Rupture history of the 2009 L’Aquila (Italy) earthquake from non-linear joint inversion of strong motion and GPS data

Abstract

We image the rupture history of the 2009 L’Aquila (Central Italy) earthquake using a nonlinear joint inversion of strong motion and GPS data. This earthquake ruptured a normal fault striking along the Apennines axis and dipping to the SW. The inferred slip distribution is heterogeneous and characterized by a small, shallow slip patch located up-dip from the hypocenter (9.5 km depth) and a large, deeper patch located southeastward. The rupture velocity is larger in the up-dip than in the along-strike direction. This difference can be partially accounted by the crustal structure, which is characterized by a high velocity layer above the hypocenter and a lower velocity below. The latter velocity seems to have affected the along strike propagation since the largest slip patch is located at depths between 9 and 14 km. The imaged slip distribution correlates well with the on-fault aftershock pattern as well as with mapped surface breakages.