Seismic potential of Southern Italy

Jenny, S.; Goes, Saskia; Giardini, Domenico; Kahle, H.‐G.

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2005.12.003

Cited by 68 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…9a) suggests that this fault system corresponds to a pre-existing reverse fault that has been recently re-activated as a transtensional structure similarly to the STEP fault system to the SW. Normal faulting is present in the very shallow sediments: the seafloor shows topographic breaks and scarps, while seismic reflectors show extensional deformation down to 3 km b.s.f. This is in agreement with the directions of maximum and minimum horizontal contractional strain rates reported by Jenny et al (2006) and shown in Fig. 10.…”

Section: The Deformation Zone Between the Two Lobes In The Messina Stsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…2 and 3). This thrust fault is in agreement with the directions of maximum and minimum horizontal contractional strain rates reported by Jenny et al (2006).…”

Section: Splay Fault Systemsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Radius of the circles is proportional to estimated magnitude (from 1.2 to 5.9), while colours represent depth intervals (from 0 to 50 km; black > 50 km). The directions of maximum and minimum horizontal contractional strain rates described by Jenny et al (2006) are represented in three key sites of the western CA (black and white arrows): they are in agreement with the proposed seismogenic fault systems.…”

Section: Submarine Seismogenic Faults and Their Geodynamic Significancesupporting

confidence: 73%

“…The CA subduction complex, in fact, is part of the most active seismic belt of the central Mediterranean region; it faces the highly populated regions of southern Italy, which were struck repeatedly by large magnitude earthquakes in the recent past (Bottari et al, 1989;Jacques et al, 2001;Galli and Bosi, 2003;Gutscher et al, 2006;Jenny et al, 2006), often associated with destructive tsunamis (Piatanesi and Tinti, 1998;Tinti et al, 2004). For several major earthquakes in the region, like the 1908 (Mulargia and Boschi, 1983;Bottari et al, 1986;Capuano et al, 1988;De Natale and Pingue, 1991;Amoruso et al, 2002;Pino et al, 2009) and 1693 (Bianca et al, 1999;Sirovich and Pettenati, 1999;Monaco and Tortorici, 2000;Gutscher et al, 2006), it has Polonia et al (2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Active faults and historical earthquakes in the Messina Straits area (Ionian Sea)

Polonia

Torelli

Gasperini

et al. 2012

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The Calabrian Arc (CA) subduction complex is located at the toe of the Eurasian Plate in the Ionian Sea, where sediments resting on the lower plate have been scraped off and piled up in the accretionary wedge due to the African/Eurasian plate convergence and back arc extension. The CA has been struck repeatedly by destructive historical earthquakes, but knowledge of active faults and source parameters is relatively poor, particularly for seismogenic structures extending offshore. We analysed the fine structure of major tectonic features likely to have been sources of past earthquakes: (i) the NNW-SSE trending Malta STEP (Slab Transfer Edge Propagator) fault system, representing a lateral tear of the subduction system; (ii) the out-of-sequence thrusts (splay faults) at the rear of the salt-bearing Messinian accretionary wedge; and (iii) the Messina Straits fault system, part of the wide deformation zone separating the western and eastern lobes of the accretionary wedge.Our findings have implications for seismic hazard in southern Italy, as we compile an inventory of first order active faults that may have produced past seismic events such as the 1908, 1693 and 1169 earthquakes. These faults are likely to be source regions for future large magnitude events as they are long, deep and bound sectors of the margin characterized by different deformation and coupling rates on the plate interface.

show abstract

Section: The Deformation Zone Between the Two Lobes In The Messina Stsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…2 and 3). This thrust fault is in agreement with the directions of maximum and minimum horizontal contractional strain rates reported by Jenny et al (2006).…”

Section: Splay Fault Systemsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Submarine Seismogenic Faults and Their Geodynamic Significancesupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Active faults and historical earthquakes in the Messina Straits area (Ionian Sea)

Polonia

Torelli

Gasperini

et al. 2012

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Structural analysis and seismological and deformation (VLBI and GPS) data show a regional extensional ESE-WNW trend which is coupled with a strong 1.5-2 mm/yr uplift of the whole Calabrian arc region (Monaco et al, 1996;Tortorici et al, 2003;D'Agostino and Selvaggi, 2004;Jenny et al, 2006). One of the main tectonic features is the belt of normal faults running for more than 350 km along the Apennines chain and extending from Calabria to Sicily, which is formed by distinct fault segments with maximum length of about 40-50 km that are responsible for the major earthquakes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A revision of the 1783–1784 Calabrian (southern Italy) tsunamis

Graziani

Maramai

Tinti

2006

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Southern Italy is one of the most tsunamigenic areas in the Mediterranean basin, having experienced during centuries a large number of tsunamis, some of which very destructive. In particular, the most exposed zone here is the Messina Straits separating the coasts of Calabria and Sicily that was the theatre of the strongest Italian events. In 1783–1785 Calabria was shaken by the most violent and persistent seismic crisis occurred in the last 2000 years. Five very strong earthquakes, followed by tsunamis, occurred in a short interval of time (February–March 1783), causing destruction and a lot of victims in a vast region embracing the whole southern Calabria and the Messina area, Sicily. In this study we re-examined these events by taking into account all available historical sources. In particular, we focussed on the 5 and 6 February 1783 tsunamis, that were the most destructive. As regards the 5 February event, we found that it was underestimated and erroneously considered a minor event. On the contrary, the analysis of the sources revealed that in some localities the tsunami effects were quite strong. The 6 February tsunami, the strongest one of the sequence, was due to a huge earthquake-induced rockfall and killed more than 1500 people in the Calabrian village of Scilla. For this event the inundated area and the runup values distribution were estimated. Further, the analysis of the historical sources allowed us to find three new tsunamis that passed previously unnoticed and that occurred during this seismic period. The first one occurred a few hours before the large earthquake of 5 February 1783. The second was generated by a rockfall on 24 March 1783. Finally, the third occurred on 9 January 1784, probably due to a submarine earthquake.

show abstract

Tectonic expression of an active slab tear from high‐resolution seismic and bathymetric data offshore Sicily (Ionian Sea)

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

International audienceSubduction of a narrow slab of oceanic lithosphere beneath a tightly curved orogenic arc requires the presence of at least one lithospheric scale tear fault. While the Calabrian subduction beneath southern Italy is considered to be the type example of this geodynamic setting, the geometry, kinematics and surface expression of the associated lateral, slab tear fault offshore eastern Sicily remain controversial. Results from a new marine geophysical survey conducted in the Ionian Sea, using high-resolution bathymetry and seismic profiling reveal active faulting at the seafloor within a 140 km long, two-branched fault system near Alfeo Seamount. The previously unidentified 60 km long NW trending North Alfeo Fault system shows primarily strike-slip kinematics as indicated by the morphology and steep-dipping transpressional and transtensional faults. Available earthquake focal mechanisms indicate dextral strike-slip motion along this fault segment. The 80 km long SSE trending South Alfeo fault system is expressed by one or two steeply dipping normal faults, bounding the western side of a 500+ m thick, 5 km wide, elongate, syntectonic Plio-Quaternary sedimentary basin. Both branches of the fault system are mechanically capable of generating magnitude 6–7 earthquakes like those that struck eastern Sicily in 1169, 1542, and 1693

show abstract

Seismic potential of Southern Italy

Cited by 68 publications

References 64 publications

Active faults and historical earthquakes in the Messina Straits area (Ionian Sea)

Active faults and historical earthquakes in the Messina Straits area (Ionian Sea)

A revision of the 1783–1784 Calabrian (southern Italy) tsunamis

Tectonic expression of an active slab tear from high‐resolution seismic and bathymetric data offshore Sicily (Ionian Sea)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About