Fault rupture and aseismic creep accompanying the December 26, 2018, Mw 4.9 Fleri earthquake (Mt. Etna, Italy): Factors affecting the surface faulting in a volcano-tectonic environment

Tringali, Giorgio; Bella, Domenico; Livio, Franz; Ferrario, Maria Francesca; Groppelli, Gianluca; Blumetti, Anna Maria; Manna, Pio Di; Vittori, E.; Guerrieri, Luca; Porfido, Sabina; Boso, Domenico; Pettinato, Rosario; Paradiso, Giuseppe; Michetti, Alessandro Maria

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2021.12.019

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Both the TZF and the MZF generated a multitude of newly formed surface fractures during the eruption, similar to those mapped by [3], which were associated with the magmatic activity of Etna. Some of them were noted for distal vents issuing fluid pahoehoetype lavas and, in some cases, forming hornitos.…”

Section: Structural Analysis Of the Surface Fractures Generated Durin...supporting

confidence: 53%

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Active Faults, Kinematics, and Seismotectonic Evolution during Tajogaite Eruption 2021 (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain)

Rodríguez-Pascua,

Perez-Lopez,

Perucha

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

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During the 2021 La Palma strombolian and fissure eruption, two faults were identified that controlled the spatial distribution of earthquake hypocenters and effusive eruptive vents. One of these faults has a NW-SE trend (Tazacorte Fault: TZF) and the other one shows an ENE-WSW trend (Mazo Fault: MZF). Previous works on fault structural analysis in La Palma indicated that the eruption zone was compatible with an extensional tectonic strain ellipsoid which activated normal-strike-slip directional faults at the confluence of TZF and MZF. These fractures were activated during the 2021 Tajogaite eruption, determining the NW-SE and WSW-ENE spatial distribution of vents. Both faults were mapped in real time during the volcanic eruption from fieldwork and remote sensing imagery (aerial drone images). We have collected more than 300 fracture data associated with the effusive vents and post-eruption seismic creep. Since the affected area was densely inhabited, most of these fractures affect houses and infrastructures. Some of the houses affected by the TZF were damaged 9 months after the eruption, although they were not damaged during the eruption. Surprisingly, these houses already had repairs made to the same fractures since 1980, giving information of previous fault creep movement. During the 2021 Tajogaite eruption, shallow seismicity was spatially related to both faults, suggesting a seismic behavior instead of the precedent creep movement. However, the lack of seismicity after the eruption indicates that the faults went back to creep aseismic behavior, similarly to 1980. The mapping and monitoring of these faults (TZF and MZF) is relevant bearing in mind that they have been active since 1980 and the post-eruptive phase of the 2021 volcanic eruption, which has to be included in the land use planning in areas affected by the volcanic eruption and creep movement. Furthermore, both faults could act as seismogenic sources triggering volcanic earthquakes with potential high macroseismic intensities and mass movements. The data presented here show the importance of having this type of study before the onset of the eruption, thus allowing a better interpretation of seismic data during volcanic unrest.

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Section: Structural Analysis Of the Surface Fractures Generated Durin...supporting

confidence: 53%

“…This fracturing has been acting aseismically (creep), affecting houses and infrastructure. Examples of fracturing in volcanic environments with seismic and aseismic movement appear in the works of [1][2][3][4], on the geodynamics of Etna eruptions and the activation of faults with effects on buildings and infrastructure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Active Faults, Kinematics, and Seismotectonic Evolution during Tajogaite Eruption 2021 (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain)

Rodríguez-Pascua,

Perez-Lopez,

Perucha

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

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“…Sibillini area reports observations collected in about 7000 points [47]. Comparing the interferometric slope map of this area (Figure 4) with the field survey data, we noted a significant increase in the geometric and structural data of coseismic fractures of over 25% in the database [78]. The regional distribution of deformations shown by interferometric maps can be extended many kilometers off the surface ruptures, making an important difference in the evaluation of the empirical all-slip-type relationships between magnitude and surface rupture length/average surface displacement [77].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…The earthquake was accompanied by superficial coseismic ruptures and building damages along the Fiandaca fault, with a deformation zone extending for about 8 km through a complex morphological rural countryside from the Mt. Ilice-Fleri area in the northwest to the Aci Catena-Aci Platani area in the southeast [24,78,79]. After the earthquake, several aftershocks occurred at about 1 km northeast of the northern tip of the Fiandaca Fault, with hypocenters located 1-3 km deep and with focal solutions indicating normal and reverse movements on NE-SW and E-W oriented planes, respectively (http: //sismoweb.ct.ingv.it/index.php (accessed on 4 May 2023)).…”

Section: Mt Etna In Sicilymentioning

confidence: 99%

Sentinel-1 Interferometry and UAV Aerial Survey for Mapping Coseismic Ruptures: Mts. Sibillini vs. Mt. Etna Volcano

et al. 2023

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The survey and structural analysis of surface coseismic ruptures are essential tools for characterizing seismogenic structures. In this work, a procedure to survey coseismic ruptures using satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data, directing the survey using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), is proposed together with a field validation of the results. The Sentinel-1 A/B Interferometric Wide (IW) Swath TOPSAR mode offers the possibility of acquiring images with a short revisit time. This huge amount of open data is extremely useful for geohazards monitoring, such as for earthquakes. Interferograms show the deformation field associated with earthquakes. Phase discontinuities appearing on wrapped interferograms or loss-of-coherence areas could represent small ground displacements associated with the fault’s ruptures. Low-altitude flight platforms such as UAV permit the acquisition of high resolution images and generate 3D spatial geolocalized clouds of data with centimeter-level accuracy. The generated topography maps and orthomosaic images are the direct products of this technology, allowing the possibility of analyzing geological structures from many viewpoints. We present two case studies. The first one is relative to the 2016 central Italian earthquakes, astride which the InSAR outcomes highlighted quite accurately the field displacement of extensional faults in the Mt. Vettore–M. Bove area. Here, the geological effect of the earthquake is represented by more than 35 km of ground ruptures with a complex pattern composed by subparallel and overlapping synthetic and antithetic fault splays. The second case is relative to the Mt. Etna earthquake of 26 December 2018, following which several ground ruptures were detected. The analysis of the unwrapped phase and the application of edge detector filtering and other discontinuity enhancers allowed the identification of a complex pattern of ground ruptures. In the Pennisi and Fiandaca areas different generation of ruptures can be distinguished, while previously unknown ruptures pertaining to the Acireale and Ragalna faults can be identify and analyzed.

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“…With a rupture length of 7.5 km and displacements up to 50 cm in throw and 35 cm in strike (right‐lateral), together with significant extensional components (30–45 cm in heave), the M w 5.0 2018 earthquake was the most significant event in terms of extent and complexity of the surface rupture observed in the Etna region in the past 70 years. The relevance of the phenomenon attracted several research groups who worked simultaneously in the field soon after the earthquake and analyzed the event and its tectonic significance from different perspectives (Monaco et al., 2021; Romagnoli et al., 2021; Tortorici et al., 2021; Tringali et al., 2022). Among these, the EMERGEO Working Group—the emergency INGV team for mapping the geological effects of earthquakes (https://www.ingv.it/emergeo/)—undertook a detailed survey to collect field data and observations before their evidence could be modified or concealed by weathering or man‐made interventions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Faulting of the 26 December 2018, M_w5 Earthquake at Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy): Geological Source Model and Implications for the Seismic Potential of the Fiandaca Fault

et al. 2022

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At Mt. Etna (Italy), volcano‐tectonic earthquakes produce impressive surface faulting despite their moderate magnitude (M < 5.5), with historically well‐documented ruptures featuring end‐to‐end lengths up to 6–7 km. The 26 December 2018, Mw 5.0 earthquake represents the strongest event of the last 70 years, with ground ruptures extending for 7.5 km along the Fiandaca fault, a partially hidden structure in the volcano's eastern flank. Field data collected by the EMERGEO Working Group (INGV) are here integrated with high‐resolution photogrammetric surveys and geological‐morphological observations to enable a detailed structural analysis and to reconstruct the morphotectonic process of fault growth. The deformation zone develops in a transtensional regime and shows a complex pattern, consisting of brittle structures arranged in en‐échelon scale‐invariant overlapping systems. Offsets and kinematics vary along the strike due to a major bend in the fault trace. We reconstructed a prevailing right‐lateral displacement in the northern section of the fault and a dextral oblique slip in the southern one (max 35 cm); the dip‐slip component increases southward (max 50 cm) and overall resembles the along‐strike pattern of the long‐term morphological throw. The kinematic analysis indicates a quasi‐rigid behavior of the two fault blocks and suggests a geological model of rupture propagation that explains both the location of the seismic asperity in the northern section of the Fiandaca fault and the unclamping in the southern one. These findings are used to propose a conceptual model of the fault, representing insights for local fault‐based seismic hazard assessment.

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Fault rupture and aseismic creep accompanying the December 26, 2018, Mw 4.9 Fleri earthquake (Mt. Etna, Italy): Factors affecting the surface faulting in a volcano-tectonic environment

Cited by 9 publications

References 46 publications

Active Faults, Kinematics, and Seismotectonic Evolution during Tajogaite Eruption 2021 (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain)

Active Faults, Kinematics, and Seismotectonic Evolution during Tajogaite Eruption 2021 (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain)

Sentinel-1 Interferometry and UAV Aerial Survey for Mapping Coseismic Ruptures: Mts. Sibillini vs. Mt. Etna Volcano

Surface Faulting of the 26 December 2018, M_w5 Earthquake at Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy): Geological Source Model and Implications for the Seismic Potential of the Fiandaca Fault

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Fault rupture and aseismic creep accompanying the December 26, 2018, Mw 4.9 Fleri earthquake (Mt. Etna, Italy): Factors affecting the surface faulting in a volcano-tectonic environment

Cited by 9 publications

References 46 publications

Active Faults, Kinematics, and Seismotectonic Evolution during Tajogaite Eruption 2021 (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain)

Active Faults, Kinematics, and Seismotectonic Evolution during Tajogaite Eruption 2021 (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain)

Sentinel-1 Interferometry and UAV Aerial Survey for Mapping Coseismic Ruptures: Mts. Sibillini vs. Mt. Etna Volcano

Surface Faulting of the 26 December 2018, Mw5 Earthquake at Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy): Geological Source Model and Implications for the Seismic Potential of the Fiandaca Fault

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Surface Faulting of the 26 December 2018, M_w5 Earthquake at Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy): Geological Source Model and Implications for the Seismic Potential of the Fiandaca Fault