The Role of Adria Plate Lithospheric Structures on the Recent Dynamics of the Central Mediterranean Region

Bue, Rosalia Lo; Faccenda, Manuele; Yang, Jianyi

doi:10.1029/2021jb022377

Cited by 10 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 119 publications

(271 reference statements)

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“…The P ‐wave anisotropic structure agrees well with geodynamic models of the region (e.g., Lo Bue et al., 2021 ), according to which the anisotropic patterns can be interpreted with sub‐vertical flows generated by subduction and the presence of horizontal flows of asthenospheric material around the main slabs related to the pressure exerted by their Mid‐to‐Late Cenozoic horizontal motion. This is true especially in the Central‐Eastern Alpine and Calabrian arcs where the fast azimuths preferentially orient trench‐parallel.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…At depths greater than 400 km further differences between the fast anomalies in the two models are found in the western part of the study region (Figure S11 in Supporting Information S1 ). As demonstrated by previous studies (e.g., Faccenna et al., 2001 ; Lo Bue et al., 2021 ) this area, at these depths, is mainly influenced by the presence of the stagnating Ionian slab lying beneath the Central Mediterranean basin as in model ani‐NEWTON21 and not beneath Southern France and Northern Spain as in model iso‐NEWTON21 where such fast anomalies appear to be artifacts due to having neglected the seismic anisotropy. The fact that fast anomalies appear to be mildly affected by including anisotropy can be explained with the strong temperature difference (up to 1000°C) likely existing between the slab cold core and the surround hot mantle.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…This mechanism was reproduced numerically by Lo Bue et al. ( 2021 ) who showed that the presence of structural heterogeneities within the Adria plate may have played a role on the formation of the slab window below the Central Apennines.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

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Slab Geometry and Upper Mantle Flow Patterns in the Central Mediterranean From 3D Anisotropic P‐Wave Tomography

et al. 2022

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The Central Mediterranean region is an active plate margin characterized by the presence of both oceanic and continental lithosphere. The recent tectonic history is marked by intense seismic and volcanic activity triggered by episodes of continental collision and slab rollback leading to the formation of mountain ranges and extensional basins (Faccenna et al., 2014). Our understanding of the structural heterogeneity and tectonic complexity of this region requires accurate imaging of the subsurface. For this reason, since the late 1990s numerous seismological studies have been carried out to constrain upper mantle structure beneath the Mediterranean region (e.g.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

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Slab Geometry and Upper Mantle Flow Patterns in the Central Mediterranean From 3D Anisotropic P‐Wave Tomography

et al. 2022

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“…In order to test the limitations of the tomographic and numerical modeling methods, a promising approach is combining micro-and macro-scale geodynamic modeling simulations of mantle flow to predict mantle isotropic and anisotropic structures and then perform seismological synthetics (Faccenda andCapitanio, 2012, 2013;Hu et al, 2017;Confal et al, 2018;Zhou et al, 2018;Lo Bue et al, 2021). We decided to apply this combined methodology to the Central-Western Mediterranean (CWM) region (Supplementary Figure S1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We first extend the modeling methodology of Lo Bue et al (2021) to create a geodynamic model that resemble observed slabs morphology and anisotropic mantle fabrics of the CWM. The geodynamic model is then exploited as synthetic case study to test the capabilities and limitations of P-waves isotropic and anisotropic inversions in recovering complex geological scenarios using the methodology of VanderBeek and Faccenda (2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tomographic Image Interpretation and Central-Western Mediterranean-Like Upper Mantle Dynamics From Coupled Seismological and Geodynamic Modeling Approach

et al. 2022

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The Central-Western Mediterranean (CWM) is one of the most complex tectonic setting on Earth. Episodes of slab rollback, break-off and tearing, the opening of back-arc extensional basins (i.e., Liguro-Provencal, Alborean, Algerian and Tyrrhenian basins), the presence of large mountain ranges, active volcanoes and violent earthquakes have made the Mediterranean an ideal environment to study a wide range of geodynamic processes and an important target for seismological studies (e.g, seismic tomography). Here we build a geodynamic model which, although it does not reproduce its exact tectonic structure (e.g., due to the limits of the numerical method, approximations in the initial setup, etc), presents multiple and geometrically complex subduction systems analogous to those found in the CWM. The tectonic evolution of this model is estimated with petrological-thermo-mechanical 3D simulations, then, we dynamically compute the upper mantle fabrics and seismic anisotropy as a function of the strain history and local P-T conditions. After comparing the model with SKS splitting observations in order to quantify the discrepancies with the true Central-Western Mediterranean, we use the elastic tensors predicted for the modeled configuration to perform 3D P-wave anisotropic tomography by inverting synthetic P-wave delay times. Using the geodynamic model as reference, we evaluate the capabilities of a recently developed seismic tomography technique to recover the isotropic anomalies and anisotropy patterns related to a complex subduction environment in different conditions, such as poor data coverage and bad data quality. We observe that, although P-wave tomography still remains a powerful tool to investigate the upper mantle, the reliability of the retrieved structures strongly depends on data quality and data density. Furthermore, the recovered anisotropic patterns are consistent with those of the target model, but in general an underestimation of the anisotropy magnitude in the upper mantle is observed. In the light of future developments, our study suggests that by combining micro- and macro-scale geodynamic simulations and seismological modeling of seismic anisotropy it will be possible to reproduce, at least to a first order, the tectonic evolution of real study regions (e.g., the Mediterranean) thus providing fundamental constraints on the processes that have contributed in shaping their current geological scenario.

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Earthquake Characteristics and Structural Properties of the Southern Tyrrhenian Basin from Full Seismic Wave Simulations

et al. 2023

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Modelling the response of seismic wavefields to sharp lateral variations in crustal discontinuities is essential for seismic tomography application and path effects correction in earthquake source characterization. This is particularly relevant when wavefields cross back-arc oceanic basins, i.e. mixed continental-oceanic settings. High-frequency (>0.05 Hz) seismic waves resonate and get absorbed across these settings due to a shallow Moho, crustal heterogeneities, and energy leakage. Here, we provide the first high-frequency wave-equation model of full seismograms propagating through realistic 3D back-arc basins. Inversion by parameters trial based on correlation analyses identifies P-, S- and coda-wave as attributes able to estimate jointly 3D Moho variations, sediment thickness, and earthquake source characteristics using data from a single regional earthquake. We use as data waveforms produced by the Accumoli earthquake (Central Italy, 2016), propagating across the Southern Tyrrhenian basin and recorded across Southern Italy. The best model comprises a deep Moho ($$\sim$$ ∼ 18 km) in the middle of the basin and a crustal pinch with the continental crust in Sicily. The deep Moho corresponds to the Issel Bridge, a portion of continental crust trapped between the Vavilov and Marsili volcanic centres. The Accumoli earthquake is optimally described at a depth of 7.3 km using a boxcar with rise time of 6 s. Our results show that the early S-wave coda comprises trapped and reverberating phases sensitive to crustal interfaces. Forward modelling these waves is computationally expensive; however, adding these attributes to tomographic procedures allows modelling both source and structural parameters across oceanic basins.

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The Role of Adria Plate Lithospheric Structures on the Recent Dynamics of the Central Mediterranean Region

Cited by 10 publications

References 119 publications

Slab Geometry and Upper Mantle Flow Patterns in the Central Mediterranean From 3D Anisotropic P‐Wave Tomography

Slab Geometry and Upper Mantle Flow Patterns in the Central Mediterranean From 3D Anisotropic P‐Wave Tomography

Tomographic Image Interpretation and Central-Western Mediterranean-Like Upper Mantle Dynamics From Coupled Seismological and Geodynamic Modeling Approach

Earthquake Characteristics and Structural Properties of the Southern Tyrrhenian Basin from Full Seismic Wave Simulations

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