Microseismicity and faulting geometry in the Gulf of Corinth (Greece)

During the summer of 1993, a network of seismological stations was installed over a period of 7 weeks around the eastern Gulf of Corinth where a sequence of strong earthquakes occurred during 1981. Seismicity lies between the Alepohori fault dipping north and the Kaparelli fault dipping south and is related to both of these antithetic faults. Focal mechanisms show normal faulting with the active fault plane dipping at about 45° for both faults. The aftershocks of the 1981 earthquake sequence recorded by King et al . (1985 ) were processed again and show similar results. In contrast, the observations collected near the western end of the Gulf of Corinth during an experiment conducted in 1991 ( Rigo et al . 1996 ), and during the aftershock studies of the 1992 Galaxidi and the 1995 Aigion earthquakes ( Hatzfeld et al . 1996 ; Bernard et al . 1997 ) show seismicity dipping at a very low angle (about 15°) northwards and normal faulting mechanisms with the active fault plane dipping northwards at about 30°. We suggest that the 8–12 km deep seismicity in the west is probably related to the seismic–aseismic transition and not to a possible almost horizontal active fault dipping north as previously proposed. The difference in the seismicity and focal mechanisms between east and west of the Gulf could be related to the difference in the recent extension rate between the western Gulf of Corinth and the eastern Gulf of Corinth, which rotated the faults dipping originally at 45° (as in the east of the Gulf) to 30° (as in the west of the Gulf).     

The 2004 May 28 Baladeh earthquake (Mw 6.2) in the Alborz, Iran: overthrusting the South Caspian Basin margin, partitioning of oblique convergence and the seismic hazard of Tehran

We use teleseismic waveform analysis and locally recorded aftershock data to investigate the source processes of the 2004 Baladeh earthquake, which is the only substantial earthquake to have occurred in the central Alborz mountains of Iran in the modern instrumental era. The earthquake involved slip at 10–30 km depth, with a south-dipping aftershock zone also restricted to the range 10–30 km, which is unusually deep for Iran. These observations are consistent with co-seismic slip on a south-dipping thrust that projects to the surface at the sharp topographic front on the north side of the Alborz. This line is often called the Khazar Fault, and is assumed to be a south-dipping thrust which bounds the north side of the Alborz range and the south side of the South Caspian Basin, though its actual structure and significance are not well understood. The lack of shallower aftershocks may be due to the thick pile of saturated, overpressured sediments in the South Caspian basin that are being overthrust by the Alborz. A well-determined earthquake slip vector, in a direction different from the overall shortening direction across the range determined by GPS, confirms a spatial separation ('partitioning') of left-lateral strike-slip and thrust faulting in the Alborz. These strike-slip and thrust fault systems do not intersect within the seismogenic layer on the north side, though they may do so on the south. The earthquake affected the capital, Tehran, and reveals a seismic threat posed by earthquakes north of the Alborz, located on south-dipping thrusts, as well as by earthquakes on the south side of the range, closer to the city.     

Syn-sedimentary structural controls on basin deformation in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece

Abstract The Plio-Quaternary history of the Gulf of Corinth Basin has been controlled by dominantly north-south extension. The basin has an asymmetric graben geometry that is, at the present time, controlled by a master fault (the Gulf of Corinth Fault) downthrowing to the north and running offshore from the north Peloponnese coast.
Detailed structural interpretation of single-channel seismic data collected during RRS 'Shackleton' cruise 1/82 combined with onshore structural studies indicates that the basin geometry is not controlled simply by the main Gulf of Corinth Fault. The subsidence history for the uppermost 1 km of sediment can be documented using time-structure contour maps and isochron maps. These indicate that there is a general narrowing in the size of the basin with time, achieved by fault-controlled subsidence switching to antithetic faults concentrated towards the basin centre. It can also be demonstrated that growth of sediments into topographic lows is not only controlled by sea bed rupture but also by more passive sea bed flexure over 'blind' faults at depth.
The main conclusion of this study is that the 3D geometry of the Gulf of Corinth Basin changes not only spatially but also temporally. Active growth faulting and, therefore, the position of depocentres can switch across the basin and the relative importance of synthetic and antithetic faults controls the geometry of the basin, forming grabens, asymmetric grabens and half-grabens throughout the basin history.     

Modelling the effect of atmospheric pressure variations on gravity

Summary. The 1973 Hawaii earthquake occurred north of Hilo, at a depth of 40 to 50km. The location was beneath the east flank of Mauna Kea, a volcano dormant historically, but active within the last 4000 yr. Aftershocks were restricted to a depth of 55–35km. The event and its aftershock sequence are located in an area not normally associated with the seismicity of the Mauna Loa and Kilauea calderas. The earthquake was a double event, the epicentres trending NE-SW. The events were of similar size and faulting mechanism. The fault plane solutions obtained by seismic waveform analysis are a strike-slip fault striking EW and dipping 55° S, the auxiliary plane a NS vertical plane with a faulting plunge of 35°. The axis of maximum compressive stress is aligned with the direction of the gravity gradient associated with the island of Hawaii. The fault plane striking EW parallels a surface feature, the Mauna Kea east rift zone. The earthquakes were clearly not associated with volcanic activity normally associated with Mauna Loa and Kilauea and may indicate a deep seated prelude to a resumption of activity at Mauna Kea.     

Source investigation of a small event using empirical Green's functions and simulated annealing

We propose a two-step inversion of three-component seismograms that (1) recovers the far-field source time function at each station and (2) estimates the distribution of co-seismic slip on the fault plane for small earthquakes (magnitude 3 to 4). The empirical Green's function (EGF) method consists of finding a small earthquake located near the one we wish to study and then performing a deconvolution to remove the path, site, and instrumental effects from the main-event signal.
The deconvolution between the two earthquakes is an unstable procedure: we have therefore developed a simulated annealing technique to recover a stable and positive source time function (STF) in the time domain at each station with an estimation of uncertainties. Given a good azimuthal coverage, we can obtain information on the directivity effect as well as on the rupture process. We propose an inversion method by simulated annealing using the STF to recover the distribution of slip on the fault plane with a constant rupture-velocity model. This method permits estimation of physical quantities on the fault plane, as well as possible identification of the real fault plane.
We apply this two-step procedure for an event of magnitude 3 recorded in the Gulf of Corinth in August 1991. A nearby event of magnitude 2 provides us with empirical Green's functions for each station. We estimate an active fault area of 0.02 to 0.15 km² and deduce a stress-drop value of 1 to 30 bar and an average slip of 0.1 to 1.6 cm. The selected fault of the main event is in good agreement with the existence of a detachment surface inferred from the tectonics of this half-graben.     

An aftershock study of the El Asnam (Algeria) earthquake of 1980 October 10

Summary. An array of 28 portable seismic stations was operated in the region of El Asnam following the magnitude 7.3 ( M _s) thrust earthquake of 1980 October 10. Locations of 494 events are presented in this paper and provide an indication of the overall form of the aftershock distribution. Tests to establish location accuracy (particularly depth) reduce this set to 277 events which, it is argued, are well constrained. P -waves alone are used in this study as a consequence of a debate about the reliability of reading S -phases. From the reduced set of 277 events, 81 events provide well-constrained focal mechanisms.
The locations are presented in the form of maps and cross-sections, and discussed in relation to information already derived from field mapping of surface breaks and teleseismic studies of the waveforms of the main event. The zone of surface faulting (including secondary normal faulting) extended for 35 km but the aftershock distribution extends for twice this distance. Along the part of the fault which experienced substantial displacement in the main shock, the fault plane itself appears to be devoid of aftershocks, although many lie in the footwall beneath the fault. At junctions between segments of thrust faulting, strike-slip motion occurs. This is apparent in the aftershock focal mechanisms, and in the surface ruptures in one place.
The large number of aftershocks in the north-east area appears to be due to the reactivation of a fan-like system of smaller reverse faults associated with surface folding. Activity at the south-west end is considerably less than that in the north-east, and is not obviously associated with recognizable geological or morphological features.     

An earthquake sequence studied with ocean-bottom seismographs

Summary. A tripartite ocean-bottom seismograph array at the junction of the East Pacific Rise and Rivera Fracture Zone recorded an eathquake sequence, consisting of three main shocks ( m _B= 4.3, 4.3 and 4.8) and numerous aftershocks from the fracture zone, in the distance range 35–50 km. Delineation of the rupture zones by aftershocks indicates that the first two main shocks took place on overlapping fault areas, while the third occurred over a fault area separated from the first by several kilometres. Both rupture zones were about 4 km long. Surface wave spectra indicate a shallow (about 3 km below the sea floor) source, as does OBS array phase velocity data. The seismic moments, obtained from teleseismic surface wave data, of 1.3, 2.1 and 2.8 × 10²³ dyn cm, with the fault areas as delineated by aftershocks, imply a stress drop of about 8 bars for the main shocks. Aftershock sequences of each of the main shocks are similar, with a b -value of about 0.65. Teleseismic P travel times are similar to those from near-surface sources in Nevada.     

Fault architecture, basin structure and evolution of the Gulf of Corinth Rift, central Greece

The style of extension and strain distribution during the early stages of intra-continental rifting is important for understanding rift-margin development and can provide constraints for lithospheric deformation mechanisms. The Corinth rift in central Greece is one of the few rifts to have experienced a short extensional history without subsequent overprinting. We synthesise existing seismic reflection data throughout the active offshore Gulf of Corinth Basin to investigate fault activity history and the spatio-temporal evolution of the basin, producing for the first time basement depth and syn-rift sediment isopachs throughout the offshore rift. A major basin-wide unconformity surface with an age estimated from sea-level cycles at ca . 0.4 Ma separates distinct seismic stratigraphic units. Assuming that sedimentation rates are on average consistent, the present rift formed at 1–2 Ma, with no clear evidence for along-strike propagation of the rift axis. The rift has undergone major changes in relative fault activity and basin geometry during its short history. The basement depth is greatest in the central rift (maximum ∼3 km) and decreases to the east and west. In detail however, two separated depocentres 20–50 km long were created controlled by N- and S-dipping faults before 0.4 Ma, while since ca . 0.4 Ma a single depocentre (80 km long) has been controlled by several connected N-dipping faults, with maximum subsidence focused between the two older depocentres. Thus isolated but nearby faults can persist for timescales ca . 1 Ma and form major basins before becoming linked. There is a general evolution towards a dominance of N-dipping faults; however, in the western Gulf strain is distributed across several active N- and S-dipping faults throughout rift history, producing a more complex basin geometry.     

Stress transfer relations among the earthquakes that occurred in Kerman province, southern Iran since 1981

We explore the possible stress triggering relationship of the   M ≥ 6.4  earthquakes that occurred in Kerman Province, southern Iran since 1981. We calculated stress changes due to both coseismic sudden movement in the upper crust and the time-dependent viscous relaxation of the lower crust and/or upper mantle following the event. Four events of   M ≥ 6.4  occurred between 1981 and 2005, on and close to the Gowk fault, show a clear Coulomb stress load to failure relationship. The  2003 M = 6.5  Bam earthquake, however, which occurred approximately 95 km SW of the closest Gowk event, shows a very weak stress relation to preceding earthquakes. The coseismic static stress change at the hypocentre of the Bam earthquake is quite small (∼0.006 bars). The time-dependent post-seismic stress change could be 26 times larger or 7 times lower than that of coseismic static stress alone depending on the choice of viscoelastic crustal model and the effective coefficient of friction. Given the uncertainties in the viscoelastic earth models and the effective coefficient of friction, we cannot confidently conclude that the 2003 Bam event was brought closer to failure through coseismic or post-seismic stress loading. Interestingly, the southern Gowk segment with a similar strike to that of the Bam fault, experienced a stress load of up to 8.3 bars between 1981 and 2003, and is yet to have a damaging earthquake.     

Microearthquake seismicity and fault-plane solutions in the southern Aegean and its geodynanic implications

Seismicity ( Ml <3.5) in the southern Aegean, located using data collected during seven weeks of recording by a temporary network of seismological stations, largely follows the Hellenic arc; the Sea of Crete is nearly aseismic, and only little activity is located south of the Hellenic trench, within the African plate. Focal mechanisms exhibit reverse faulting in the external part of the arc and normal faulting inside it. This normal faulting indicates N-S extension in the northern Aegean, the Gulf of Corinth, the Cyclades and Dodecanese Islands, but NW-SE extension in southern Peloponnese and western Crete and E-W extension in eastern Crete. This non-uniform strain pattern suggests that the Aegean region not only extends in a N-S sense, with the Hellenic arc moving south-westward relative to the Eurasian plate, but also by E-W extension of its southern margin, so that there is a net divergence of material.     

Aftershock tectonics of the 1978 Tabas-e-Golshan (Iran) earthquake sequence: a documented active 'thin-and thick-skinned tectonic' case

Summary. In this study a locally recorded aftershock sequence of the 1978 Tabas-e-Golshan earthquake ( M_s = 7.4) was accurately located. Out of 1560 located events, 329 best-located aftershocks passed a strict quality criterion. These well-located aftershocks, which have uncertainties in epicentre and in focal depth of about 1 and 2 km respectively, together with the well-constrained focal mechanisms, provided a detailed picture of active continental deformation during an aftershock sequence.
Almost all aftershocks follow very closely the pattern of the earthquake faults at the surface and lie in the hanging-wall block of the active fault. The hypocentres occurred mainly at depths less than 23 km with a high concentration of seismic activity between 8–14 km depth. The aftershocks clearly demonstrate an active imbricate listric thrust system with fault planes flattening into a basement decollement zone, and the reactivation of different basement reverse faults in response to a considerable amount of shortening of the top sedimentary cover. The sense of motion was almost universally thrusting and the aftershocks shared the same tectonic causes as the main shock.
The study indicates that the development of the young fold-thrust mountain belts necessarily involves basement shortening (thin-and thick-skinned tectonics) and that the 'frontal reverse faults' in young active fold-thrust mountain belts are the most seismically active faults. Geological and seismic data propose that the active frontal reverse fault systems are possibly reactivated old normal faults and may add support to the contention of reversal of fault motion during re thickening of continental crust. The active 'thin-and thick-skinned tectonics' documented in this study may prevail in other young and active fold-thrust mountain belts which are characterized by a thick sequence of telescoped top sedimentary cover over a decollement detachment zone.     

Tectono‐sedimentary evolution of the Plio‐Pleistocene Corinth rift,Greece

The onshore central Corinth rift contains a syn‐rift succession >3 km thick deposited in 5–15 km‐wide tilt blocks, all now inactive, uplifted and deeply incised. This part of the rift records upward deepening from fluviatile to lake‐margin conditions and finally to sub‐lacustrine turbidite channel and lobe complexes, and deep‐water lacustrine conditions (Lake Corinth) were established over most of the rift by 3.6 Ma. This succession represents the first of two phases of rift development – Rift 1 from 5.0–3.6 to 2.2–1.8 Ma and Rift 2 from 2.2–1.8 Ma to present. Rift 1 developed as a 30 km‐wide zone of distributed normal faulting. The lake was fed by four major N‐ to NE‐flowing antecedent drainages along the southern rift flank. These sourced an axial fluvial system, Gilbert fan deltas and deep lacustrine turbidite channel and lobe complexes. The onset of Rift 2 and abandonment of Rift 1 involved a 30 km northward shift in the locus of rifting. In the west, giant Gilbert deltas built into a deepening lake depocentre in the hanging wall of the newly developing southern border fault system. Footwall and regional uplift progressively destroyed Lake Corinth in the central and eastern parts of the rift, producing a staircase of deltaic and, following drainage reversal, shallow marine terraces descending from >1000 m to present‐day sea level. The growth, linkage and death of normal faults during the two phases of rifting are interpreted to reflect self‐organization and strain localization along co‐linear border faults. In the west, interaction with the Patras rift occurred along the major Patras dextral strike‐slip fault. This led to enhanced migration of fault activity, uplift and incision of some early Rift 2 fan deltas, and opening of the Rion Straits at ca. 400–600 ka. The landscape and stratigraphic evolution of the rift was strongly influenced by regional palaeotopographic variations and local antecedent drainage, both inherited from the Hellenide fold and thrust belt.     

A conjugate strike-slip fault system within the extensional tectonics of Western Turkey

Three main shocks M-1, M-2 and M-3 (17 October 2005 at 05:45 UTC, M _w 5.4; 17 October at 09:46 UTC, M _w 5.8 and 20 October at 21:40 UTC, M _w 5.9) and their associated aftershocks within the Gulf of S i ğac i k, 50 km southwest of Izmir, Turkey were studied in detail. A temporary seismic network deployed during the activity allowed the hypocentre of M-3 and subsequent aftershocks to be determined with high accuracy. A relative relocation technique was used to improve the epicentres of M-1 and M-2. All three main shocks have strike-slip mechanisms which agree with the linear trends of the aftershock locations. Two distinct zones were illuminated by the aftershock locations. The zones contain clear echelon patterns with slightly different orientations from the trend of the aftershock distribution. M-2 and M-3 ruptured along of the eastern rupture zone which aligns N45°E. However the strike direction of M-1 is not clearly identified. The alignment of the two rupture zones intersect at their southern terminus at an angle of 90°. The fault zones form conjugate pair system and static triggering is considered as a probable mechanism for the sequential west to east occurrence of M-1, M-2 and M-3. This earthquake sequence provides seismological evidence for conjugate strike-slip faulting co-existing within a region dominated by north–south extension and well-developed east–west trending normal faults.     

Lower-crustal rifting in the Rukwa Graben, East Africa

An M_w 5.9 earthquake occurred in the Lake Rukwa rift, Tanzania, on 1994 August 18, and was well recorded by 20 broad-band seismic stations at distances of 160 to 800 km and 21 broad-band stations at teleseismic distances. The regional and teleseismic waveforms have been used to investigate the source characteristics of the main shock, and also to locate aftershocks that occurred within three weeks of the main shock. Teleseismic body-wave modelling yields the following source parameters for the main shock: source depth of 25 ± 2 km, a normal fault orientation, with a horizontal tension axis striking NE-SW and an almost vertical pressure axis (Nodal Plane I: strike 126°–142°, dip 63°–66°, and rake 280°–290°; Nodal Plane II: strike 273°–289°, dip 28°–31°, and rake 235°–245°), a scalar moment of 4.1 times 10¹⁷ N m, and a 2 s impulsive source time function. Four of the largest aftershocks also nucleated at depths of 25 km, as deduced from regional sPmp–Pmp times. The nodal planes are broadly consistent with the orientation of both the Lupa and Ufipa faults, which bound the Rukwa rift to the northeast and southwest, respectively. The rupture radius of the main shock, assuming a circular fault, is estimated to be 4 km with a corresponding stress drop of 6.5 MPa. Published estimates of crustal thickness beneath the Rukwa rift indicate that the foci of the main shock and aftershocks lie at least 10 km above the Moho. The presence of lower-crustal seismicity beneath the Rukwa rift suggests that the pre-rift thermal structure of the rifted crust has not been strongly modified by the rifting, at least to depths of 25 km.     

An earthquake swarm on the Chagos—Laccadive Ridge and its tectonic implications

Summary. An unusual, isolated swarm of earthquakes occurred on the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge in the Central Indian Ocean between 1965 and 1970. Sixteen earthquakes were "located at approximately 6.0° S, 71.3°E on the steep west facing scarp of the Chagos Bank. This swarm forms the only major seismic activity in the period 1963–76 on the otherwise aseismic ridge. The mechanisms of the three largest earthquakes were studied using body- and surface-wave data. All are extremely similar shallow normal fault events on an east—west fault plane. Such faulting is difficult to reconcile with that expected from either the trend of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge or the spreading direction at the nearby Central Indian Ridge. The swarm may have occurred at depth on a cross fracture remaining from the breakup of the Chagos Bank and the Mascarene Plateau and the formation of the present Central Indian Ridge.     

The diffuse transition between the Zagros continental collision and the Makran oceanic subduction (Iran): microearthquake seismicity and crustal structure

The nature of the transition between the Zagros intra-continental collision and the Makran oceanic subduction is a matter of debate: either a major fault cutting the whole lithosphere or a more progressive transition associated with a shallow gently dipping fault restricted to the crust. Microearthquake seismicity located around the transition between the transition zone is restricted to the west of the Jaz-Murian depression and the Jiroft fault. No shallow micro-earthquakes seem to be related to the NNW–SSE trending Zendan–Minab–Palami active fault system. Most of the shallow seismicity is related either to the Zagros mountain belt, located in the west, or to the NS trending Sabzevaran–Jiroft fault system, located in the north. The depth of microearthquakes increases northeastwards to an unusually deep value (for the Zagros) of 40 km. Two dominant types of focal mechanisms are observed in this region: low-angle thrust faulting, mostly restricted to the lower crust, and strike-slip at shallow depths, both consistent with NS shortening. The 3-D inversion of P traveltimes suggests a high-velocity body dipping northeastwards to a depth of 25 km. This high-velocity body, probably related to the lower crust, is associated with the deepest earthquakes showing reverse faulting. We propose that the transition between the Zagros collision and the Makran subduction is not a sharp lithospheric-scale transform fault associated with the Zendan–Minab–Palami fault system. Instead it is a progressive transition located in the lower crust. The oblique collision results in partial partitioning between strike-slip and shortening components within the shallow brittle crust because of the weakness of the pre-existing Zendan–Minab–Palami faults.     

Tectono‐sedimentary evolution of the western Corinth rift (Central Greece)

The Corinth rift (Greece) is one of the world's most active rifts. The early Plio‐Pleistocene rift is preserved in the northern Peloponnese peninsula, south of the active Corinth rift. Although chronostratigraphic resolution is limited, new structural, stratigraphic and sedimentological data for an area >400 km² record early rift evolution in three phases separated by distinct episodes of extension rate acceleration and northward fault migration associated with major erosion. Minimum total N–S extension is estimated at 6.4–7.7 km. The earliest asymmetrical, broad rift accommodated slow extension (0.6–1 mm a^?1) over >3 Myrs and closed to the west. North‐dipping faults with throws of 1000–2200 m defined narrow blocks (4–7 km) with little footwall relief. A N‐NE flowing antecedent river system infilled significant inherited relief (Lower group). In the earliest Pleistocene, significant fluvial incision coincided with a 15 km northward rift margin migration. Extension rates increased to 2–2.5 mm a^?1. The antecedent rivers then built giant Gilbert‐type fan deltas (Middle group) north into a deepening lacustrine/marine basin. N‐dipping, basin margin faults accommodated throws <1500 m. Delta architecture records initiation, growth and death of this fault system over ca. 800 ka. In the Middle Pleistocene, the rift margin again migrated 5 km north. Extension rate increased to 3.4–4.8 mm a^?1. This transition may correspond to an unconformity in offshore lithostratigraphy. Middle group deltas were uplifted and incised as new hangingwall deltas built into the Gulf (Upper group). A final increase to present‐day extension rates (11–16 mm a^?1) probably occurred in the Holocene. Fault and fault block dimensions did not change significantly with time suggesting control by crustal rheological layering. Extension rate acceleration may be due to strain softening or to regional tectonic factors.     

Deep-water sediment transport patterns and basin floor topography in early rift basins: Plio-Pleistocene syn-rift of the Corinth Rift,Greece

Our current understanding on sedimentary deep-water environments is mainly built of information obtained from tectonic settings such as passive margins and foreland basins. More observations from extensional settings are particularly needed in order to better constrain the role of active tectonics in controlling sediment pathways, depositional style and stratigraphic stacking patterns. This study focuses on the evolution of a Plio-Pleistocene deep-water sedimentary system (Rethi-Dendro Formation) and its relation to structural activity in the Amphithea fault block in the Corinth Rift, Greece. The Corinth Rift is an active extensional basin in the early stages of rift evolution, providing perfect opportunities for the study of early deep-water syn-rift deposits that are usually eroded from the rift shoulders due to erosion in mature basins like the Red Sea, North Sea and the Atlantic rifted margin. The depocentre is located at the exit of a structurally controlled sediment fairway, approximately 15 km from its main sediment source and 12 km basinwards from the basin margin coastline. Fieldwork, augmented by digital outcrop techniques (LiDAR and photogrammetry) and clast-count compositional analysis allowed identification of 16 stratigraphic units that are grouped into six types of depositional elements: A—mudstone-dominated sheets, B—conglomerate-dominated lobes, C—conglomerate channel belts and sandstone sheets, D—sandstone channel belts, E—sandstone-dominated broad shallow lobes, F—sandstone-dominated sheets with broad shallow channels. The formation represents an axial system sourced by a hinterland-fed Mavro delta, with minor contributions from a transverse system of conglomerate-dominated lobes sourced from intrabasinal highs. The results of clast compositional analysis enable precise attribution for the different sediment sources to the deep-water system and their link to other stratigraphic units in the area. Structures in the Amphithea fault block played a major role in controlling the location and orientation of sedimentary systems by modifying basin-floor gradients due to a combination of hangingwall tilt, displacement of faults internal to the depocentre and folding on top of blind growing faults. Fault activity also promoted large-scale subaqueous landslides and eventual uplift of the whole fault block.     

Statistical study of the occurrence of shallow earthquakes

Summary. The time—space-magnitude interaction of shallow earthquakes has been investigated for three catalogues: worldwide ( M ≥ 7.0), Southern and Northern California ( M ≥ 4.0) and Central California ( M ≥ 1.5). The earthquake sequences are considered as a multi-dimensional stochastic point process; the estimates of the parameters for a branching model of the seismic process are obtained by a maximum-likelihood procedure. After applying magnitude—time and magnitude—distance scaling, the pattern of relationship among earthquakes of different magnitude ranges is almost identical. The number of foreshocks diminishes as the magnitude difference between the main shock and the foreshocks increases, while the magnitude distribution of aftershocks has the opposite property. The strongest aftershocks are likely to occur at the beginning of the sequence; later they migrate away with velocities of the order of km/day. The sequences which are composed of smaller aftershocks last longer and there are indications that they remain essentially in the focal region. Foreshocks also appear to migrate, but in this case, toward the main shock. The rate of occurrence of dependent shocks increases as t ^-1 as the origin time of the main shock is approached, effectively making every earthquake a multi-shock event. This interaction of earthquakes was modelled by a Monte-Carlo simulation technique. The statistical inversion of simulated catalogues was undertaken to derive the information we would be able to retrieve from actual data, as well as possible errors of estimates. The possibility of using these results as a tool for seismic risk prediction is discussed and evaluated.     

Upper-crustal structure of the Benevento area (southern Italy): fault heterogeneities and potential for large earthquakes

The Benevento region is part of the southern Apennines seismogenic belt, which experienced large destructive seismic events both in historical and in recent times. The study area lies at the northern end of the Irpinia fault, which ruptured in 1980 with a M_s = 6.9 normal faulting event, which caused about 3000 casualties. The aims of this paper are to image lateral heterogeneities in the upper crust of the Benevento region, and to try to identify the fault segments that are expected to generate such large earthquakes. This work is motivated by the recognition that lithological heterogeneities along major fault zones, inferred from velocity anomalies, reflect the presence of fault patches that behave differently during large rupture episodes. In this paper, we define the crustal structure of the Benevento region by using the background seismicity recorded during 1991 and 1992 by a local seismic array. These data offer a unique opportunity to investigate the presence of structural discontinuities of a major seismogenic zone before the occurrence of the next large earthquake. The main result that we obtained is the delineation of two NW-trending high-velocity zones (HVZs) in the upper crust beneath the Matese limestone massif. These high velocities are interpreted as high-strength regions that extend for 30-40 km down to at least 12 km depth. The correspondence of these HVZs with the maximum intensity regions of historical earthquakes (1688 AD, 1805 AD) suggests that these anomalies delineate the extent of two fault segments of the southern Apenninic belt capable of generating M = 6.5⁻⁷ earthquakes. The lateral offset observed between the two segments from tomographic results and isoseismal areas is possibly related to transverse right-lateral faults.