo- 5. Post-war Organization ry (experimental studies began in 1956). Scientific inquiries regarding terrestrial When Lo Surdo died (Rome, June 7, 1949), magnetism surged forward in the 1950’s; exper- Enrico Medi became the Institute’s Director, in- imental studies began with the recording of heriting a well consolidated and organized re- magnetic events via instrumentation installed in search body and an already operating geo- the Marches (Corinaldo) and in Asiago and physics network. Undoubtedly, there was still headquarters for the main magnetism observa- much to be done: complete the seismic net- tory were established at the end of the decade in work, set up new stations for atmospheric elec- Masseria Calore, near L’Aquila. tricity studies, institute a nationwide magnetism Between the end of the 1950’s and the be- observatory. ginning of the 1960’s, profound changes oc- An increase in funding, amounting to curred in the field of Çobservational geo- 76,000,000 liras annually (Parliamentary Act physicsÈ (Dominici, 1986) influencing the very December 28, 1950 no. 1138), made it possible way this science was perceived and as a conse- for the new Director to complete the tasks un- quence deeply affecting the development of the dertaken and increase financing to the laborato- Institute itself. Most importantly, the interdisci- ries, stations and observatories. Cost for per- plinary nature of earth physics studies was rec- sonnel accounted for one third of the govern- ognized Ð up until that time, each area had ment’s allotment and it was therefore possible worked and operated independently. Advances to hire new staff via state examinations. in the field of Çsolid state electronic devicesÈ Throughout the early 1950’s, seismology provided a new system, telemetry, which vastly continued to be the Institute’s most important improved observation quality, making it possi- branch of activity, enjoying international recog- ble to select sites that were more remote and nition for the studies carried out by Pietro Caloi therefore less disturbed by anthropic noise and (Caloi, 1954). then connecting these sites to operators via tele- A special issue of the Annali di Geofisica, phone cables or radio link. These scientific in- printed in 1954 for the X IUGG (International novations widened the horizons of geophysics Union of Geodesy and Geophysics) Congress research and the Institute found it absolutely held in Rome, contains a list of observatories necessary to overhaul its organizational struc- and stations which made up the national geo- ture and technical hardware. Papers and docu- physics network at that time (observatories: ments, minutes of meetings of the Board of Di- Oropa, Genoa, Pavia, Salo’, Merano, Pieve di rectors, illustrate this concern as well as the ac- Cadore, Trieste, Monte Cimone, Corinaldo, knowledgement of the need in 1957 to operate

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a reform that will bring the Institute up to date liament and university professor, was nominat- in accordance with the demands imposed by ed vice-president of Euratom in Brussels and Çdevelopments in the field of geophysics in re- he, in turn, empowered Guglielmo Zanotelli, cent yearsÈ (ING, 1957) Ð two years later, the his close collaborator and board advisor, to sign Ministry of Education was officially involved in administrative documents and payments. The this process. In the meantime, the Director pro- management of the direction of the Institute be- posed to set up a Commission to study a revi- gan to be conducted via correspondence (ING, sion of the statute (which changed several years 1958) and, as a consequence, all the decision- later by Decree of the President of the Republic making and its enactment became more and December 8, 1971 n. 1425, in vigour May more protracted in time. 1972, with the first internal regulation approved The board’s appeals for increased funding by interdepartmental Decree March 21, 1973). fell for the most part on deaf ears, with the ex- This Commission, whose findings were pub- ception of a series of special budget appropria- lished in 1961, suggested a considerable in- tions: one for 20,500,00 liras Parliamentary Act crease in personnel and financing. The empha- March 5, 1961 no. 158 for the purchase of sis placed on an increase in numbers rather than equipment and apparatus for the main offices on an improvement in quality probably came and for L’Aquila and Gibilmanna; an addition- about as a result of an underestimation of the al 2,500,000 liras to supplement the annual substantial and important changes that a reor- budget; another for 12,500,000 liras in order to ganization of technology would have brought improve salary levels. The financing accorded about Ð had the funds available been invested in by Parliamentary Act July 24, 1962 no. 1073, instrumentation for the head offices and in a re- amounting to 75,000,000 liras annually for a newal of network apparatus, there would have period of three years, saved the Institute in ex- been a net decrease in the need for personnel. tremis from total paralysis. From an analysis of the financial resources available to the Institute, it can be seen that the contribution it received in 1962 was exactly the 6. Archives contents same as that accorded the previous decade. However, the fixed and reflected charges had The ING archives are stored in the central increased by 80%, leaving a margin of only offices of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e 20% for research costs (surveying, maintenance Vulcanologia in Rome. It is important to note of the observatories, scientific equipment and that the documents and papers produced by the instruments). In fact, the last investment in- ING were discovered a few years ago in the of- crease for the network can be traced back to the fices of the Observatory at Rocca di Papa where early 1950’s and the structural upkeep of the they had been transferred prior to 1980 (see the observatories was possible only because of con- inventory introduction for more detailed infor- tributions by local bodies or by special govern- mation and for the reordering criteria). They ment funding (the same occurred for Gibilman- were in complete disarray, grouped in stacks na, Castel Tesino and L’Aquila). Investments in without binders or envelopes of any kind, but research and scholarship programs were pro- nonetheless in fairly good condition. Various posed by the Institute’s Director at the begin- types of documents and papers were found: ning of his term of office, but they remained on- ranging from minutes of meetings, resolutions, ly proposals. No new hiring through state ex- agreements, contracts, personnel files and ad- ams was undertaken, even though there were ministrative-accounting records Ð ledgers and posts for geophysicists to be filled. orders; to correspondence, station logs, scien- In an effort to find a solution to its financial tific-technical reports, maps, photographic and problems, a series of appeals was addressed to printed material. the Ministry in 1961 requesting a revision of Files regarding ex-CNR personnel trans- the annual allowance. In the meanwhile, in ferred to the ING were assigned to the safe- March of 1958 Medi, already a Member of Par- keeping of the Institute in 1945 at the signing of

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those agreements which stipulated the present- CNR (1943 ca.): ING Activity during 1941-1942, report by A. Lo Surdo, 1943 ca., ACS, CNR, series Istituti e Cen- day relationship between the newly founded tri di ricerca pos. 10 pg, box 2006 (temp. reference num- body and the CNR. ber), file Ç10 pg. Attività. Istituto Nazionale di Geofi- Without any doubt, some records have gone sicaÈ (in arrangement). astray and it has not been possible to trace when ING (1945): ING Activity, report by A. Lo Surdo, 1945, Rome, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia or how they were lost or misplaced. (INGV), ING, box 12, file 4. This collection of documentation, records ING (1948a): Minutes of the Board of Directors meeting and papers offers ample opportunity for study held October 28, 1948, INGV, ING, box 5, file 1. for those interested in the history of the first Ital- ING (1948b): Minutes of the Board of Directors meeting held June 24, 1948, INGV, ING, box 5, file 1. ian institute dedicated to geophysics, both from ING (1957): Minutes of the Board of Directors meeting an institutional and administrative historical held November 11,1957, INGV, ING, box 5, file 1. view point and for the retracing of the steps tak- ING (1958): Delega.Corrispondenza col Sig. Direttore. en by Italian geophysics research between the 1958. Zanotelli, INGV, ING, box 11, file 6. first and second half of the twentieth century. Bibliography

REFERENCES CALOI, P. (1954): L’Astenosfera come canale-guida dell’e- nergia sismica, in Annali di Geofisica, 7, 491-501. Archive sources DOMINICI, P., L’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica dalla sua costituzione all’attuale assetto statutario 1936-1983, CNR (1936a): Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica, project by A. speech given at the fiftieth anniversary celebration of Lo Surdo, Rome, Archivio Centrale dello Stato (ACS), the Institute, Roma, December 12, 1986; courtesy of CNR, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica, box. 1, file 2. Dr. Guido Dominici (INGV). CNR (1936b): Summary of the minutes of the Executive ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI GEOFISICA (INGV) (1954): supple- Board meeting, held July 1, 1936, ACS, CNR, Istituto ment to Annali di Geofisica, 1954, pp. 5-86. Nazionale di Geofisica, box 2, file 2. LO SURDO, A. (1940): La registrazione e lo studio dei CNR (1940): Minutes of the Executive Board meeting held fenomeni sismici nell’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica May 27, 1940, ACS, CNR, Istituto Nazionale di Ge- del CNR, La Ricerca Scientifica , XI (10), 1-23. ofisica, box 1, file 1.

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