Integrated near surface geophysics across the active Mount Marzano Fault System (southern Italy): seismogenic hints

Here, we describe an original geophysical multi-method approach applied to the Mount Marzano Fault System. This is one of the most hazardous seismogenic faults of the Apennines (Irpinia, southern Italy), and it was responsible for the 1980, Mw 6.9, earthquake, along with many others before. We carried out electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements, and horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) microtremor analysis along several common transects designed across the potential and/or certain fault traces. The data obtained from these non-invasive, inexpensive, expeditious methods mutually integrate with and complement each other, providing a valuable subsurface image of the near surface fault architecture. ERT depicts the general shallow image of the fault zone and of the fault-controlled sedimentary basin, with the depth of the buried bedrock cross-correlated through ambient-noise HVSR results. GPR delineates the very shallow geometry of the fault and of the associated deformation. Coupled with previous paleoseismological studies, these data allow the evaluation of some fault parameters and the precise locating of the fault trace, to aid future paleoseismological investigations aimed at seismic risk reduction programs.     

Distinct metamorphic evolution of alternating silica-saturated and silica-deficient microdomains within garnet in ultrahigh-temperature granulites: An example from Sri Lanka

Here we report the occurrence of garnet porphyroblasts that have overgrown alternating silica-saturated and silica deficient microdomains via different mineral reactions. The samples were collected from ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) metapelites in the Highland Complex, Sri Lanka. In some of the metapelites, garnet crystals have cores formed via a dehydration reaction, which had taken place at silica-saturated microdomains and mantle to rim areas formed via a dehydration reaction at silica-deficient microdomains. In contrast, some other garnets in the same rock cores had formed via a dehydration reaction which occurred at silica-deficient microdomains while mantle to rim areas formed via a dehydration reaction at silica-saturated microdomains. Based on the textural observations, we conclude that the studied garnets have grown across different effective bulk compositional microdomains during the prograde evolution. These microdomains could represent heterogeneous compositional layers (paleobedding/laminations) in the precursor sediments or differentiated crenulation cleavages that existed during prograde metamorphism. UHT metamorphism associated with strong ductile deformation, metamorphic differentiation and crystallization of locally produced melt may have obliterated the evidence for such microdomains in the matrix. The lack of significant compositional zoning in garnet probably due to self-diffusion during UHT metamorphism had left mineral inclusions as the sole evidence for earlier microdomains with contrasting chemistry.     

Scenario Reduction Applied to Geostatistical Simulations

Having a large number of geostatistical simulations of a mineral or petroleum deposit provides a better idea of its upside potential and downside risk; however, large numbers of simulated realizations of a deposit may pose computational difficulties in subsequent decision-making phases. Hence, depending on the specific case, there can be a need to select a representative subset of conditionally simulated deposit realizations. This paper examines and extends an approach developed by the stochastic optimization community based on stochastic mathematical programming with recourse and is discussed here in the context of mineral deposits while it is possibly suitable for other earth science applications. The approach is based on measuring the “distance” between simulations and the introduced distance measure between simulated realizations of a mineral deposit is based on the metal above a given set of cutoff grades while a pre-existing mine design is available. The approach is tested on 100 simulations of the Walker Lake data with promising results.     

Archaeoseismic evidence for a Late Roman earthquake in the Crotone area (Ionian Calabria, Southern Italy): Seismotectonic implications

The earthquakes of Calabria are among the strongest in the whole Mediterranean, and they all occurred between the disruptive sequences of 1638 and 1908 (6.7 ≤ M ≤ 7.2). Recent paleoseismological studies show that the return time of these events on their causative fault are larger than 1 ky, thus making ancient earthquakes not recognizable through ‘conventional’ historical research. On the other hand, in those areas characterized by highly erodible deposits, the identification and paleoseismic trenching of active seismogenetic faults has remained a challenge. In order to overcome these issues, we took an archaeoseismological approach for casting light on earthquake occurrence in one of these regions, i.e., the SE area of central Ionian Calabria (Marchesato region). The extensive traces of simultaneous and abrupt collapses in the Roman settlement of Capo Colonna (in the area of the sixth and fifth b.c. sanctuary of Hera Lacinia, near the town of Crotone) are evidence of a disruptive earthquake, which occurred possibly in the third century a.d. To the same event we ascribe the definitive collapse of the Hera Lacinia temple. Considering the seismotectonic framework of the region, this event could be tentatively associated with the active fault system which cuts from NW to SE the whole Sila massif and its Ionian slope, and which should be responsible for all the others known M > 6 earthquakes in the area.     

Groundwater, Radon Continuous Monitoring System (α-scintillation Counting) for Natural Hazard Surveillance

—A “quasi continuous mode” monitoring system to measure the radon concentration within a natural environment (mainly groundwater), was designed, assembled and tested, under collaboration between DINCE and ING, partly within the framework of two EC funded programs.¶The radon monitor consists of a customised discrete automatic sampler which produces a gas flux circuit, and an economical f-scintillation cell, coupled with a reliable electronics-photomultiplier assemblage. A convenient calibration system together with a temporised control system have been set up. The overall “mean efficiency” of the system was calculated to be 7.79ǂ.13 counts per minute (cpm) for each Bq/L.¶Taking into consideration the present and future requirements of a geochemical surveillance network to assess natural hazards, the prototype design evolved from the study of existing systems devoted to monitor radon concentration levels, which are critically reviewed within this paper.¶In response to the main prerequisite of a remote station: maximum remote sensor versatility preserving shared software and hardware for the network as a whole, this radon monitoring system was conceived as part of a multi-parametric Geochemical Monitoring System (GMS II) prototype, designed and realised as a test-stand for sensors (chemical, hydrological, geophysical, organic chemistry devoted, etc.) in continuous evolution throughout the international market.     

Ravenna pine trees as monitors of winter severity in N-E Italy

Summary A special chronology for the interval 1856–1980 AD has been obtained from consecutive ring width ratios of about twenty pine trees (Pinus pinea L.) of the Ravenna Pine Forest. The pines grow on humid soil and on the Northern limit of their distribution area. The trees were selected from different positions and in different conditions of health, age and environment. This chronology shows clear and consistent correlation with the winter severity as evaluated by the monthly minimum average temperature of the years considered. From the results obtained, we are able to establish that a decrease (increase) of 1 °C causes a (13 ± 1)% decrease (increase) in the tree ring width, considered on a year to year basis. In particular all winters in North-East Italy, mentioned as severe in historical documents, correspond to negative peaks of our chronology.With 6 Figures     

Residence time distribution in a large unconfined–semiconfined aquifer in the Argentine Pampas using <Superscript>3</Superscript>H/<Superscript>3</Superscript>He and CFC tracers

The Pampa region in Argentina includes vast unconfined–semiconfined aquifers that local economies depend upon, but detailed knowledge of the associated water resources is still lacking. The Pampeano aquifer in the Pampa plain of Argentina covers around 1.5 million km². In order to achieve a better understanding of the hydrogeological system through the estimation of mean residence times (MRT), water samples were taken from 12 monitoring wells, drilled at different depths in four locations, and analyzed for environmental tracers. The concentrations of ³H, tritiogenic ³He and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) can be explained by mixtures of young waters adjusted to exponential piston flow models (EPM) or dispersion models (DM), and different proportions of tracer-free waters (dead water). The sampling site located very close to the water divide shows a dominance of young waters: 85 % of water best represented by a DM model with a MRT of 3 years. For the shallow wells at other sites, best-fitting models result in a DM with MRT between 20 and 35 years, and proportions of dead water between 40 and 60 %. These results lead to important updates in the conceptual model of the Pampeano aquifer. Large proportions of dead water at a few meters depth can be the consequence of upward flows in a multilayered aquifer or diffusive retardation in the inter-bedded clay layers.     

Constant-mass sequences of differentially-rotating polytropes

In this paper, differentially-rotating polytropic constant-mass sequences are compated by implementation of the so-called constant units technique. Then, numerical results concerning such constant-mass sequences are compared with their respective values obtained when corresponding constant-centraldensity sequences are computed.     

Vertumnite: Its crystal structure and relationship with natural and synthetic phases

Summary Vertumnite, Ca₄Al₄Si₄O₆(OH)₂₄·3H₂O, is metrically monoclinic, strongly pseudohexagonal;a=5.744 (5),b=5.766(5),c=25.12(1) Å, =119.72(5)°; space groupP2 ₁ /m. The crystal structure was determined from X-ray intensities and refined in both the monoclinic and the hexagonal space group [P6 ₃/m; a=(a _mon +b _mon )/2]. The monoclinic refinement did not lead to significant deviations from hexagonal symmetry. The atomic arrangement consists of modified brucite-layers Ca ₂ ^VII Al^VI(OH, H₂O)₈, atz=0 andz=1/2, alternating with tetrahedral double layers and connected only by hydrogen bridges. TheT sites are statistically and only partly occupied by Si and Al. The distances from theT sites to the three basal (O, OH) measure 1.80 Å; this large distance is probably caused by local deformations in connection with the disorder in theT sites. Water molecules occupy statistically the double rings. A comparison with the previously reported powder patterns of gehlenite hydrate and strätlingite is given.

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Vertumnit: Seine Kristallstruktur und seine Beziehungen zu anderen natürlichen und künstlichen Phasen

Zusammenfassung Vertumnit, Ca₄Al₄Si₄O₆(OH)₂₄·3 H₂O, ist metrisch monoklin, ausgeprägt pseudohexagonal;a ₀=5,744(5),b ₀=5,766(5),c ₀=25,12(1) Å, =119,72(5)°; RaumgruppeP2 ₁/m. Die Kristallstruktur wurde aus Röntgenintensitäten bestimmt und sowohl in der monoklinen wie in der hexagonalen Raumgruppe [P6 ₃/m; a ₀=(a _0,mon +b _0,mon )/2] verfeinert. Die monokline Verfeinerung führte auf keine wesentlichen Abweichungen von hexagonaler Symmetrie. Die Atomanordnung besteht aus modifizierten Brucit-Schichten, Ca ₂ ^VII Al^VI(Oh, H₂O)₈, die mit Doppeltetraederschichten abwechseln und mit diesen nur über Wasserstoffbrücken verbunden sind. DieT-Positionen sind durch Si und Al statistisch und nur partiell besetzt. Die Abstände von denT-Positionen zu den drei basalen (O, OH) messen 1,80 Å; dieser große Abstand wird wahrscheinlich durch lokale Verzerrungen im Zusammenhang mit der Unordnung in denT-Lagen verursacht. Wassermoleküle füllen statistisch die Doppelringe. Das Pulverdiagramm wird mit den publizierten Diagrammen von Gehlenit-Hydrat und Strätlingit verglichen.

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With 2 Figures