Ground deformation and gravity changes accompanying the 1982 Pozzuoli uplift

During the summer of 1982 a continuous uplift began at Phlegraean Fields, an active volcanic area in southern Italy (Fig. 1), that persisted up to September 1984. The uplift, which reached a maximum value of about 160 cm in the central part of the Phlegraean caldera, was characterized by variable velocity and occurred within an area that extended about 7 km outward from the town of Pozzuoli (Fig. 1); the surface deformation performs a bell-shape pattern.The uplift was accompanied by horizontal displacements and gravity changes that closely correlate with the described elevation changes.The horizontal displacements displayed an anomalous pattern within a narrow belt about 1 km from the center of the uplift and approximately coincident with the area of maximum seismic activity. The change in gravity is attributed primarily to a free-air effect to which a small Bouguer effect must be added.Several models have been invoked in order to explain the observed phenomenon. The one which gives the best fit to the observed data is an increasing pressure source of radial simmetry, at a constant depth of about 3 km beneath the town of Pozzuoli, and having a diameter of several hundred meters. Migration of magma at depth is believed to be responsible for the observed activity in the Phlegraean Fields caldera.     

Inflation and microearthquake activity of phlegraean fields,Italy

The Phlegraean Fields are a densely inhabited volcanic area which includes part of the city of Napoli. During the past 2,000 years it has been subject to slow vertical movements (bradyseisms). A rapid uplift was observed in early 1970, which caused alarm in the population. Ground deformation started to be monitored by means of tide gauge observations and topographic levelling, making it possible to define the area interested in the phenomenon and to outline the pattern of deformation. Vertical deformation data are well fitted by radially symmetric sources, such as the Mogi’s model, while horizontal deformation data are best fitted by a linear source model. Contemporaneously, a tight seismic network was installed in the area. The frequency of seismic events and the released energies have shown that the seismicity of the volcanic area is very low. Seismic activity evolved both with regard to the relative occurrence rate of various kinds of shock and to the distribution of epicentres. The values of the Ishimoto-Iida coefficient, calculated for three kinds of shock, show that the focal medium is very heterogeneous down to a depth of a few kilometres. Observations suggest that the origin of the ground uplift can be attributed to the intrusion of magmatic masses. This hypothesis is coherent with data and is supported by structural information. Available data allow a rough estimation of the maximum magnitude possible for an earthquake with epicenter in the Phlegraean Fields.     

Entablature: fracture types and mechanisms

Stratigraphic and morphostructural analyses have been carried out in the Mt. Etna volcanic region (eastern Sicily) to investigate in detail the deformation events that have affected the sedimentary successions forming the substratum of the volcano. In the foredeep, Quaternary submarine sedimentation ended 600 ka ago when the whole area emerged in response to homogeneous regional uplift. The irregular distribution of a stratigraphic marker, recognized through the analysis of more than 250 borehole logs, suggests that local dynamics also affected the area. We identify both compressional tectonic dynamics and volcano-related tectonic activity, and discriminate among their associated deformations. In particular, we quantify the vertical deformation component of the compressional structures (thrusts and related folds) and recognize for the first time a vertical component of deformation whose pattern clearly indicates a doming process acting at Mt. Etna. The comparison between long-term and short-term rates suggests that the doming has acted consistently over space and time through the last 600 ka and provides clues to the source of uplift. This component, defined by a specific Quaternary sedimentary horizon, has been compared with vertical deformation obtained by analytical inversion of morphological substratum data, and localizes the source at a depth of ～16 km, at the mantle-crust transition. This uplift may be the consequence of hydration occurring in the altered ocean-like crust.     

Slope instability induced by volcano-tectonics as an additional source of hazard in active volcanic areas: the case of Ischia island (Italy)

Ischia is an active volcanic island in the Gulf of Naples whose history has been dominated by a caldera-forming eruption (ca. 55 ka) and resurgence phenomena that have affected the caldera floor and generated a net uplift of about 900 m since 33 ka. The results of new geomorphological, stratigraphical and textural investigations of the products of gravitational movements triggered by volcano-tectonic events have been combined with the information arising from a reinterpretation of historical chronicles on natural phenomena such as earthquakes, ground deformation, gravitational movements and volcanic eruptions. The combined interpretation of all these data shows that gravitational movements, coeval to volcanic activity and uplift events related to the long-lasting resurgence, have affected the highly fractured marginal portions of the most uplifted Mt. Epomeo blocks. Such movements, mostly occurring since 3 ka, include debris avalanches; large debris flows (lahars); smaller mass movements (rock falls, slumps, debris and rock slides, and small debris flows); and deep-seated gravitational slope deformation. The occurrence of submarine deposits linked with subaerial deposits of the most voluminous mass movements clearly shows that the debris avalanches impacted on the sea. The obtained results corroborate the hypothesis that the behaviour of the Ischia volcano is based on an intimate interplay among magmatism, resurgence dynamics, fault generation, seismicity, slope oversteepening and instability, and eruptions. They also highlight that volcano-tectonically triggered mass movements are a potentially hazardous phenomena that have to be taken into account in any attempt to assess volcanic and related hazards at Ischia. Furthermore, the largest mass movements could also flow into the sea, generating tsunami waves that could impact on the island’s coast as well as on the neighbouring and densely inhabited coast of the Neapolitan area.     

Evaluating fracture patterns within a resurgent caldera: Campi Flegrei, Italy

Understanding deformation of active calderas allows their dynamics to be defined and their hazard mitigated. The Campi Flegrei resurgent caldera (Italy) is one of the most active and hazardous volcanoes in the world, characterized by post-collapse resurgence, eruptions, ground deformation, and seismicity. An original structural analysis provides an overview of the main fracture zones. NW-SE and NE-SW fractures (normal or transtensive faults and extensional fractures) predominate along the rim and within the caldera, suggesting a regional control, both during and after the collapses. While the NE-SW fractures are ubiquitous in the deposits of the last ∼37 ka, NW-SE fractures predominate in the last 4.5 ka, during resurgence. The most recently (<4.5 ka) strained area lies in the caldera center (Solfatara area), where the faults, with an overall ∼ENE-WSW extension direction, appear to be associated with the bending due to resurgence. Solfatara lies immediately to the east of the most uplifted part of the caldera (Pozzuoli area), where domes form and culminate both on the long-term (resurgence, accompanied by volcanic activity) and short-term deformation (1982–1984 bradyseism, accompanied by seismic and hydrothermal activity). Similar volcano-tectonic behavior characterizes the short- and long-term uplifts, and only the intensity of the tectonic and volcanic activity varies, being related to varying amounts of uplift. Seismicity and hydrothermal manifestations occur during the bradyseisms, with moderate uplift, while surface faulting and eruptions occur during resurgence, with higher uplift. The features observed at Campi Flegrei are found at other major calderas, suggesting consistent behavior of large magmatic systems.     

Unrest episodes at Campi Flegrei: A reconstruction of vertical ground movements during 1905–2009

Geodetic observations at Campi Flegrei caldera were initiated in 1905. Historical observations and the few measurements made before 1970 suggested a deflationary trend. Since 1969, the ground started to inflate during two major uplift episodes in 1969–72 and 1982–1985. We collected and reanalyzed all available punctual observations of vertical ground displacement taken in the period 1905–2009 with special attention to the period before 1969, to reconstruct in greater detail the deformation history of the caldera. We make use of the many photographs of the sea level in a roman ruin (the Serapeum Market) taken during the period between 1905 and 1969 to infer with more accuracy its relative height with respect to the sea level. We identify a previously disregarded major episode of ground uplift occurred between 1950 and 1952 with a maximum uplift of about 73 cm. This finding suggests that Campi Flegrei is currently experiencing a prolonged period of unrest longer than previously thought. The higher seismicity associated with the later episodes of unrest suggests that the volcano has approached an instability threshold, which may eventually result in a volcanic eruption.     

Volcanic hazard at Vesuvius: An analysis for the revision of the current emergency plan

Mt Somma-Vesuvius is a composite volcano on the southern margin of the Campanian Plain which has been active since 39 ka BP and which poses a hazard and risk for the people living around its base. The volcano last erupted in 1944, and since this date has been in repose. As the level of volcanic risk perception is very high in the scientific community, in 1995 a hazard and risk evaluation, and evacuation plan, was published by the Italian Department of Civil Protection (Dipartimento della Protezione Civile). The plan considered the response to a worst-case scenario, taken to be a subplinian eruption on the scale of the 1631 AD eruption, and based on a volcanological reconstruction of this eruption, assumes that a future eruption will be preceded by about two weeks of ground uplift at the volcano's summit, and about one week of locally perceptible seismic activity. Moreover, by analogy with the 1631 events, the plan assumes that ash fall and pyroclastic flow should be recognized as the primary volcanic hazard. To design the response to this subplinian eruption, the emergency plan divided the Somma-Vesuvius region into three hazard zones affected by pyroclastic flows (Red Zone), tephra fall (Yellow and Green Zone), and floods (Blue Zone). The plan at present is the subject of much controversy, and, in our opinion, several assumptions need to be modified according to the following arguments: a) For the precursory unrest problem, recent scientific studies show that at present neither forecast capability is realistic, so that the assumption that a future eruption will be preceded by about two weeks of forecasts need to be modified; b) Regarding the exposure of the Vesuvius region to flow phenomena, the Red Zone presents much inconsistency near the outer border as it has been defined by the administrative limits of the eighteen municipality area lying on the volcano. As this outer limit shows no uniformity, a pressing need exists to define appropriately the flow hazard zone, since there are some important public structures not considered in the current Red Zone that could be exposed to flow risk; c) Modern wind records clearly indicate that at the time of a future eruption winds could blow not only from the west, but also from the east, so that the Yellow Zone (the area with the potential to be affected by significant tephra fall deposits) must be redefined. As a result the relationship between the Yellow Zone and Green Zone (the area within and beyond which the impact of tephra fall is expected to be insignificant) must be reconsidered mainly in the Naples area; d) The May 1998 landslide, caused in the Apennine region east of the volcano by continuous rain fall, led to the definition of a zone affected by re-mobilisation of tephra (Blue Zone), confined in the Nola valley. However, as described in the 1631 chronicles of the eruption, if generation of debris flows occurs during and after a future eruption, a much wider region east of the Somma-Vesuvius must be affected by events of this type.     

Terrestrial heat and volcanism

Summary Although active volcanic territories are not characterised by extreme high heat flow, yet terrestrial heat is one of the main, if not hte first cause of volcanic activities. About 94 per cent of the known active volcanoes are in connection with orogenic zones including ocean ridges, which mean that processes responsible for the evolution of the continents cause the overwhelming majority of volcanism.There stages of the evolution of the continental crust can be distinguished: 1.) Growth of the continental cores by differentiation, 2.) Existence of peripheral growing zones around the first core, 3.) Intergrowth of the existing continents.Volcanism, as well as seismicity are manifestations of the evolution of the crust which is caused by the development of heat sources in the mantle. The heat partly melt the upper mantle and induce slow plastic flow in connection of differentiation. The space, left empty by continental uplift is filled by the slow plastic inflow of mantle from the ocean. This slow redistribution of mantle and curstal rocks disturbs the stress field, the rocks fail along the strained zones and zones of fractures appear sometimes with volcanic activity.     

A fluid-filled fracture as possible mechanism of ground deformation at Phlegraean Fields,Italy

Two uplift episodes have recently been recorded at Phlegraean Fields, a volcanic region near Naples (south-central Italy). The first episode occurred in 1970 and lasted up to 1972; the second has begun at the end of 1982 and is still in progress.An attempt to model the ground deformations which occurred during the 1970–1972 event is made in this paper. The source has been assumed to be a two-dimensional fluid-filled fracture, similar to a sill. A good fit with experimental data has been obtained for a short (1–2 km long) shallow (3 km deep) source and a driving pressure ranging from 60 to 210 bars. Rigidity values have been fixed at 3.5–4.0 × 10¹⁰ c.g.s., with Poisson ratio equal to 0.3.This solution which differs from previous approaches byMogi (1958) andWalsh andDecker (1971) is non-unique, but the present results are in good agreement with observed horizontal and vertical displacements. Notwithstanding the oversimplification made in assuming a homogeneous elastic semi-infinite medium, the predicted stress field seems to be in agreement with the fault-plane solutions and the pattern of epicenters determined for the uplift-seismic swarm episode that is still in progress.     

Ground deformation measurements in active volcanic areas using tide gauges

A new method of tide gauge data analysis is described for detecting ground deformation in active volcanic areas. This method was tested in the Phlegraean Fields, an active volcanic area near Naples where, in 1970 after a large ground uplift, a dense tide-gauge network was installed. The results of the tide-gauge analysis were checked with levelling data, and a good agreement between the data sets has been found. The observational continuity of the tide-gauge network gave the time evolution of the ground deformation and showed short time oscillations. The good results obtained at the Phlegraean Fields using the tide-gauge network and the data analysis procedure are encouraging.     

长白山-镜泊湖火山区上地幔间断面接收函数研究

利用布设在长白山地区的19个PASSCAL宽频带流动地震台站近一年的远震记录和布设在镜泊湖火山区14个宽频带轻便数字地震仪三个月的远震记录,共得到高质量的423个接收函数,通过对这些接收函数的共转换点叠加得到研究区的间断面的分布及形态.研究结果表明,研究区存在410、520km和660km间断面.410km和660km间断面较为连续且具有正相关性质,410km间断面在长白山天池火山下局部上隆,660km间断面具有复杂的多界面性质.410km和660km之间的过渡带厚约250km,接近全球平均水平.珲春深震区下660km界面下陷,其上还有多组震相,这些震相在珲春深震区东西两侧不连续,推测西太平洋板块至少已经俯冲到欧亚大陆下的上地幔过渡带中.410km间断面在长白山火山区下局部上隆,660km间断面具有的复杂结构和珲春深源地震的发生均与俯冲板块在过渡带中的活动有关. 俯冲板块在受到660km间断面的强大阻力后,在660km间断面之上变为近水平扩张.推测在欧亚大陆下西太平洋板块的最前端可能已经不是一个完整的整体,或许是由几个有一定联系的板块残片组成.     

Volcanic complexes in the eastern ridge of the Canary Islands: the Miocene activity of the island of Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura has been since early stages of its growth the result of three different adjacent large volcanic complexes: Southern, Central and Northern. The definition of these volcanic complexes and their respective growing episodes is based on volcano-stratigraphic, morphological and structural criteria, particularly radial dyke swarms. Each complex has its own prolonged history that might be longer than 10 m.y. During that time, several periods of activity alternating with gaps accompanied by important erosion took place. The evolution of each volcanic complex has been partially independent but all the three are affected by at least three Miocene tectonic phases that controlled considerably their activity. The volcanic complexes are deeply eroded and partially submerged. In the core of the Northern and the Central volcanic complexes there is a set of submarine and plutonic rocks intensely traversed by a dyke swarm, known as the Basal Complex. The Basal Complex has been interpreted in different ways but all previous authors have considered it to be prior to the subaerial shield stage of the island. Here we advance the idea that the Basal Complex represent the submarine growing stage of the volcanic complexes and the hypabyssal roots (plutons and dykes) of their successive subaerial growing episodes.Two seamounts situated nearby, southwest of the island, might be interpreted as remains of two other major volcanoes. These two volcanoes, together with those forming the present emerged island of Fuerteventura, and finally those of Famara and Los Ajaches situated further north on Lanzarote constitute a chain of volcanoes located along a lineation which is subparallel to the northwestern African coastline and which may relate to early Atlantic spreading trends in the area.     

Permian volcanism and its relation to the tectonic development of Sumatra

The Permian volcanic deposits covering an extensive area southeast of Lake Singkarak, Central Sumatra, have been mapped in detail and studied in relation to the structural development of the pre-Tertiary Sumatra orogene. During the Permian time, Central Sumatra was occupied by an elongated sea basin in which thick sequence of bathyal and neritic sediments were deposited. Pelitic sediments dominated, but at the same time volcanic activity started in this area. The volcanic products comprise mainly flow of hornblende and augite andesites with their tuffs. In some parts of Southern Sumatra the volcanic activity lasted till Cretaceous time. The main phase of folding took place about 120 m.y. ago accompanied by an emplacement of granitic rocks. After an uplift in younger Cretaceous time, the area was strongly attacked by erosion. The regional geologic history of Sumatra revealed clearly a divergent behaviour from the classical concept of magmatic evolution in an orogenic belt as demonstrated by the dominantly andesitic character of the geosynclinal volcanism. Other examples of volcanism associated with geosynclinal subsidence, possessing an andesitic rather than a basaltic character, could also be observed in the Tertiary Sunda mountain system of Sumatra. The Indonesian examples and similar occurrences of andesitic volcanism during a geosynclinal subsidence in other parts of the world, show that much work still will have to be done in order to gain a better undestanding regarding the relationship between volcanism and orogenesis.     

Late Quaternary deformation history of the volcanic edifice of Panarea,Aeolian Arc,Italy

A series of raised palaeoshorelines is documented along the emergent coastal slopes of Panarea and surrounding islets at elevations of 115 (palaeoshoreline Ia) and 100 m a.s.l. (Ib), 62.5 m (II), 35 m (III), 12 m (IV), 10–12 (Va) and 5 m (Vb). According to stratigraphic constraints and cross-cutting relationships, these palaeoshorelines are correlated with discrete high sea-level stillstands during marine oxygen-isotope stages (MIS) 5e, 5c, 5a and 3. Coastal elevation changes suggest the occurrence of a long-term, sustained uplift trend of the volcanic edifice since the last interglacial (last 124 ka). The uplift rates are not constant but display a progressive deceleration from maximum values of 1.5–1.58 m/ka, in the period between 124 and 100 ka, down to the lowest values of 0.66–0.69 m/ka, which tend to be constant starting from 81 ka BP. The long-term deformation pattern of Panarea suggests that a transitory, volcano-related component of uplift interplayed with the regional tectonic component affecting the sub-volcanic basement, which has undergone a persistent and widespread uplift since the mid-Pleistocene. The volcano-related component of uplift, prevailing between 124 and 100–81 ka, is interpreted as the result of visco-elastic deformation mechanisms which characterize the progressive re-equilibration of the shallow magmatic system following the incoming quiescence of the volcanic edifice. The long-term uplift values at Panarea are higher than in the main portion of the western-central Aeolian Arc, where a mean uplift rate of 0.34 m/ka was estimated since the last interglacial (last 124 ka). Such a pattern of deformation on a regional scale may be a response to active deformation processes connected with the southeastward rollback of the subducting Ionian slab which is still active only in correspondence with the eastern sector of the Aeolian Arc (including Panarea). In the short-term, a localized submergence trend has been documented at the nearby islet of Basiluzzo for the last 2,000 years, likely connected to neo-tectonic movements along main NE–SW trending faults.     

鄂尔多斯及周边区域噪声层析成像研究

基于中国地震科学探测台阵在鄂尔多斯及周边地区布设的461个地震台为期2年的地震观测资料,采用背景噪声层析成像方法,研究获得了鄂尔多斯及周边地区5—46 s周期、分辨率高达0.3°×0.3°的瑞雷面波相速度分布图像.与基于程函方程的地震面波成像结果对比看出,噪声层析成像在较短周期具有明显的优势(5—16 s),可以获得更...     

Looking into a volcanic area: An overview on the 350 m scientific drilling at Colli Albani (Rome,Italy)

A 350 m deep borehole was drilled in the Colli Albani volcanic district (Central Italy) in order to: understand the shallow crust structure beneath the volcanic complex; characterize the rock physical properties especially through in-situ measurements and, afterward, laboratory experiments; assess the local present-day stress field; install a broad-band seismometer at depth. The borehole is located adjacent to the western rim of the Tuscolano–Artemisio caldera, where several phenomena of unrest recently occurred. In 1989–90 a seismic swarm affected this area and a related uplift was recognized. In addition, high gas concentrations (mainly CO₂ and H₂S), in aquifers and soils, caused illnesses and casualties among inhabitants and animals in the past.     

GEOMORPHIC FEATURES OF EASTERN HIMALAYAN SYNTAXIS AND ITS TECTONIC IMPLICATIONS

The eastern Himalayan syntaxis is located on the leading edge of Indian-Eurasian plate collision, and the uplift rate of Namche Barwa area is higher than that of the peripheral zones, which is considered as the core position of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis(Uplift Center).It is indicated according to the recent regional earthquake observation results that, the seismic activity is poor in the area of Namche Barwa, but with strong seismic activity in its southeast region. In order to study the current geodynamical characteristics of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis, the elevation frequency distribution and hypsometry curve of Namche Barwa area, its northwest and southeast as well as the northeast Assam area is analyzed using DEM data. It is shown according to the result that, the Namche Barwa area is in the mature stage of erosion and the regional tectonic uplift and denudation are in the highly balanced status. Influenced by plateau-climate weather effect, the denudation of this area is relatively poor, which indicates that the uplift of the Namche Barwa area is relatively slow at present. The geomorphology in the northwest and southeast as well as in northeast Assam is in young evolutionary phase, belonging to erosive infancy, and the geomorphology of northeast Assam is closer to the early stage of infancy. The geomorphic evolution stage on northwest side reflects that the regional erosion is poor and it still belongs to plateau-climate area; Influenced by south subtropical monsoons, there is rich rainfall in the area from southeast Namche Barwa to Assam area, and this area still belongs to erosive infancy, even the geomorphic development degree of northeast Assam is lower as it suffers from strong erosion effect, which means that the tectonic uplift in east Namche Barwa is very intensive, and the northeast Assam has the highest uplift rate. It is considered according to the research that, under the mode that India Plate moves towards the north at present, the core position of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis(Uplift Center)moves towards the southeast, and the new core position may be located in northeast Assam, where there is intensive regional tectonic uplift with high potential of great earthquake.     

南海西北部沉积盆地晚新生代沉降、沉积特征:对深部异常过程的响应

南海西北部雷琼区域出露大量晚新生代碱性玄武岩,且地震层析成像结果显示其地幔存在类似地幔热柱特征的低速异常体.为了揭示该异常体的活动信息及其对表层地质过程的影响,本文选择位于雷琼区域的北部湾盆地和珠三坳陷为研究对象,系统分析了它们早中新世以来的构造沉降、与基底隆升有关的剥蚀面和岩浆活动特征.结果显示,研究区晚中新世构造沉降速率表现为低速异常;晚中新世以来,研究区发育了2个因基底隆升形成的局部剥蚀面,剥蚀范围大致以雷琼火山区为中心呈环状分布,中心区域剥蚀量较大,累积厚度100～200m;中中新世后研究区部分区域因岩浆活动导致上覆地层隆起和沉积环境变化.分析表明雷琼地区深部低速异常体对表层升降影响有限,推测该深部异常体规模较小,可能是深部更大规模异常体的一个分支.     

庐枞矿集区矾山-将军庙地区AMT三维反演及地质结构解释

庐江-枞阳矿集区是长江中下游成矿带内的一个重要的多矿种成矿区.为揭示矾山-将军庙地区的地质结构以指导找矿,首先,在庐枞矿集区北部的矾山-将军庙地区开展了三维音频大地电磁数据采集工作,采用Rhoplus方法进行AMT数据死频带校正保证数据质量,利用相位张量分析地下介质的维性特征;其次,利用模块化三维反演并行代码ModEM开展了实测数据的三维反演,获得了一个典型的具有双层结构特征的火山岩盆地三维地下电性模型;最后通过电性模型及其他地质资料的综合解释,依据反演模型中近地表的低阻层和深部的高阻隆起区,分别勾画出了火山岩地层的厚度和深部侵入岩的分布范围,并在小岭地区发现地表浅部下方存在一个含矿次级火山机构的高导体.     

湘东地区断裂活动性及潜在震源区划分研究

湘东地区(湖南省东部地区)地处华南褶皱系内,经历了多次构造运动,地层普遍褶皱,并伴有一系列NNE—NE向断裂,沿这些断裂形成一些断陷盆地;新构造运动期间,地壳运动以大面积整体性缓慢抬升为主要形式,差异性构造活动较弱,但该区发生了多次中强地震,断裂在第四纪早、中期有活动可能与中强地震的发生有关。文中在收集、分析研究区及附近地区前人工作成果的基础上,对常德-益阳-长沙断裂东南段、湘潭-邵东断裂东北段和永州-衡阳断裂开展了地质学、地貌学的野外考察,综合分析了这些断裂第四纪早、中更新世以来的活动性。采用"地震重复"和"构造类比"2条基本原则,依据特定地段的地质、地震和地球物理场等资料,认为这些断裂带不但具有中更新世活动形迹,而且沿带存在中强地震的潜在危险。综合社会和经济发展的需求等因素,将湘潭—湘乡、邵东、衡山—衡阳、永州等地带划分为新的潜在震源区