Modeling of Ground Motion at Napoli for the 1688 Scenario Earthquake

The Sannio seismogenic area turns out to be responsible for the highest peak ground accelerations (PGA) and seismic response spectra (SRS) at Napoli. The 1688 earthquake is considered representative of the area, and realistic synthetic seismograms have been computed for this scenario earthquake at the historical center and the eastern sector of Napoli. The use of a hybrid technique based on mode summation and finite-difference methods is fully justified by the available detailed knowledge about the geological and geophysical properties of the Neapolitan subsoil. This modeling makes it possible to recognize that amplifications of ~2 for PGA and >3 for SRS are to be expected because of the pyroclastic soil cover. Based on the information contained in the available catalogs, different magnitudes have been considered. Taking into account the correlation, valid for the Italian territory, between synthetic PGA and observed intensities, it turns out that the most probable magnitude (M) of the 1688 earthquake is 6.7, while M?=?7.3 should be assigned to a conservative scenario earthquake. Comparison of the computed response spectra for the 1688 scenario earthquake with the Italian seismic building code shows that the code is adequate with respect to the expected effects at the historical center of Napoli, but that it underestimates the possible ground motion at the eastern sector, in particular at the newly developed area built after the 1980 earthquake.     

The Campania-Campi Flegrei area: a contribution to discern the best structural model from gravity interpretation

Structural interpretations of negative gravity anomalies at Campi Flegrei and Campania are reviewed. The interpretations are not uniquely determined, as different models correspond to equally good anomaly fits.These models are examined using a new method based on the interpretation of the apparent density map computed from the gravity anomaly map.As regards the Campi Flegrei anomaly, a funnel-shaped caldera 3D model is readily obtained. This is more appropriate than previous interpretations, as not only anomaly but also apparent densities are fitted.As about the regional structures, the used approach suggests that the more pertinent model is a large magmatic intrusion, 9 to 14 km deep.A final scheme is proposed linking this intrusion to the funnel-shaped caldera as the main regional reservoir.     

Spectral Amplification Effects at Sellano,Central Italy,for the 1997–98 Umbria Seismic Sequence

The seismic events recorded at two accelerographs installed at Sellano (central Italy) during the 1997–1998 Umbria seismic sequence, one on detritic material, at the historical centre, and the other one on rock, about 200 m distant, were analysed in terms of spectral amplification of the historical centre site. Epicentres were mainly concentrated in the north and south-east directions of Sellano area. The SH wave component average amplifications were evaluated from the smoothed Fourier spectral ratios of the recordings on soil and rock sites, along the two main epicentral lines. Similar amplifications resulted, with two main peaks in the frequency range of 3–5 Hz, corresponding to the eigenfrequencies of the damaged buildings. Shear velocities of the shallowest 30 m of soils were obtained by FTAN measurements along refraction seismic spreadings, and utilized to compute spectral amplification of soil station to rock station along the geological cross sections. A good agreement was found between observed Fourier spectral ratios and the computed 2D amplification modelling, which explains the damage level of the historical buildings beside the degraded conditions of brick masonry.     

A gravity and magnetic study of the volcanic island of Ischia, Naples (Italy)

Gravity and magnetic data for the volcanic island of Ischia, Naples, Italy, have been analyzed and interpreted in light of recent geological and volcanological data to define a model of the island's shallow and deep structures. From the interpretation of the gravity data it appears that the shallow structures consist of pyroclastic material (p=2.0 g/cm³). Within these pyroclastics there are domes and lava flows of higher density and eruptive centres filled with lower density material. The basement is a “horst” with the shallowest depth at about 1.0 km, south of the centre of the island, if we assign a density contrast of 0.5 g/cm³ relative to the above pyroclastics.Interpretation of magnetic data measured at 725 stations showed that the basement derived from the gravity interpretation is magnetized. Moreover, this basement is less magnetized on the western side of Ischia which may be caused by the anomalous thermal state of the area, as indicated by surface fumaroles, hot springs etc. and temperature measurements in deep drillings.     

Analysis of waves observed by synthetic aperture radar across ocean fronts

Ocean Dynamics - In this study, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging of waves across ocean fronts was investigated using C-band Sentinel-1 VV-polarized SAR imagery collected over the Yangtze and...     

S-waves profiles from noise cross correlation at small scale

Cross correlations of ambient seismic noise recordings are studied to infer shear-wave velocities (V_S) profiles versus depth. Experiments are performed, over inter-station distances ranging from 60 m to about 400 m, in the crowded and noisy historical centre of Napoli, where the conditions for the use of active (controlled source) seismic spreadings are prohibitive, even for just one receiver. From the noise cross correlation, group velocity dispersion curves are extracted, with FTAN method, and their non-linear inversion supplies V_S profiles versus depth. The information of nearby stratigraphies and the range of V_S variability for samples of Neapolitan soils and rocks confirms the validity and reliability of the results obtained with our expeditious procedure. If successfully tested in other geological settings, the proposed approach is a low cost methodology to get reliable V_S velocity profiles versus depth.     

Knab Sampling Window for InSAR Data Interpolation

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar processing requires interpolating a slave image onto a master one. Since the signals requiring interpolation are limited in both time and bandwidth, the Knab sampling window provides an almost optimal and viable interpolation kernel. Its performance in terms of coherence preservation and interferometric phase error as a function of the number of retained samples and oversampling factor are shown.     

Seismic characterization of the shore sand at Catania

In the framework of the Catania Project supported by GNDT (Gruppo Nazionale per la Difesa dai Terremoti) seismic measurements have been carried out in the shore sands of Catania to define their detailed shear wave velocity (V) profiles and attenuation properties (Q). The method used, FTAN, is based on the analysis of the dispersion curve extracted from signals generated by controlled sources. The computation of complete synthetic seismograms enables the estimation of the attenuation properties of the surface layers. Hereinafter we analyse the shear seismic characteristics of the shore sands as indicators of potential liquefaction phenomena.     

A Physically Consistent Speckle Model for Marine SLC SAR Images

A new physically based speckle model for marine single-look complex (SLC) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is here presented and investigated. The model allows using full-resolution SAR images instead of multilook SAR images, in which, at the expense of a coarser spatial resolution, the speckle is mitigated. The model is based on the three-parameters generalized-K (GK) probability density function (pdf). GK pdf is a suitable physically-based speckle model for marine SAR images ensuring a continuous and physically consistent transition among different scattering scenarios. This speckle model embodies Rayleigh, K, and Rice scattering scenes which are typical of marine scenes. The use of the three parameters, related to the GK pdf ones, is able to highlight the presence of both low backscattering areas and areas in which a small dominant scatterer is present. This is operationally interesting in SAR oil spill detection procedures.