Central Apennines and its earthquakes: from sedimentology and active tectonics to seismic microzonation studies

Abstract

The Central Apennines represents a wonderful record of a still active complex stratigraphic and structural history, as testified by recent earthquakes (L'Aquila 2009, Mw 6.1; Amatrice-Norcia 2016, Mw 6.5). Normal faults activity contributed to the formation of tectonic basins that hosted continental deposits, which recorded the long term traces at surface of large earthquakes. Moreover local seismic amplification has been observed, as result of peculiar geological and structural conditions. The field trip will illustrate examples of earthquake-induced effects due to the recent seismic sequence, in relation to the local stratigraphic and structural setting. The main steps of the geological evolution of Central Apennines, from Jurassic up to the Present, will be investigated which will help define contrasting responses to earthquakes between the cover terrains and the seismic bedrock. Evidences for regional uplift and active faulting, which interplayed with Quaternary climatic changes to feed the mountain chain into its present shape will be illustrated. The effects of recent earthquakes on towns and villages will be described considering the contributon of sediments characterization and the results of the recent advanced seismic microzonation studies.