Minimum 1D Vp and Vp/Vs Models and Hypocentral Determinations in the Central Mediterranean Area

Abstract

Minimum 1D velocity models and station corrections have been computed for the central Mediterranean area using two main data sets. The first one consists of accurate first arrival‐time readings from 103 seismic events with magnitude (ML)≥3.5 recorded by the Italian National Seismic Network (RSN) and the AlpArray Seismic Network (AASN) in the period 2014–2021. Earthquakes were selected on the basis of their spatial distribution, epicentral distance to the nearest seismic station, and maximum distance traveled by Pn and Sn phases. This fine selection of high‐quality data combined with the spatial density of the AlpArray seismic stations was decisive in obtaining high resolution for upper mantle velocity, especially in the Alpine belt. To obtain a denser coverage of crustal rays, we extended the first data set with P and S arrivals of local earthquakes from Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) bulletin data (2016–2018). A total of 75,807 seismic phases (47,183 P phases and 28,264 S phases) have been inverted to calculate best‐fit 1D velocity models, at regional and local scales. We then test the performance of the optimized velocity models by relocating the last four years of seismicity recorded by INGV (period 2017–2020). The computed velocity models are very effective for routine earthquake location, seismic monitoring, source parameter modeling, and future 3D seismic tomography.