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Fault geometries from the space distribution of the 1990–1997 Sannio-Benevento earthquakes: Inferences on the active deformation in Southern Apennines
Author(s)
Language
English
Status
Published
JCR Journal
JCR Journal
Peer review journal
Yes
Title of the book
Issue/vol(year)
3-4/363 (2003)
Pages (printed)
259-271
Issued date
January 2003
Keywords
Abstract
In this study, we analyze the recent (1990–1997) seismicity that affected the northern sector (Sannio–Benevento area) of the
Southern Apennines chain. We applied the Best Estimate Method (BEM), which collapses hypocentral clouds, to the events of
low energy (Md max = 4.1) seismic sequences in order to constrain the location and geometry of the seismogenetic structures.
The results indicate that earthquakes aligned along three main structures: two sub-parallel structures striking NW–SE (1990–
1992, Benevento sequence) and one structure striking NE–SW (1997, Sannio sequence). The southernmost NW–SE structure,
which dips towards NE, overlies the fault that is likely to be responsible for a larger historical earthquake (Io max = XI MCS,
1688 earthquake). The northernmost NW–SE striking structure dips towards SW. The NE–SW striking structure is sub-vertical
and it is located at the northern tip of the fault segment supposed to be responsible for the 1688 earthquake. The spatio-temporal
evolution of the 1990–1997 seismicity indicates a progressive migration from SE (Benevento) to NW (Sannio) associated to a
deepening of hypocenters (i.e., from about 5 to 12 km). Hypocenters cluster at the interface between the major structural
discontinuities (e.g., pre-existing thrust surfaces) or within higher rigidity layers (e.g., the Apulia carbonates). Available focal
mechanisms from earthquakes occurred on the recognized NW–SE and NE–SW faults are consistent with dip-slip normal
solutions. This evidences the occurrence of coexisting NW–SE and NE–SW extensions in Southern Apennines.
D 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Southern Apennines chain. We applied the Best Estimate Method (BEM), which collapses hypocentral clouds, to the events of
low energy (Md max = 4.1) seismic sequences in order to constrain the location and geometry of the seismogenetic structures.
The results indicate that earthquakes aligned along three main structures: two sub-parallel structures striking NW–SE (1990–
1992, Benevento sequence) and one structure striking NE–SW (1997, Sannio sequence). The southernmost NW–SE structure,
which dips towards NE, overlies the fault that is likely to be responsible for a larger historical earthquake (Io max = XI MCS,
1688 earthquake). The northernmost NW–SE striking structure dips towards SW. The NE–SW striking structure is sub-vertical
and it is located at the northern tip of the fault segment supposed to be responsible for the 1688 earthquake. The spatio-temporal
evolution of the 1990–1997 seismicity indicates a progressive migration from SE (Benevento) to NW (Sannio) associated to a
deepening of hypocenters (i.e., from about 5 to 12 km). Hypocenters cluster at the interface between the major structural
discontinuities (e.g., pre-existing thrust surfaces) or within higher rigidity layers (e.g., the Apulia carbonates). Available focal
mechanisms from earthquakes occurred on the recognized NW–SE and NE–SW faults are consistent with dip-slip normal
solutions. This evidences the occurrence of coexisting NW–SE and NE–SW extensions in Southern Apennines.
D 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
References
Alessio, G., Esposito, E., Gorini, A., Porfido, S., 1995. Detailed
study of the Potentino seismic zone in the Southern Apennines,
Italy. Tectonophysics 250, 113–134.
Alessio, G., Gorini, A., Vilardo, G., Iannaccone, G., 1996. Low
energy sequences in areas with seismic potential: Benevento
(Southern Apennines), April 1990. In: Shenk, V. (Ed.), Earth-
G. Vilardo et al. / Tectonophysics 270 363 (2003) 259–271
quake Hazard and Risk. Kluwer Academic Publishing, London,
pp. 3 –16.
Amato, A., Montone, P., 1997. Present-day stress field and active
tectonics in southern peninsular Italy. Geophysical Journal International
130, 519– 534.
Asanuma, H., Ishimoto, M., Jones, R.H., Phillips, W.S., Niitsuma,
H., 2001. A variation of the collapsing method to delineate
structures inside a microseismic cloud. Bulletin of the Seismological
Society of America 91 (1), 154– 160.
Bossu, R., 2000. A simple approach to constrain the position and
the geometry of seismogenic structures: application to Karthala
volcano (Grande Comores Island, Mozambique Channel). Journal
of Seismology 4, 41– 48.
Chiarabba, C., Amato, A., 1997. Upper crustal structure of the
Benevento area (southern Italy): fault heterogeneities and potential
for large earthquakes. Geophysical Journal International
130, 229– 239.
Cinque, A., Patacca, E., Scandone, P., Tozzi, M., 1993. Quaternary
kinematic evolution of the Southern Apennines. Relationship
between surface geological features and deep lithospheric structures.
Annali di Geofisica 36 (2), 249–260.
CPTI Working Group, 1999. Catalogo Parametrico dei Terremoti
Italiani, GNDT-ING-SGA-SSN (Editors), p. 92, printed by Tipografia
Compositori, Bologna July 1999, available also from
http://emidius.itim.mi.cnr.it/CPTI.
Doglioni, C., Harabaglia, P., Martinelli, G., Mongelli, F., Zito, G.,
1996. A geodynamic model of the Southern Apennines accretionary
prism. Terra Nova 8, 540–547.
Federici, P., Di Maro, R., Marchetti, A., Cocco, M., 1992. Analisi
della sismicita` dell’area del Sannio–Matese negli anni 1991–
1992. Proc. 11th Natl. Assembly G.N.G.T.S.-Roma, 389– 404.
Ferranti, L., Oldow, J.S., Sacchi, M., 1996. Pre-Quaternary orogenparallel
extension in the Southern Apennine belt, Italy. Tectonophysics
260, 325–347.
Frepoli, A., Amato, A., 2000. Spatial variation in stresses in peninsular
Italy and Sicily from background seismicity. Tectonophysics
317, 109– 124.
Gasparini, C., Iannaccone, G., Scarpa, R., 1985. Fault-plane solutions
and seismicity of the Italian peninsula. Tectonophysics
117, 59– 78.
Gasperini, P., Bernardini, F., Valensise, G., Boschi, E., 1999. Defining
seismogenic sources from historical earthquake felt reports.
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 89, 94– 110.
Hippolyte, J.C., Angelier, J., Roure, F., 1994. A major geodynamic
change revealed by Quaternary stress patterns in the Southern
Apenninnes (Italy). Tectonophysics 230, 199– 210.
Improta, L., Iannaccone, G., Capuano, P., Zollo, A., Scandone, P.,
2000. Inferences on the upper crustal structure of Southern
Apennines (Italy) from seismic refraction investigations and
subsurface data. Tectonophysics 317, 273–297.
Jones, R.H., Stewart, R.C., 1997. A method for determining significant
structures in a cloud of earthquakes. Journal of Geophysical
Research 102 (4), 8245– 8254.
Mazzotti, A.P., Stucchi, E., Fradelizio, G.L., Zanzi, L., Scandone,
P., 2000. Seismic exploration in complex terrains: a processing
experience in the Southern Apennines. Geophysics 65 (5),
1402– 1417.
Menardi Noguera, A., Rea, G., 2000. Deep structure of the Campanian–
Lucanian Arc (Southern Apennine, Italy). Tectonophysics
324, 239–265.
Milano, G., Digiovambattista, R., Alessio, G., 1999. Earthquake
swarms in the Southern Apennines chain (Italy): 1997 the seismic
sequence in the Sannio– Matese mountains. Tectonophysics
306, 57– 78.
Milano, G., Ventura, G., Digiovambattista, R., 2003. Seismic evidence
of longitudinal extension in Southern Apennine: evidence
from the 1997/98 Sannio– Matese seismic sequence. Geophysical
Research Letters (In press).
Mostardini, F., Merlini, S., 1986. Appennino centro-meridionale:
Sezioni geologiche e proposta di modello strutturale. Paper presented
at 73rd Congresso Soc. Geol. Ital., Rome, 1986.
Oldow, J.S., D’Argenio, B., Ferranti, L., Pappone, G., Marsella,
E., Sacchi, M., 1993. Large-scale longitudinal extension in
the southern Apennines contractional belt, Italy. Geology 21,
1123– 1126.
Oldow, J.S., Ferranti, L., Lewis, D.S., Campbell, J.K., D’Argenio,
B., Catalano, R., Pappone, G., Carmignani, N., Conti, P., Aiken,
C.L.V., 2002. Active fragmentation of Adria, the north
African promontory, central Mediterranean orogen. Geology
30, 779– 782.
Ortolani, F., Pagliuca, S., Pepe, E., Schiattarella, M., Toccaceli,
R.M., 1992. Active tectonics in the Southern Apennines: relationships
between cover geometries and basement structure.
A hypothesis for a geodynamic model. IGCP 276, Siena 5,
413– 419.
Patacca, E., Scandone, P., 1989. Post Tortonian mountain building
in the Apennines. The role of the passive sinking of a relict
lithospheric slab. In: Boriani, A., et al. (Eds.), The Lithosphere
in Italy. Advanced in Earth Science Research. Ital. Nat. Comm.
Int. Lith. Prog., Mid-term Conf. (1987), vol. 80. Atti della Accademia
Lincei, Rome, pp. 157–176.
Sorgi, C., Deffontaines, B., Hippolyte, J.C., Cadet, J.P., 1998. An
integrated analysis of transverse structures in the northern Apennines,
Italy. Geomorphology 25, 193– 206.
Terranova, C., Ventura, G., Vilardo, G., 1999. Il Sistema Informativo
Sismotettonico della Regione Campania. Proceedings 3rd
National Assembly A.S.I.T.A. 2, 1193– 1198.
Valensise, G., Pantosti, D., 2001a. The investigation of potential
earthquake sources in peninsular Italy: a review. Journal of
Seismology 5 (3), 287–306.
Valensise, G., Pantosti, D. (Eds.), 2001b. Database of Potential
Sources for Earthquakes Larger than M 5.5 in Italy. Annali di
Geofisica, Suppl., vol. 44 (4). 180 pp., with CD-ROM.
Vilardo, G., Terranova, C., Bronzino, G., Giordano, S., Ventura, G.,
Alessio, G., Gabriele, M., Mainolfi, R., Pagliuca, E., Veneruso,
M., 2001. SISCam: Sistema Informativo Sismotettonico della
Regione Campania. URL: http://ipf.ov.ingv.it/siscam/.
Westaway, R., 1993. Quaternary uplift of Southern Italy. Journal of
Geophysical Research 98 (B12), 21741– 21772.
study of the Potentino seismic zone in the Southern Apennines,
Italy. Tectonophysics 250, 113–134.
Alessio, G., Gorini, A., Vilardo, G., Iannaccone, G., 1996. Low
energy sequences in areas with seismic potential: Benevento
(Southern Apennines), April 1990. In: Shenk, V. (Ed.), Earth-
G. Vilardo et al. / Tectonophysics 270 363 (2003) 259–271
quake Hazard and Risk. Kluwer Academic Publishing, London,
pp. 3 –16.
Amato, A., Montone, P., 1997. Present-day stress field and active
tectonics in southern peninsular Italy. Geophysical Journal International
130, 519– 534.
Asanuma, H., Ishimoto, M., Jones, R.H., Phillips, W.S., Niitsuma,
H., 2001. A variation of the collapsing method to delineate
structures inside a microseismic cloud. Bulletin of the Seismological
Society of America 91 (1), 154– 160.
Bossu, R., 2000. A simple approach to constrain the position and
the geometry of seismogenic structures: application to Karthala
volcano (Grande Comores Island, Mozambique Channel). Journal
of Seismology 4, 41– 48.
Chiarabba, C., Amato, A., 1997. Upper crustal structure of the
Benevento area (southern Italy): fault heterogeneities and potential
for large earthquakes. Geophysical Journal International
130, 229– 239.
Cinque, A., Patacca, E., Scandone, P., Tozzi, M., 1993. Quaternary
kinematic evolution of the Southern Apennines. Relationship
between surface geological features and deep lithospheric structures.
Annali di Geofisica 36 (2), 249–260.
CPTI Working Group, 1999. Catalogo Parametrico dei Terremoti
Italiani, GNDT-ING-SGA-SSN (Editors), p. 92, printed by Tipografia
Compositori, Bologna July 1999, available also from
http://emidius.itim.mi.cnr.it/CPTI.
Doglioni, C., Harabaglia, P., Martinelli, G., Mongelli, F., Zito, G.,
1996. A geodynamic model of the Southern Apennines accretionary
prism. Terra Nova 8, 540–547.
Federici, P., Di Maro, R., Marchetti, A., Cocco, M., 1992. Analisi
della sismicita` dell’area del Sannio–Matese negli anni 1991–
1992. Proc. 11th Natl. Assembly G.N.G.T.S.-Roma, 389– 404.
Ferranti, L., Oldow, J.S., Sacchi, M., 1996. Pre-Quaternary orogenparallel
extension in the Southern Apennine belt, Italy. Tectonophysics
260, 325–347.
Frepoli, A., Amato, A., 2000. Spatial variation in stresses in peninsular
Italy and Sicily from background seismicity. Tectonophysics
317, 109– 124.
Gasparini, C., Iannaccone, G., Scarpa, R., 1985. Fault-plane solutions
and seismicity of the Italian peninsula. Tectonophysics
117, 59– 78.
Gasperini, P., Bernardini, F., Valensise, G., Boschi, E., 1999. Defining
seismogenic sources from historical earthquake felt reports.
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 89, 94– 110.
Hippolyte, J.C., Angelier, J., Roure, F., 1994. A major geodynamic
change revealed by Quaternary stress patterns in the Southern
Apenninnes (Italy). Tectonophysics 230, 199– 210.
Improta, L., Iannaccone, G., Capuano, P., Zollo, A., Scandone, P.,
2000. Inferences on the upper crustal structure of Southern
Apennines (Italy) from seismic refraction investigations and
subsurface data. Tectonophysics 317, 273–297.
Jones, R.H., Stewart, R.C., 1997. A method for determining significant
structures in a cloud of earthquakes. Journal of Geophysical
Research 102 (4), 8245– 8254.
Mazzotti, A.P., Stucchi, E., Fradelizio, G.L., Zanzi, L., Scandone,
P., 2000. Seismic exploration in complex terrains: a processing
experience in the Southern Apennines. Geophysics 65 (5),
1402– 1417.
Menardi Noguera, A., Rea, G., 2000. Deep structure of the Campanian–
Lucanian Arc (Southern Apennine, Italy). Tectonophysics
324, 239–265.
Milano, G., Digiovambattista, R., Alessio, G., 1999. Earthquake
swarms in the Southern Apennines chain (Italy): 1997 the seismic
sequence in the Sannio– Matese mountains. Tectonophysics
306, 57– 78.
Milano, G., Ventura, G., Digiovambattista, R., 2003. Seismic evidence
of longitudinal extension in Southern Apennine: evidence
from the 1997/98 Sannio– Matese seismic sequence. Geophysical
Research Letters (In press).
Mostardini, F., Merlini, S., 1986. Appennino centro-meridionale:
Sezioni geologiche e proposta di modello strutturale. Paper presented
at 73rd Congresso Soc. Geol. Ital., Rome, 1986.
Oldow, J.S., D’Argenio, B., Ferranti, L., Pappone, G., Marsella,
E., Sacchi, M., 1993. Large-scale longitudinal extension in
the southern Apennines contractional belt, Italy. Geology 21,
1123– 1126.
Oldow, J.S., Ferranti, L., Lewis, D.S., Campbell, J.K., D’Argenio,
B., Catalano, R., Pappone, G., Carmignani, N., Conti, P., Aiken,
C.L.V., 2002. Active fragmentation of Adria, the north
African promontory, central Mediterranean orogen. Geology
30, 779– 782.
Ortolani, F., Pagliuca, S., Pepe, E., Schiattarella, M., Toccaceli,
R.M., 1992. Active tectonics in the Southern Apennines: relationships
between cover geometries and basement structure.
A hypothesis for a geodynamic model. IGCP 276, Siena 5,
413– 419.
Patacca, E., Scandone, P., 1989. Post Tortonian mountain building
in the Apennines. The role of the passive sinking of a relict
lithospheric slab. In: Boriani, A., et al. (Eds.), The Lithosphere
in Italy. Advanced in Earth Science Research. Ital. Nat. Comm.
Int. Lith. Prog., Mid-term Conf. (1987), vol. 80. Atti della Accademia
Lincei, Rome, pp. 157–176.
Sorgi, C., Deffontaines, B., Hippolyte, J.C., Cadet, J.P., 1998. An
integrated analysis of transverse structures in the northern Apennines,
Italy. Geomorphology 25, 193– 206.
Terranova, C., Ventura, G., Vilardo, G., 1999. Il Sistema Informativo
Sismotettonico della Regione Campania. Proceedings 3rd
National Assembly A.S.I.T.A. 2, 1193– 1198.
Valensise, G., Pantosti, D., 2001a. The investigation of potential
earthquake sources in peninsular Italy: a review. Journal of
Seismology 5 (3), 287–306.
Valensise, G., Pantosti, D. (Eds.), 2001b. Database of Potential
Sources for Earthquakes Larger than M 5.5 in Italy. Annali di
Geofisica, Suppl., vol. 44 (4). 180 pp., with CD-ROM.
Vilardo, G., Terranova, C., Bronzino, G., Giordano, S., Ventura, G.,
Alessio, G., Gabriele, M., Mainolfi, R., Pagliuca, E., Veneruso,
M., 2001. SISCam: Sistema Informativo Sismotettonico della
Regione Campania. URL: http://ipf.ov.ingv.it/siscam/.
Westaway, R., 1993. Quaternary uplift of Southern Italy. Journal of
Geophysical Research 98 (B12), 21741– 21772.
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