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Multiparametric seafloor exploration: the Marsili Basin and Volcanic Seamount case (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)
Author(s)
Type
Conference paper
Language
English
Obiettivo Specifico
1.8. Osservazioni di geofisica ambientale
3.8. Geofisica per l'ambiente
Editor(s)
Status
Published
Issued date
February 24, 2009
Conference Location
Cambridge, UK, February 24-26, 2009
Abstract
Exploration of ocean seafloor is of paramount importance for a better understanding of the
geodynamic evolution of our Planet. The pilot experiment of ORION-GEOSTAR 3 EC project was the first
long-term continuous geophysical and oceanographic experiment of an important seafloor area of Southern
Tyrrhenian Sea, the Marsili abyssal plain. The latter hosts the Marsili Seamount which is Europe’s one of the
largest underwater volcano of Plio-Pleistocenic age. In spite of its dimensions, it is rather unknown about the
present characteristics and activity. For this reason, we deployed a deep-sea observatory network, composed
by two bottom observatories, on the seafloor at the base of the seamount at 3320 m b.s.l., in the period
December 2003-May 2005. Some of the instruments on board the observatory were: broad-band
seismometers, hydrophones, gravity meter, two magnetometers (scalar and vectorial), 3D single-point
current meter, ADCP, CTD, automatic pH analyser and off-line water sampler for laboratory analyses. The
first successful scientific objective was to obtain long-term continuous recordings under a unique time
reference. The data analysis shows that they are generally of good quality and really continuous (only a few
gaps). As a first step we performed a classification of seismic waveforms, a first inversion of magnetic
variational data, and a first analysis of gravity meter, chemical and oceanographic data. Analysis of
individual time series has shown interesting results, i.e. depth of the magnetic Moho under the Marsili,
attenuation of recorded seismic body waves and clues of hydrothermal circulation. We show examples of the
preliminary data analysis together with first results and comparisons among data coming from different
sensors.
geodynamic evolution of our Planet. The pilot experiment of ORION-GEOSTAR 3 EC project was the first
long-term continuous geophysical and oceanographic experiment of an important seafloor area of Southern
Tyrrhenian Sea, the Marsili abyssal plain. The latter hosts the Marsili Seamount which is Europe’s one of the
largest underwater volcano of Plio-Pleistocenic age. In spite of its dimensions, it is rather unknown about the
present characteristics and activity. For this reason, we deployed a deep-sea observatory network, composed
by two bottom observatories, on the seafloor at the base of the seamount at 3320 m b.s.l., in the period
December 2003-May 2005. Some of the instruments on board the observatory were: broad-band
seismometers, hydrophones, gravity meter, two magnetometers (scalar and vectorial), 3D single-point
current meter, ADCP, CTD, automatic pH analyser and off-line water sampler for laboratory analyses. The
first successful scientific objective was to obtain long-term continuous recordings under a unique time
reference. The data analysis shows that they are generally of good quality and really continuous (only a few
gaps). As a first step we performed a classification of seismic waveforms, a first inversion of magnetic
variational data, and a first analysis of gravity meter, chemical and oceanographic data. Analysis of
individual time series has shown interesting results, i.e. depth of the magnetic Moho under the Marsili,
attenuation of recorded seismic body waves and clues of hydrothermal circulation. We show examples of the
preliminary data analysis together with first results and comparisons among data coming from different
sensors.
References
[1] Favali P. and Beranzoli L. (2006), Seafloor
observatory science: a review, Ann. Geophys., 49
(2/3), 515-567.
[2] Beranzoli L., De Santis A., Etiope G., Favali
P., Frugoni F., Smriglio G., Gasparoni F. and
Marigo A., (1998) GEOSTAR: a Geophysical and
Oceanographic Station for Abyssal Research,
Phys. Earth Plan. Inter., 108 (2), 175-183.
[3] Beranzoli L., Braun T., Calcara M., Calore D.,
Campaci R., Coudeville J..M., De Santis A., Di
Mauro D., Etiope G., Favali P., Frugoni F., Fuda
J.L., Gamberi F., Gasparoni F., Gerber H., Marani
M., Marvaldi J., Millot C., Montuori C., Palangio
P., Romeo G. and Smriglio G., (2000) European
seafloor observatory offers new possibilities for
deep-sea study, EOS, 81 (5), 45-49.
[4] Favali P., Beranzoli L., D'Anna G., Gasparoni
F., Marvaldi J., Clauss G., Gerber H.W., Nicot M.,
Marani M.P., Gamberi F., Millot C. and Flueh
E.R., (2006), A fleet of multiparameter
observatories for geophysical and environmental
monitoring at seafloor, Ann. Geophys., 49 (2/3),
659-680.
[5] Kastens K.A. et al., (1987). In: Proceedings of
the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, Part
A, 107, Ocean Drill Program, College Station,
Tex., 17–22.
[6] Della Vedova B., Bellini S., Pellis G. and
Squarci P. (2001) Deep temperatures and surface
heat flow distribution. In: Anatomy of an orogen,
The Apennines and adjacent Mediterranean
basins, Vai G.B. and Martini I.P. (Eds.), 65-76.
[7] Locardi E. and Nicolich R. (1988)
Geodinamica del Tirreno e dell’Appennino centromeridionale:
la nuova carta della Moho. Mem. Soc.
Geol. It., 41, 121-140.
[8] Marani, M.P., F. Gamberi and E. Bonatti (Eds.)
(2004): From seafloor to deep mantle: architecture
of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin, Mem. Descr.
Carta Geol. d’It., LXIV, pp.195.
[9] Trua, T., Serri G. and Rossi P.L. (2004).
Coexistence of IAB-type and OIB-type magmas in
the southern Tyrrhenian back-arc basin: evidence
from recent seafloor sampling and geodynamic
implications, Mem. Descr. Carta Geol. d’It.,
LXIV, 71-82.
[10] Nicolosi I., Speranza F. and Chiappini M.
(2006), Ultra fast oceanic spreading of the Marsili
Basin, southern Tyrrhenian Sea: Evidence from
magnetic anomaly analysis, Geology, 34 (9), 717-
720.
[11] Marani M.P. and Trua, T. (2002). Thermal
constriction and slab tearing at the origin of a
super-inflated spreading ridge: the Marsili volcano
(Tyrrhenian Sea). J. Geophys. Res., 107, 2188, doi:
10,1029/2001JB000285.
[12] Monna S., Frugoni F., Montuori C., Beranzoli
L. and Favali P. (2005), High quality seismological
recordings from the SN-1 deep seafloor
observatory in the Mt Etna region, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 32, L07303, doi: 10.1029/2004GL021975.
[13] Peterson J. (1993), Observations and
modelling of seismic background noise, USGS
Open File Rep., 93-322, pp.94.
[14] Ciafardini A. (2006) Study of the S-wave
attenuation of Mediterranean earthquakes recorded
by a broad-band seismometer installed in a
seafloor observatory (Marsili Basin, Southern
Tyrrhenian Sea) (thesis in Italian), Chieti
University, 296 pp.
[15] Sgroi T., Beranzoli L., Di Grazia G., Ursino
A. and Favali P. (2007), New observations of local
seismicity by the SN-1 seafloor observatory in the
Ionian Sea, off-shore Eastern Sicily (Italy),
Geophys. J. Int., 169, 490-501.
[16] Vitale S., De Santis A., Di Mauro D.,
Cafarella L., Palangio P., Beranzoli L., Favali P.
(2009), GEOSTAR deep seafloor missions:
magnetic data analysis and 1D geo-electric
structure underneath the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea,
Ann. Geophys. (in press).
[17] De Santis, A., D. Di Mauro, L. Cafarella, R.
D’Anna, L.R. Gaya-Piquè, P. Palangio, G. Romeo
and R. Tozzi (2006a), Deep seafloor magnetic
observations under GEOSTAR project, Ann.
Geophys, 49 (2/3), 681-693.
[18] De Santis, A., D. Di Mauro, L. Cafarella, P.
Palangio, L. Beranzoli, P. Favali, and S. Vitale
(2006b): Extending magnetic observations to
seafloor: the case of GEOSTAR and ORION
missions in the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas,
Publs. Inst. Geophys. Pol. Acad. Sc., C-99, 398,
114-122.
observatory science: a review, Ann. Geophys., 49
(2/3), 515-567.
[2] Beranzoli L., De Santis A., Etiope G., Favali
P., Frugoni F., Smriglio G., Gasparoni F. and
Marigo A., (1998) GEOSTAR: a Geophysical and
Oceanographic Station for Abyssal Research,
Phys. Earth Plan. Inter., 108 (2), 175-183.
[3] Beranzoli L., Braun T., Calcara M., Calore D.,
Campaci R., Coudeville J..M., De Santis A., Di
Mauro D., Etiope G., Favali P., Frugoni F., Fuda
J.L., Gamberi F., Gasparoni F., Gerber H., Marani
M., Marvaldi J., Millot C., Montuori C., Palangio
P., Romeo G. and Smriglio G., (2000) European
seafloor observatory offers new possibilities for
deep-sea study, EOS, 81 (5), 45-49.
[4] Favali P., Beranzoli L., D'Anna G., Gasparoni
F., Marvaldi J., Clauss G., Gerber H.W., Nicot M.,
Marani M.P., Gamberi F., Millot C. and Flueh
E.R., (2006), A fleet of multiparameter
observatories for geophysical and environmental
monitoring at seafloor, Ann. Geophys., 49 (2/3),
659-680.
[5] Kastens K.A. et al., (1987). In: Proceedings of
the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, Part
A, 107, Ocean Drill Program, College Station,
Tex., 17–22.
[6] Della Vedova B., Bellini S., Pellis G. and
Squarci P. (2001) Deep temperatures and surface
heat flow distribution. In: Anatomy of an orogen,
The Apennines and adjacent Mediterranean
basins, Vai G.B. and Martini I.P. (Eds.), 65-76.
[7] Locardi E. and Nicolich R. (1988)
Geodinamica del Tirreno e dell’Appennino centromeridionale:
la nuova carta della Moho. Mem. Soc.
Geol. It., 41, 121-140.
[8] Marani, M.P., F. Gamberi and E. Bonatti (Eds.)
(2004): From seafloor to deep mantle: architecture
of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin, Mem. Descr.
Carta Geol. d’It., LXIV, pp.195.
[9] Trua, T., Serri G. and Rossi P.L. (2004).
Coexistence of IAB-type and OIB-type magmas in
the southern Tyrrhenian back-arc basin: evidence
from recent seafloor sampling and geodynamic
implications, Mem. Descr. Carta Geol. d’It.,
LXIV, 71-82.
[10] Nicolosi I., Speranza F. and Chiappini M.
(2006), Ultra fast oceanic spreading of the Marsili
Basin, southern Tyrrhenian Sea: Evidence from
magnetic anomaly analysis, Geology, 34 (9), 717-
720.
[11] Marani M.P. and Trua, T. (2002). Thermal
constriction and slab tearing at the origin of a
super-inflated spreading ridge: the Marsili volcano
(Tyrrhenian Sea). J. Geophys. Res., 107, 2188, doi:
10,1029/2001JB000285.
[12] Monna S., Frugoni F., Montuori C., Beranzoli
L. and Favali P. (2005), High quality seismological
recordings from the SN-1 deep seafloor
observatory in the Mt Etna region, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 32, L07303, doi: 10.1029/2004GL021975.
[13] Peterson J. (1993), Observations and
modelling of seismic background noise, USGS
Open File Rep., 93-322, pp.94.
[14] Ciafardini A. (2006) Study of the S-wave
attenuation of Mediterranean earthquakes recorded
by a broad-band seismometer installed in a
seafloor observatory (Marsili Basin, Southern
Tyrrhenian Sea) (thesis in Italian), Chieti
University, 296 pp.
[15] Sgroi T., Beranzoli L., Di Grazia G., Ursino
A. and Favali P. (2007), New observations of local
seismicity by the SN-1 seafloor observatory in the
Ionian Sea, off-shore Eastern Sicily (Italy),
Geophys. J. Int., 169, 490-501.
[16] Vitale S., De Santis A., Di Mauro D.,
Cafarella L., Palangio P., Beranzoli L., Favali P.
(2009), GEOSTAR deep seafloor missions:
magnetic data analysis and 1D geo-electric
structure underneath the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea,
Ann. Geophys. (in press).
[17] De Santis, A., D. Di Mauro, L. Cafarella, R.
D’Anna, L.R. Gaya-Piquè, P. Palangio, G. Romeo
and R. Tozzi (2006a), Deep seafloor magnetic
observations under GEOSTAR project, Ann.
Geophys, 49 (2/3), 681-693.
[18] De Santis, A., D. Di Mauro, L. Cafarella, P.
Palangio, L. Beranzoli, P. Favali, and S. Vitale
(2006b): Extending magnetic observations to
seafloor: the case of GEOSTAR and ORION
missions in the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas,
Publs. Inst. Geophys. Pol. Acad. Sc., C-99, 398,
114-122.
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