We present preliminary results from a multidisciplinary geophysical approach applied to the imagi... more We present preliminary results from a multidisciplinary geophysical approach applied to the imaging of the threedimensional architecture of the Middle Aterno basin, close to the epicentral area of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake (central Italy). We collected several time domain electromagnetic soundings (TDEM) coupled with seismic noise measurements focusing on the characterization of the bedrock/infill interface. Our preliminary results agree with existing geophysical data collected in the area, and show that the southeastern portion of the basin is characterized by a deepening of the Mesozoic-Tertiary bedrock down to a depth of more than 450 m. We found that a joint use of electromagnetic and seismic methods significantly contributes in obtaining new insights on the 3D geometry of the Middle Aterno basin. Moreover, we believe that our combined approach based on TDEM and noise measurements can be adopted to investigate similar geological settings elsewhere.
We provide migrated stack sections from three high-resolution seismic profiles acquired in 2017 i... more We provide migrated stack sections from three high-resolution seismic profiles acquired in 2017 in the Pian Grande di Castelluccio basin, a Quaternary continental depression developed in the hangingwall of the 30 October 2016 M<sub>W</sub> 6.5 Norcia earthquake normal fault-system (central Italy). The seismic profiles are labelled as Vettore, Maneggio and Castelluccio, respectively. The seismic reflection files have a sgy extension (Society of Exploration Geophysics standard format) and contain proper spatial reference (WGS84 datum, UTM projection, zone 33N, metrical units). They can be opened/imported and analyzed with specific software for seismic data analysis (e.g. OpenDTect, Seismic Unix, Geopsy, SeiSee, SeisSpace Promax). For further details please contact the corresponding author ([email protected]).<br> This dataset is related to a companion paper considered for publication on the Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth by Villani, F., Maraio S., ...
Fault-related extensional basins often display complex subsurface architecture with numerous cros... more Fault-related extensional basins often display complex subsurface architecture with numerous cross-cutting geological features that derive from multiphase tectonics (Civico, Sapia, et al., 2017, Meghraoui et al., 2000; Reeve et al., 2015, and references therein). The mechanical response of the upper crust and permanent displacement of the topographic surface due to long-term normal faulting control the hangingwall basin size, depth, and shape. Moreover, these processes affect the erosional and depositional systems that eventually reflect in the sedimentary basin record (Burbank & Anderson, 2011; Gawthorpe & Leeder, 2000). Therefore, understanding the subsurface geometry and architecture of the basins, through geophysical imaging, is of utmost importance to reconstruct long-term (10 5-10 6 yr timescales) fault activity and evolution of crustal seismogenic normal faults. The Neogene central Apennines fold-and-thrust belt (Italy) is a region of Pliocene-Quaternary extension overprinting a previously shortened crust (
Since the beginning of the ongoing Amatrice seismic sequence on August 24, 2016, initiated by a M... more Since the beginning of the ongoing Amatrice seismic sequence on August 24, 2016, initiated by a Mw 6.0 normal faulting earthquake, the EMERGEO Working Group (an INGV team devoted to earthquake aftermath geological survey) set off to investigate any coseismic effects on the natural environment. Up to now, we surveyed about 750 km2 and collected more than 3200 geological observations as differently oriented tectonic fractures together with intermediate- to small- sized landslides, that were mapped in the whole area. The most impressive coseismic evidence was found along the known active Mt. Vettore fault system, where surface ruptures with clear vertical/horizontal offset were observed for more than 5 km, while unclear and discontinuous coseismic features were recorded along the Laga Mts. Fault systems.
We provide a database of the surface ruptures produced by the 26 December 2018 Mw 4.9 earthquake ... more We provide a database of the surface ruptures produced by the 26 December 2018 Mw 4.9 earthquake that struck the eastern flank of Mt. Etna volcano in Sicily (southern Italy). Despite its relatively small magnitude, this shallow earthquake caused about 8 km of surface faulting, along the trace of the NNW-trending active Fiandaca Fault. Detailed field surveys have been performed in the epicentral area to map the ruptures and to characterize their kinematics. The surface ruptures show a dominant right-oblique sense of displacement with an average slip of about 0.09 m and a maximum value of 0.35 m. We have parsed and organized all observations in a concise database, with 932 homogeneous georeferenced records. The Fiandaca Fault is part of the complex active Timpe faults system affecting the eastern flank of Etna, and its seismic history indicates a prominent surface-faulting potential. Therefore, this database is essential for unravelling the seismotectonics of shallow earthquakes in vo...
We present a 1:10,000 scale map of the coseismic surface ruptures following the 26 December 2018 ... more We present a 1:10,000 scale map of the coseismic surface ruptures following the 26 December 2018 Mw 4.9 earthquake that struck the eastern flank of Mt. Etna volcano (southern Italy). Detailed rupture mapping is based on extensive field surveys in the epicentral region. Despite the small size of the event, we were able to document surface faulting for about 8 km along the trace of the NNW-trending active Fiandaca Fault, belonging to the Timpe tectonic system in the eastern flank of the volcano. The mapped ruptures are characterized in most cases by perceivable opening and by a dominant right-oblique sense of slip, with an average slip of about 0.09 m and a peak value of 0.35 m. It is also noteworthy that the ruptures vary significantly in their kinematic expression, denoting locally high degree of complexity of the surface faulting.
We provide a database of the coseismic geological surface effects following the Mw 6.5 Norcia ear... more We provide a database of the coseismic geological surface effects following the Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquake that hit central Italy on 30 October 2016. This was one of the strongest seismic events to occur in Europe in the past thirty years, causing complex surface ruptures over an area of >400 km. The database originated from the collaboration of several European teams (Open EMERGEO Working Group; about 130 researchers) coordinated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia. The observations were collected by performing detailed field surveys in the epicentral region in order to describe the geometry and kinematics of surface faulting, and subsequently of landslides and other secondary coseismic effects. The resulting database consists of homogeneous georeferenced records identifying 7323 observation points, each of which contains 18 numeric and string fields of relevant information. This database will impact future earthquake studies focused on modelling of the seismic p...
Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2017
We applied a joint survey approach integrating time domain electromagnetic soundings and single-s... more We applied a joint survey approach integrating time domain electromagnetic soundings and single-station ambient vibration surveys in the Middle Aterno Valley (MAV), an intermontane basin in central Italy and the locus of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake. By imaging the buried interface between the infilling deposits and the top of the pre-Quaternary bedrock, we reveal the 3-D basin geometry and gain insights into the long-term basin evolution. We reconstruct a complex subsurface architecture, characterized by three main depocenters separated by thresholds. Basin infill thickness varies from~200-300 m in the north to more than 450 m to the southeast. Our subsurface model indicates a strong structural control on the architecture of the basin and highlights that the MAV experienced considerable modifications in its configuration over time. The buried shape of the MAV suggests a recent and still ongoing predominant tectonic control by the NW-SE trending Paganica-San Demetrio Fault System (PSDFS), which crosscuts older ENE and NNE trending extensional faults. Furthermore, we postulate that the present-day arrangement of the PSDFS is the result of the linkage of two previously isolated fault segments. We provide constraints on the location of the southeastern boundary of the PSDFS, defining an overall~19 km long fault system characterized by a considerable seismogenetic potential and a maximum expected magnitude larger than M 6.5. This study emphasizes the benefit of combining two easily deployable geophysical methods for reconstructing the 3-D geometry of a tectonically controlled basin. Our joint approach provided us with a consistent match between these two independent estimations of the basin substratum depth within 15%.
On 24 August 2016, a M w 6.0 normal-faulting earthquake struck central Italy, causing about 300 f... more On 24 August 2016, a M w 6.0 normal-faulting earthquake struck central Italy, causing about 300 fatalities and heavy damage. A geological survey collected the coseismic effects observed at the surface in order to evaluate two competing hypotheses about their nature: surface faulting versus gravitational deformation. We find that the most significant geological effect is a 5.2 km long alignment of ground ruptures along the Mount Vettore Fault System. These ruptures are independent from lithology, topography, morphology, and change in slope and exhibit an average dip-slip displacement of~13 cm. Geometry, kinematics, and dimensional properties of this zone of deformation strongly lead us to favor the primary surface faulting hypothesis that fits well the predicted estimates from experimental scaling law relationships. Our study provides relevant hints for surface faulting in extensional domains, contributing to implement the worldwide database of the moderate earthquakes.
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2015
We report a case study from the Po River plain region (northern Italy), where a significant lique... more We report a case study from the Po River plain region (northern Italy), where a significant liquefaction-related land and property damage occurred during the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence. We took advantage of a 1 m pixel LiDAR Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and of the 2012 Emilia coseismic liquefaction dataset to: (a) perform a detailed geomorphological study of the Po River plain area, (b) quantitatively define the liquefaction susceptibility of the geomorphologic features that experienced different frequency of liquefaction. One main finding is that linear topographic highs of fluvial origin, together with crevasse splays and abandoned riverbeds, acted as preferential location for the occurrence of liquefaction phenomena. Moreover, we quantitatively defined a hierarchy in terms of liquefaction susceptibility for fluvial environments. We observed that a very high liquefaction susceptibility is found in coincidence with fluvial landforms, a high-to-moderate liquefaction susceptibility ...
This work was supported by the European Commission Project Relief: Large earthquake faulting and ... more This work was supported by the European Commission Project Relief: Large earthquake faulting and implications for seismic hazard assessment in Europe: The Izmit-Duzce earthquake sequence of 1999, Turkey, Mw 7.4, 7.1, EVG1-CT-2002-00069.
We present a collection of pictures of the coseismic secondary geological effects produced on the... more We present a collection of pictures of the coseismic secondary geological effects produced on the environment by the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence in northern Italy. The May-June 2012 sequence struck a broad area located in the Po Plain region, causing 26 deaths and hundreds of injured, 15.000 homeless, severe damage of historical centres and industrial areas, and an estimated economic toll of ~2 billion of euros. The sequence included two mainshocks (Figure 1): the first one, with ML 5.9, occurred on May 20 between Finale Emilia, S. Felice sul Panaro and S. Martino Spino; the second one, with ML 5.8, occurred 12 km southwest of the previous mainshock on May 29. Both the mainshocks occurred on about E-W trending, S dipping blind thrust faults; the whole aftershocks area extends in an E-W direction for more than 50 km and includes five ML≥5.0 events and more than 1800 ML>1.5 events. Ground cracks and liquefactions were certainly the most relevant coseismic geological effects observ...
We present preliminary results from a multidisciplinary geophysical approach applied to the imagi... more We present preliminary results from a multidisciplinary geophysical approach applied to the imaging of the threedimensional architecture of the Middle Aterno basin, close to the epicentral area of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake (central Italy). We collected several time domain electromagnetic soundings (TDEM) coupled with seismic noise measurements focusing on the characterization of the bedrock/infill interface. Our preliminary results agree with existing geophysical data collected in the area, and show that the southeastern portion of the basin is characterized by a deepening of the Mesozoic-Tertiary bedrock down to a depth of more than 450 m. We found that a joint use of electromagnetic and seismic methods significantly contributes in obtaining new insights on the 3D geometry of the Middle Aterno basin. Moreover, we believe that our combined approach based on TDEM and noise measurements can be adopted to investigate similar geological settings elsewhere.
We provide migrated stack sections from three high-resolution seismic profiles acquired in 2017 i... more We provide migrated stack sections from three high-resolution seismic profiles acquired in 2017 in the Pian Grande di Castelluccio basin, a Quaternary continental depression developed in the hangingwall of the 30 October 2016 M<sub>W</sub> 6.5 Norcia earthquake normal fault-system (central Italy). The seismic profiles are labelled as Vettore, Maneggio and Castelluccio, respectively. The seismic reflection files have a sgy extension (Society of Exploration Geophysics standard format) and contain proper spatial reference (WGS84 datum, UTM projection, zone 33N, metrical units). They can be opened/imported and analyzed with specific software for seismic data analysis (e.g. OpenDTect, Seismic Unix, Geopsy, SeiSee, SeisSpace Promax). For further details please contact the corresponding author ([email protected]).<br> This dataset is related to a companion paper considered for publication on the Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth by Villani, F., Maraio S., ...
Fault-related extensional basins often display complex subsurface architecture with numerous cros... more Fault-related extensional basins often display complex subsurface architecture with numerous cross-cutting geological features that derive from multiphase tectonics (Civico, Sapia, et al., 2017, Meghraoui et al., 2000; Reeve et al., 2015, and references therein). The mechanical response of the upper crust and permanent displacement of the topographic surface due to long-term normal faulting control the hangingwall basin size, depth, and shape. Moreover, these processes affect the erosional and depositional systems that eventually reflect in the sedimentary basin record (Burbank & Anderson, 2011; Gawthorpe & Leeder, 2000). Therefore, understanding the subsurface geometry and architecture of the basins, through geophysical imaging, is of utmost importance to reconstruct long-term (10 5-10 6 yr timescales) fault activity and evolution of crustal seismogenic normal faults. The Neogene central Apennines fold-and-thrust belt (Italy) is a region of Pliocene-Quaternary extension overprinting a previously shortened crust (
Since the beginning of the ongoing Amatrice seismic sequence on August 24, 2016, initiated by a M... more Since the beginning of the ongoing Amatrice seismic sequence on August 24, 2016, initiated by a Mw 6.0 normal faulting earthquake, the EMERGEO Working Group (an INGV team devoted to earthquake aftermath geological survey) set off to investigate any coseismic effects on the natural environment. Up to now, we surveyed about 750 km2 and collected more than 3200 geological observations as differently oriented tectonic fractures together with intermediate- to small- sized landslides, that were mapped in the whole area. The most impressive coseismic evidence was found along the known active Mt. Vettore fault system, where surface ruptures with clear vertical/horizontal offset were observed for more than 5 km, while unclear and discontinuous coseismic features were recorded along the Laga Mts. Fault systems.
We provide a database of the surface ruptures produced by the 26 December 2018 Mw 4.9 earthquake ... more We provide a database of the surface ruptures produced by the 26 December 2018 Mw 4.9 earthquake that struck the eastern flank of Mt. Etna volcano in Sicily (southern Italy). Despite its relatively small magnitude, this shallow earthquake caused about 8 km of surface faulting, along the trace of the NNW-trending active Fiandaca Fault. Detailed field surveys have been performed in the epicentral area to map the ruptures and to characterize their kinematics. The surface ruptures show a dominant right-oblique sense of displacement with an average slip of about 0.09 m and a maximum value of 0.35 m. We have parsed and organized all observations in a concise database, with 932 homogeneous georeferenced records. The Fiandaca Fault is part of the complex active Timpe faults system affecting the eastern flank of Etna, and its seismic history indicates a prominent surface-faulting potential. Therefore, this database is essential for unravelling the seismotectonics of shallow earthquakes in vo...
We present a 1:10,000 scale map of the coseismic surface ruptures following the 26 December 2018 ... more We present a 1:10,000 scale map of the coseismic surface ruptures following the 26 December 2018 Mw 4.9 earthquake that struck the eastern flank of Mt. Etna volcano (southern Italy). Detailed rupture mapping is based on extensive field surveys in the epicentral region. Despite the small size of the event, we were able to document surface faulting for about 8 km along the trace of the NNW-trending active Fiandaca Fault, belonging to the Timpe tectonic system in the eastern flank of the volcano. The mapped ruptures are characterized in most cases by perceivable opening and by a dominant right-oblique sense of slip, with an average slip of about 0.09 m and a peak value of 0.35 m. It is also noteworthy that the ruptures vary significantly in their kinematic expression, denoting locally high degree of complexity of the surface faulting.
We provide a database of the coseismic geological surface effects following the Mw 6.5 Norcia ear... more We provide a database of the coseismic geological surface effects following the Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquake that hit central Italy on 30 October 2016. This was one of the strongest seismic events to occur in Europe in the past thirty years, causing complex surface ruptures over an area of >400 km. The database originated from the collaboration of several European teams (Open EMERGEO Working Group; about 130 researchers) coordinated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia. The observations were collected by performing detailed field surveys in the epicentral region in order to describe the geometry and kinematics of surface faulting, and subsequently of landslides and other secondary coseismic effects. The resulting database consists of homogeneous georeferenced records identifying 7323 observation points, each of which contains 18 numeric and string fields of relevant information. This database will impact future earthquake studies focused on modelling of the seismic p...
Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2017
We applied a joint survey approach integrating time domain electromagnetic soundings and single-s... more We applied a joint survey approach integrating time domain electromagnetic soundings and single-station ambient vibration surveys in the Middle Aterno Valley (MAV), an intermontane basin in central Italy and the locus of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake. By imaging the buried interface between the infilling deposits and the top of the pre-Quaternary bedrock, we reveal the 3-D basin geometry and gain insights into the long-term basin evolution. We reconstruct a complex subsurface architecture, characterized by three main depocenters separated by thresholds. Basin infill thickness varies from~200-300 m in the north to more than 450 m to the southeast. Our subsurface model indicates a strong structural control on the architecture of the basin and highlights that the MAV experienced considerable modifications in its configuration over time. The buried shape of the MAV suggests a recent and still ongoing predominant tectonic control by the NW-SE trending Paganica-San Demetrio Fault System (PSDFS), which crosscuts older ENE and NNE trending extensional faults. Furthermore, we postulate that the present-day arrangement of the PSDFS is the result of the linkage of two previously isolated fault segments. We provide constraints on the location of the southeastern boundary of the PSDFS, defining an overall~19 km long fault system characterized by a considerable seismogenetic potential and a maximum expected magnitude larger than M 6.5. This study emphasizes the benefit of combining two easily deployable geophysical methods for reconstructing the 3-D geometry of a tectonically controlled basin. Our joint approach provided us with a consistent match between these two independent estimations of the basin substratum depth within 15%.
On 24 August 2016, a M w 6.0 normal-faulting earthquake struck central Italy, causing about 300 f... more On 24 August 2016, a M w 6.0 normal-faulting earthquake struck central Italy, causing about 300 fatalities and heavy damage. A geological survey collected the coseismic effects observed at the surface in order to evaluate two competing hypotheses about their nature: surface faulting versus gravitational deformation. We find that the most significant geological effect is a 5.2 km long alignment of ground ruptures along the Mount Vettore Fault System. These ruptures are independent from lithology, topography, morphology, and change in slope and exhibit an average dip-slip displacement of~13 cm. Geometry, kinematics, and dimensional properties of this zone of deformation strongly lead us to favor the primary surface faulting hypothesis that fits well the predicted estimates from experimental scaling law relationships. Our study provides relevant hints for surface faulting in extensional domains, contributing to implement the worldwide database of the moderate earthquakes.
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2015
We report a case study from the Po River plain region (northern Italy), where a significant lique... more We report a case study from the Po River plain region (northern Italy), where a significant liquefaction-related land and property damage occurred during the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence. We took advantage of a 1 m pixel LiDAR Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and of the 2012 Emilia coseismic liquefaction dataset to: (a) perform a detailed geomorphological study of the Po River plain area, (b) quantitatively define the liquefaction susceptibility of the geomorphologic features that experienced different frequency of liquefaction. One main finding is that linear topographic highs of fluvial origin, together with crevasse splays and abandoned riverbeds, acted as preferential location for the occurrence of liquefaction phenomena. Moreover, we quantitatively defined a hierarchy in terms of liquefaction susceptibility for fluvial environments. We observed that a very high liquefaction susceptibility is found in coincidence with fluvial landforms, a high-to-moderate liquefaction susceptibility ...
This work was supported by the European Commission Project Relief: Large earthquake faulting and ... more This work was supported by the European Commission Project Relief: Large earthquake faulting and implications for seismic hazard assessment in Europe: The Izmit-Duzce earthquake sequence of 1999, Turkey, Mw 7.4, 7.1, EVG1-CT-2002-00069.
We present a collection of pictures of the coseismic secondary geological effects produced on the... more We present a collection of pictures of the coseismic secondary geological effects produced on the environment by the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence in northern Italy. The May-June 2012 sequence struck a broad area located in the Po Plain region, causing 26 deaths and hundreds of injured, 15.000 homeless, severe damage of historical centres and industrial areas, and an estimated economic toll of ~2 billion of euros. The sequence included two mainshocks (Figure 1): the first one, with ML 5.9, occurred on May 20 between Finale Emilia, S. Felice sul Panaro and S. Martino Spino; the second one, with ML 5.8, occurred 12 km southwest of the previous mainshock on May 29. Both the mainshocks occurred on about E-W trending, S dipping blind thrust faults; the whole aftershocks area extends in an E-W direction for more than 50 km and includes five ML≥5.0 events and more than 1800 ML>1.5 events. Ground cracks and liquefactions were certainly the most relevant coseismic geological effects observ...
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