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Coupling between earthquake swarms and volcanic unrest at the Alban Hills Volcano (central Italy) modeled through elastic stress transfer
Author(s)
Language
English
Status
Published
Peer review journal
Yes
Title of the book
Issue/vol(year)
/109(2004)
Pages (printed)
(B02308)
Issued date
2004
Abstract
We study a seismic swarm that occurred in 1989–1990 at the Alban Hills volcano and
interpret the seismicity pattern in terms of Coulomb stress changes caused by magma
intrusion in a local volcanic source and the extensional tectonic stress field. We first image
the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the volcano through a tomographic inversion of P
waves and S-P arrival times recorded by a temporary local network. A high Vp and Vp/Vs
body exists beneath the area of most recent volcanic activity, which we interpret as a
solidified magma body delimiting the position of the volcanic source. We have relocated
661 events (M 4.0) using this 3-D velocity model and we have computed 64 fault plane
solutions. Elevation changes, measured between 1951 and 1994 along a 33-km-long
line crossing the western part of the volcano, reveal an uplift of 0.3 m. We model these
data to constrain the position and geometry of the volcanic source. We compute the
vertical deformation in a homogeneous half-space, testing different volcanic sources
(spherical magma chamber, sill and dike). We model the Coulomb stress changes caused
by the local volcanic source and the regional tectonic stress field. The inflation of magma
generates an increase of Coulomb stress larger than 0.5 MPa in the area where the
seismicity is located. More than 85% of fault plane solutions are consistent with the stress
perturbations induced by the volcanic source. We conclude that microearthquakes at the
Alban Hills are promoted by elastic stress changes caused by volcanic unrest
episodes.
interpret the seismicity pattern in terms of Coulomb stress changes caused by magma
intrusion in a local volcanic source and the extensional tectonic stress field. We first image
the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the volcano through a tomographic inversion of P
waves and S-P arrival times recorded by a temporary local network. A high Vp and Vp/Vs
body exists beneath the area of most recent volcanic activity, which we interpret as a
solidified magma body delimiting the position of the volcanic source. We have relocated
661 events (M 4.0) using this 3-D velocity model and we have computed 64 fault plane
solutions. Elevation changes, measured between 1951 and 1994 along a 33-km-long
line crossing the western part of the volcano, reveal an uplift of 0.3 m. We model these
data to constrain the position and geometry of the volcanic source. We compute the
vertical deformation in a homogeneous half-space, testing different volcanic sources
(spherical magma chamber, sill and dike). We model the Coulomb stress changes caused
by the local volcanic source and the regional tectonic stress field. The inflation of magma
generates an increase of Coulomb stress larger than 0.5 MPa in the area where the
seismicity is located. More than 85% of fault plane solutions are consistent with the stress
perturbations induced by the volcanic source. We conclude that microearthquakes at the
Alban Hills are promoted by elastic stress changes caused by volcanic unrest
episodes.
References
References
Amato, A., and C. Chiarabba (1995), Recent uplift of the Alban Hills
volcano (Italy): Evidence for magmatic inflation?, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
22, 1985–1988.
Amato, A., C. Chiarabba, C. Cocco, M. Di Bona, and G. Selvaggi (1994),
The 1989– 1990 seismic swarm in the Alban Hills volcanic area, central
Italy, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 61, 225– 237.
Beeler, N. M., R. W. Simpson, D. A. Lockner, and S. H. Hickman (2000),
Pore fluid pressure, apparent friction and Coulomb failure, J. Geophys.
Res., 105, 25,533– 25,554.
Cayol, V., J. H. Dieterich, A. T. Okamura, and A. Miklius (2000), High
magma storage rates before the 1983 eruption of Kilauea, Hawaii,
Science, 288, 2343– 2346.
Chiarabba, C., L. Malagnini, and A. Amato (1994), Tree-dimensional
velocity structure and earthquake relocation in the Alban Hills Volcano,
central Italy, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 84, 295– 306.
Chiarabba, C., A. Amato, and P. T. Delaney (1997), Crustal structure,
evolution, and volcanic unrest of the Alban Hills, Central Italy, Bull.
Volcanol., 59, 161– 170.
Cimini, G. B., C. Chiarabba, A. Amato, and H. M. Iyer (1994), Large
teleseismic P-wave residuals variation in the Alban Hills volcano, central
Italy, Ann. Geofis., 37, 969– 988.
Cocco, M., and J. R. Rice (2002), Pore pressure and poroelasticity effects in
Coulomb stress analysis of earthquake interactions, J. Geophys. Res.,
107(B2), 2030, doi:10.1029/2000JB000138.
Eberhart-Phillips, D. (1993), Local earthquake tomography: Earthquake
source regions, in Seismic Tomography: Theory and Practice, edited by
H. M. Iyer and K. Hirahara, pp. 613– 643, Chapman and Hall, New York.
Eberhart-Phillips, D., and M. Reyners (1997), Continental subduction and
three-dimensional crustal structure: The northern South Island, New Zealand,
J. Geophys. Res., 102, 11,843–11,861.
Feigl, K. L., J. Gasperi, F. Sigmundsson, and A. Rigo (2000), Crustal
deformation near Hengill volcano, Iceland 1993 – 1998: Coupling
between magmatic activity and faulting inferred from elastic modeling
of satellite radar interferograms, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 25,655–25,670.
Foulger, G. R., A. D. Miller, and B. R. Julian (1995), Three-dimensional vp
and vp/vs structure of the Hengill triple junction and geothermal area,
Iceland, and the repeatability of tomographic inversion, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 22, 1309– 1312.
Harris, R. A. (1998), Introduction to special session: Stress triggers, stress
shadows, and implications for seismic hazard, J. Geophys. Res., 103,
24,347–24,358.
Jacques, E., G. C. P. King, P. Tapponnier, J. C. Ruegg, and I. Manighetti
(1996), Seismic triggering by stress change after the 1978 events in the
Asal Rift, Djibouti, Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 2481– 2484.
King, G. P. C., and M. Cocco (2000), Fault interaction by elastic stress
changes: New clues from earthquake sequences, Adv. Geophys., 44, 1–
38.
Marra, F., C. Freda, P. Scarlato, J. Taddeucci, D. B. Karner, P. R. Renne,
M. Gaeta, D. M. Palladino, R. Trigila, and G. Cavarretta (2003), Postcaldera
activity in the Alban Hills volcanic district (Italy): 40AR/39Ar
geochronology and insights into magma evolution, Bull. Volcanol., 65,
227– 247.
Menke, W. (1989), Geophysical Data Analysis: Discrete Inverse Theory,
Int. Geophys. Ser., vol. 45, 285 pp., Academic, San Diego, Calif.
Mogi, K. (1958), Relations between eruptions of various volcanoes and the
deformation of the ground surface around them, Bull. Earthquake Res.
Inst. Univ. Tokio, 36, 99– 134.
Montone, P., A. Amato, and S. Pondrelli (1999), Active stress map of Italy,
J. Geophys. Res., 104, 25,595– 25,610.
Nostro, C., M. Cocco, and M. E. Belardinelli (1997), Static stress changes
in extensional regimes: An application to southern Apennines (Italy),
Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 87, 234–248.
Nostro, C., R. S. Stein, M. Cocco, M. E. Belardinelli, and W. Marzocchi
(1998), Two-way coupling between Vesuvius eruptions and southern
Apennine earthquakes, Italy, by elastic stress transfer, J. Geophys. Res.,
103, 24,487– 24,504.
Nostro, C., D. Baumont, O. Scotti, and M. Cocco (2002), ‘‘Farfalle’’ computer
code: User’s manual, report of EC project ‘‘PRESAP’’ (Towards
Practical, Real-Time Estimation of Spatial Aftershock Probabilities:
A feasibility study in earthquake hazard, EVK4-1999-00001), Univ. of
Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland. (Available at www.errigal.ulst.ac.uk/)
Okada, Y. (1985), Surface deformation due to shear, and tensile faults in a
half-space, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 75, 1135– 1154.
Okada, Y. (1992), Internal deformation due to shear and tensile faults in a
half-space, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 82, 1018–1040.
Patane`, D., C. Chiarabba, O. Cocina, P. De Gori, M. Moretti, and E. Boschi
(2002), Tomographic images and 3D earthquake location of seismic
swarm preceding the 2001 Mt. Etna eruption: Evidence for a dike intrusion,
Geophys. Res. Lett, 29, 136– 139.
Quattrocchi, F., and M. Calcara (1995), Emanazioni gassose nell’area di
ciampino (2/11/95) ed evento sismica nei Colli Albani (3/11/95), Ist. Naz.
Geofis., Relazione d’Intervento, Gruppo Geochim. Fluidi, Ist. Naz. di
Geofis. E Vulcanol., Rome.
Reasenberg, P., and D. Oppenheimer (1985), FPFIT, FPPLOT and
FPPAGE: FORTRAN computer programs for calculating and displaying
earthquake fault-plane solutions, U.S. Geol. Surv. Open File Rep., 85–
739.
Rice, J. R., and M. P. Cleary (1976), Some basic stress diffusion solutions
for fluid-saturated elastic porous media with compressible constituents,
Rev. Geophys., 14, 227–241.
Savage, J. C., and M. M. Clark (1982), Magmatic resurgence in Long
Valley caldera, California: Possible cause of the 1980 Mammoth Lakes
earthquakes, Sciences, 217, 531– 533.
Selvaggi, G., and F. D’Ajello Caracciolo (1998), Seismic deformation at the
Alban Hills volcano during the 1989– 1990 seismic sequence, Ann. Geofis.,
41, 225– 231.
Sigmundsson, F., P. Einarsson, S. T. Ro¨gnvaldsson, G. R. Foulger, K. M.
Hodgkinson, and G. Thorbergsson (1997), The 1994– 1995 seismicity
and deformation at the Hengill triple junction, Iceland: Triggering of
earthquakes by minor magma injection in a zone of horizontal shear
stress, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 15,151–15,161.
Toda, S., R. S. Stein, and T. Sagiya (2002), Evidence from the AD 2000 Izu
Islands earthquake swarm that stressing rate governs seismicity, Nature,
419, 58– 61.
Toomey, D. R., and G. R. Foulger (1989), Tomographic inversion of local
earthquakes data from the Hengill-Grendsalur Central Volcano Complex,
Iceland, J. Geophys. Res., 94, 17,497– 17,510.
Amato, A., and C. Chiarabba (1995), Recent uplift of the Alban Hills
volcano (Italy): Evidence for magmatic inflation?, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
22, 1985–1988.
Amato, A., C. Chiarabba, C. Cocco, M. Di Bona, and G. Selvaggi (1994),
The 1989– 1990 seismic swarm in the Alban Hills volcanic area, central
Italy, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 61, 225– 237.
Beeler, N. M., R. W. Simpson, D. A. Lockner, and S. H. Hickman (2000),
Pore fluid pressure, apparent friction and Coulomb failure, J. Geophys.
Res., 105, 25,533– 25,554.
Cayol, V., J. H. Dieterich, A. T. Okamura, and A. Miklius (2000), High
magma storage rates before the 1983 eruption of Kilauea, Hawaii,
Science, 288, 2343– 2346.
Chiarabba, C., L. Malagnini, and A. Amato (1994), Tree-dimensional
velocity structure and earthquake relocation in the Alban Hills Volcano,
central Italy, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 84, 295– 306.
Chiarabba, C., A. Amato, and P. T. Delaney (1997), Crustal structure,
evolution, and volcanic unrest of the Alban Hills, Central Italy, Bull.
Volcanol., 59, 161– 170.
Cimini, G. B., C. Chiarabba, A. Amato, and H. M. Iyer (1994), Large
teleseismic P-wave residuals variation in the Alban Hills volcano, central
Italy, Ann. Geofis., 37, 969– 988.
Cocco, M., and J. R. Rice (2002), Pore pressure and poroelasticity effects in
Coulomb stress analysis of earthquake interactions, J. Geophys. Res.,
107(B2), 2030, doi:10.1029/2000JB000138.
Eberhart-Phillips, D. (1993), Local earthquake tomography: Earthquake
source regions, in Seismic Tomography: Theory and Practice, edited by
H. M. Iyer and K. Hirahara, pp. 613– 643, Chapman and Hall, New York.
Eberhart-Phillips, D., and M. Reyners (1997), Continental subduction and
three-dimensional crustal structure: The northern South Island, New Zealand,
J. Geophys. Res., 102, 11,843–11,861.
Feigl, K. L., J. Gasperi, F. Sigmundsson, and A. Rigo (2000), Crustal
deformation near Hengill volcano, Iceland 1993 – 1998: Coupling
between magmatic activity and faulting inferred from elastic modeling
of satellite radar interferograms, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 25,655–25,670.
Foulger, G. R., A. D. Miller, and B. R. Julian (1995), Three-dimensional vp
and vp/vs structure of the Hengill triple junction and geothermal area,
Iceland, and the repeatability of tomographic inversion, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 22, 1309– 1312.
Harris, R. A. (1998), Introduction to special session: Stress triggers, stress
shadows, and implications for seismic hazard, J. Geophys. Res., 103,
24,347–24,358.
Jacques, E., G. C. P. King, P. Tapponnier, J. C. Ruegg, and I. Manighetti
(1996), Seismic triggering by stress change after the 1978 events in the
Asal Rift, Djibouti, Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 2481– 2484.
King, G. P. C., and M. Cocco (2000), Fault interaction by elastic stress
changes: New clues from earthquake sequences, Adv. Geophys., 44, 1–
38.
Marra, F., C. Freda, P. Scarlato, J. Taddeucci, D. B. Karner, P. R. Renne,
M. Gaeta, D. M. Palladino, R. Trigila, and G. Cavarretta (2003), Postcaldera
activity in the Alban Hills volcanic district (Italy): 40AR/39Ar
geochronology and insights into magma evolution, Bull. Volcanol., 65,
227– 247.
Menke, W. (1989), Geophysical Data Analysis: Discrete Inverse Theory,
Int. Geophys. Ser., vol. 45, 285 pp., Academic, San Diego, Calif.
Mogi, K. (1958), Relations between eruptions of various volcanoes and the
deformation of the ground surface around them, Bull. Earthquake Res.
Inst. Univ. Tokio, 36, 99– 134.
Montone, P., A. Amato, and S. Pondrelli (1999), Active stress map of Italy,
J. Geophys. Res., 104, 25,595– 25,610.
Nostro, C., M. Cocco, and M. E. Belardinelli (1997), Static stress changes
in extensional regimes: An application to southern Apennines (Italy),
Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 87, 234–248.
Nostro, C., R. S. Stein, M. Cocco, M. E. Belardinelli, and W. Marzocchi
(1998), Two-way coupling between Vesuvius eruptions and southern
Apennine earthquakes, Italy, by elastic stress transfer, J. Geophys. Res.,
103, 24,487– 24,504.
Nostro, C., D. Baumont, O. Scotti, and M. Cocco (2002), ‘‘Farfalle’’ computer
code: User’s manual, report of EC project ‘‘PRESAP’’ (Towards
Practical, Real-Time Estimation of Spatial Aftershock Probabilities:
A feasibility study in earthquake hazard, EVK4-1999-00001), Univ. of
Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland. (Available at www.errigal.ulst.ac.uk/)
Okada, Y. (1985), Surface deformation due to shear, and tensile faults in a
half-space, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 75, 1135– 1154.
Okada, Y. (1992), Internal deformation due to shear and tensile faults in a
half-space, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 82, 1018–1040.
Patane`, D., C. Chiarabba, O. Cocina, P. De Gori, M. Moretti, and E. Boschi
(2002), Tomographic images and 3D earthquake location of seismic
swarm preceding the 2001 Mt. Etna eruption: Evidence for a dike intrusion,
Geophys. Res. Lett, 29, 136– 139.
Quattrocchi, F., and M. Calcara (1995), Emanazioni gassose nell’area di
ciampino (2/11/95) ed evento sismica nei Colli Albani (3/11/95), Ist. Naz.
Geofis., Relazione d’Intervento, Gruppo Geochim. Fluidi, Ist. Naz. di
Geofis. E Vulcanol., Rome.
Reasenberg, P., and D. Oppenheimer (1985), FPFIT, FPPLOT and
FPPAGE: FORTRAN computer programs for calculating and displaying
earthquake fault-plane solutions, U.S. Geol. Surv. Open File Rep., 85–
739.
Rice, J. R., and M. P. Cleary (1976), Some basic stress diffusion solutions
for fluid-saturated elastic porous media with compressible constituents,
Rev. Geophys., 14, 227–241.
Savage, J. C., and M. M. Clark (1982), Magmatic resurgence in Long
Valley caldera, California: Possible cause of the 1980 Mammoth Lakes
earthquakes, Sciences, 217, 531– 533.
Selvaggi, G., and F. D’Ajello Caracciolo (1998), Seismic deformation at the
Alban Hills volcano during the 1989– 1990 seismic sequence, Ann. Geofis.,
41, 225– 231.
Sigmundsson, F., P. Einarsson, S. T. Ro¨gnvaldsson, G. R. Foulger, K. M.
Hodgkinson, and G. Thorbergsson (1997), The 1994– 1995 seismicity
and deformation at the Hengill triple junction, Iceland: Triggering of
earthquakes by minor magma injection in a zone of horizontal shear
stress, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 15,151–15,161.
Toda, S., R. S. Stein, and T. Sagiya (2002), Evidence from the AD 2000 Izu
Islands earthquake swarm that stressing rate governs seismicity, Nature,
419, 58– 61.
Toomey, D. R., and G. R. Foulger (1989), Tomographic inversion of local
earthquakes data from the Hengill-Grendsalur Central Volcano Complex,
Iceland, J. Geophys. Res., 94, 17,497– 17,510.
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