Alessandro Serpieri (31 October 1823, San Giovanni in Marignano, near Rimini, – 22 February 1885, Fiesole) was an Italian scientist known for work in astronomy and seismology.
Potenziale elettrico nell'insegnamento elementare della elettrostatica, 1882
His early education was received in Rimini from the brothers Speranza, who were local priests. He had classical studies at the College of the Scolopians in Urbino, of which the distinguished Latin scholar Father Angelo Bonuccelli was the rector. He entered his novitiate in Florence, on 30 Nov., 1838. From 1840-43, he studied philosophy and the exact sciences at the Ximenian College and Observatory, whose rector, the astronomer and geodete, Father Giovanni Inghirami, was at the same time professor of higher mathematics. Serpieri was only twenty years old when he was appointed instructor in mathematics and philosophy at the college of Siena.
In Nov., 1846, his superior appointed him professor of philosophy and physics at the college of Urbino, while two months later the Papal Government called him also to the chair of physics in the university of the same city. On 27 Aug., 1848, he was ordained priest, and in Nov., 1857 he became rector of the college. He continued in this position and acted at the same time as professor until 1884, when the municipal authorities notified him of the impending secularization of education, both in the primary schools and in the colleges, inviting him, however, to remain as professor. This caused him and his colleagues to give up their positions at the college. Appointed to the rectorship of the Collegio della Badia Fiesolana, he died in the following year after a short illness.
Astronomy
Serpieri's chief merits as an astronomer rest in the observation of shooting stars. His first treatise on this subject dates from 1847 in the Annali di fisica e chimica of Maiocchi. In August, 1850, he discovered that the August meteors originate in a radiant not far removed from Gamma Persei (hence "Perseids", Ann. di Tortolino, 1850). In the same year, he established an observatory in Urbino, and thereafter published regularly in his monthly bulletin the results of his meteoric observations. These studies helped Giovanni Schiaparelli in the formulation of his theory on shooting stars.
Serpieri himself expressed some views on this subject in his bulletin in 1867. Urged by Father Angelo Secchi, he went to Reggio Calabria to observe the total eclipse of the sun in 1870, and to ascertain the exact northern limit of the zone of totality. He declared the coronal streamers of the sun observable during the eclipse to be sun auroras caused by the electrical influence of the earth and other planets on the sun (Rendic, Ist. Lomb., 1871). When Schiaparelli called his attention to the work of the American George Jones, comprising 328 drawings of the Zodiacal light as observed at different times and from different places (published at Washington at the expense of the Government), he at once submitted it to analysis. This led him to his theory, in which he explains this phenomenon as light of the earth produced and maintained in the atmosphere by special solar radiations (La luce zodiacale studiata nelle osserv. di. G. Jones, 138 pp. in "Mem. Soc. Spettr. Ital.", 1876–81). The asteroid 70745 Aleserpieri was named after him.
Seismology
In his study of the earthquake of 12 March 1873, he was the first to introduce the concept of the seismic radiant. He explained the so-called premonition of earthquakes by animals by the hypothesis of a preceding electrical disturbance. His magnum opus is his study on the earthquake of 17 and 18 March 1875, which caused great devastation in his home city and in other places. He also wrote two memoranda on the 1883 earthquake in Casamicciola. His complete seismological studies, for which he received the gold medal at the General Italian Exposition in Turin (1884), were republished in 1889 by P. G. Giovanozzi.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Alessandro Serpieri". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Cites
GIOVANOZZI, Della Vita e degli Scritti di Alessandro Serpieri delle Scuole Pie (Florence, 1887), 134 pp.;
Allesandro Serpieri, D.S.P., Scritti sismologici nuovamente raccolti e pubblicati da G. Giovanozzi, Direttore dell' Osservatorio Ximeniano (Florence, 1888–89);
POGGENDORFF, Biogr. litt. Handwb., iii, 1898, s. v.
External links
S. Santini, Montefeltro seismicity: from Serpieri's seismograph to the RSNC seismograph station, Annals of Geophysics, June 2000
August 24, 2023
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Alessandro Serpieri 31 October 1823 San Giovanni in Marignano near Rimini 22 February 1885 Fiesole was an Italian scientist known for work in astronomy and seismology Potenziale elettrico nell insegnamento elementare della elettrostatica 1882 Contents 1 Early life 2 Astronomy 3 Seismology 4 Published works 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditHis early education was received in Rimini from the brothers Speranza who were local priests He had classical studies at the College of the Scolopians in Urbino of which the distinguished Latin scholar Father Angelo Bonuccelli was the rector He entered his novitiate in Florence on 30 Nov 1838 From 1840 43 he studied philosophy and the exact sciences at the Ximenian College and Observatory whose rector the astronomer and geodete Father Giovanni Inghirami was at the same time professor of higher mathematics Serpieri was only twenty years old when he was appointed instructor in mathematics and philosophy at the college of Siena In Nov 1846 his superior appointed him professor of philosophy and physics at the college of Urbino while two months later the Papal Government called him also to the chair of physics in the university of the same city On 27 Aug 1848 he was ordained priest and in Nov 1857 he became rector of the college He continued in this position and acted at the same time as professor until 1884 when the municipal authorities notified him of the impending secularization of education both in the primary schools and in the colleges inviting him however to remain as professor This caused him and his colleagues to give up their positions at the college Appointed to the rectorship of the Collegio della Badia Fiesolana he died in the following year after a short illness Astronomy EditSerpieri s chief merits as an astronomer rest in the observation of shooting stars His first treatise on this subject dates from 1847 in the Annali di fisica e chimica of Maiocchi In August 1850 he discovered that the August meteors originate in a radiant not far removed from Gamma Persei hence Perseids Ann di Tortolino 1850 In the same year he established an observatory in Urbino and thereafter published regularly in his monthly bulletin the results of his meteoric observations These studies helped Giovanni Schiaparelli in the formulation of his theory on shooting stars Serpieri himself expressed some views on this subject in his bulletin in 1867 Urged by Father Angelo Secchi he went to Reggio Calabria to observe the total eclipse of the sun in 1870 and to ascertain the exact northern limit of the zone of totality He declared the coronal streamers of the sun observable during the eclipse to be sun auroras caused by the electrical influence of the earth and other planets on the sun Rendic Ist Lomb 1871 When Schiaparelli called his attention to the work of the American George Jones comprising 328 drawings of the Zodiacal light as observed at different times and from different places published at Washington at the expense of the Government he at once submitted it to analysis This led him to his theory in which he explains this phenomenon as light of the earth produced and maintained in the atmosphere by special solar radiations La luce zodiacale studiata nelle osserv di G Jones 138 pp in Mem Soc Spettr Ital 1876 81 The asteroid 70745 Aleserpieri was named after him Seismology EditIn his study of the earthquake of 12 March 1873 he was the first to introduce the concept of the seismic radiant He explained the so called premonition of earthquakes by animals by the hypothesis of a preceding electrical disturbance His magnum opus is his study on the earthquake of 17 and 18 March 1875 which caused great devastation in his home city and in other places He also wrote two memoranda on the 1883 earthquake in Casamicciola His complete seismological studies for which he received the gold medal at the General Italian Exposition in Turin 1884 were republished in 1889 by P G Giovanozzi Published works Edita study on the Foucault pendulum Ann Tortolini 1851 a treatise on the simultaneous transmission of opposing electric currents in the same wire Corr sc di Roma 1855 a lecture on the unity of natural forces La forza e le sue trasformazioni 1868 Potenziale elettrico nell insegnamento elementare della elettrostatica in Italian Milano Hoepli 1882 his last work on absolute measures Le misure assolute etc Milan 1884 See also EditList of Roman Catholic scientist clericsReferences Edit This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Herbermann Charles ed 1913 Alessandro Serpieri Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company Cites GIOVANOZZI Della Vita e degli Scritti di Alessandro Serpieri delle Scuole Pie Florence 1887 134 pp Allesandro Serpieri D S P Scritti sismologici nuovamente raccolti e pubblicati da G Giovanozzi Direttore dell Osservatorio Ximeniano Florence 1888 89 POGGENDORFF Biogr litt Handwb iii 1898 s v External links EditS Santini Montefeltro seismicity from Serpieri s seismograph to the RSNC seismograph station Annals of Geophysics June 2000 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alessandro Serpieri amp oldid 1077671043, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
