Contribution of tsunami data analysis to constrain the seismic source: the case of the 1693 eastern Sicily earthquake

The January 11, 1693 eastern Sicilyearthquake is comparable only with the December 28,1908 Messina Straits event in the Italian seismichistory as regards magnitude (M _L 7), level ofdestruction and number of victims. The shock generateda strong tsunami, which hit the entire eastern coastof Sicily and particularly the town of Augusta. Theproblem of which fault was responsible for theearthquake is still open. Several hypotheses have beenformulated in the literature on the basis of differentkinds of geological, macroseismic and tectonic data,but a general agreement has not been reached yet. Animportant contribution to the discussion may come fromthe analysis of the tsunami data. In two previouspapers (Piatanesi et al., 1996; Piatanesi and Tinti,1998), the hydro-dynamical study of the tsunami basedon finite-element (FE) numerical simulations wascarried out taking into consideration mostlytheoretical faults, i.e. faults selected for theirsignificance in tsunami generation irrespective of thecorresponding geological evidence. This paper has tobe considered the continuation of the mentioned works.We have studied new sources proposed in theliterature, consistent with macroseismic data and/orgeological observations, and simulated thecorresponding tsunamis. We also built a new FE gridintroducing significant improvements in the coastlinerepresentation, and developed and applied a newalgorithm in order to account for the effect of thesea-bottom topography on the tsunami initialcondition. Some of the examined faults are located inthe Scordia-Lentini (SL) graben region and interceptthe coastline, others are placed in correspondencewith the Hyblaean-Malta (HM) escarpment and runparallel or sub-parallel to the coast. The conclusionof our work is that none of these faults respectsfully the available observations on tsunami, and thatthe faults exhibiting the best fit are those placed inthe SL region. It is worth stressing that our resultsare important for the assessment of seismic andtsunami hazard/risk in eastern Sicily, keeping also inmind that the 1693 earthquake has been selected as thereference event for an earthquake-scenario study inCatania and in south-eastern Sicily, called `CataniaProject', funded by CNR/GNDT (Consiglio Nazionaledelle Ricerche/Gruppo Nazionale Difesa dai Terremoti).     

ISO-LWS Observations of the NGC7129 Star Forming Region

We present far-infrared observations of the surroundings of the Herbig Be star LkHα234 in NGC7129, obtained with the Long Wavelength Spectrometer on board of the Infrared Space Observatory. [CII]158μm, [OI]63μm and [OI]146μm lines are detected everywhere in the mapped region and their intensity ratios are consistent with the model predictions of a photodissociation region. The spatial distribution of the emission features indicates the presence of a peak which does not coincide with the position of LkHα234, but is more likely associated with another nearby Herbig star, namely BD+65°1637; the far-ultraviolet field intensity and the density derived from our observations are fully consistent with this hypothesis. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Large wood transport modelling by a coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian approach

The fractal characteristics of the ultra-low-frequency (ULF) magnetic field variations recorded prior to the Tohoku earthquake (EQ) with M _W = 9 which happened on 11 March 2011 are studied in this article with the use of detrended fluctuation analysis and Higuchi fractal dimension algorithm. In the specific study, we use for our calculations only nighttime (LT = 3 a.m. ± 2 h) data because of their lowest contamination by industrial noise. A key aspect of our analysis is the investigation about any possible correlation of the ULF magnetic field variations or their calculated fractal characteristics with geomagnetic indices. Different preprocessing approaches are examined aiming at the minimization of any possible influences from global phenomena in the fractal analysis results, while in the same time retaining the scale-invariant character of ULF magnetic field variations after preprocessing. The obtained fractal analysis results imply locally driven change in the fractal characteristics of the ULF data prior to the Tohoku EQ, which is compatible with the change that has been reported prior to other large EQs.     

The Canyon Diablo impact event: Projectile motion through the atmosphere

Abstract— Meteor Crater is one of the first impact structures systematically studied on Earth. Its location in arid northern Arizona has been ideal for the preservation of the structure and the surviving meteoric material. The recovery of a large amount of meteoritic material in and around the crater has allowed a rough reconstruction of the impact event: an iron object 50 m in diameter impacted the Earth's surface after breaking up in the atmosphere. The details of the disruption, however, are still debated. The final crater morphology (deep, bowl‐shaped crater) rules out the formation of the crater by an open or dispersed swarm of fragments, in which the ratio of swarm radius to initial projectile radius C_d is larger than 3 (the final crater results from the sum of the craters formed by individual fragments). On the other hand, the lack of significant impact melt in the crater has been used to suggest that the impactor was slowed down to 12 km/s by the atmosphere, implying significant fragmentation and fragments' separation up to 4 initial radii. This paper focuses on the problem of entry and motion through the atmosphere for a possible Canyon Diablo impactor as a first but necessary step for constraining the initial conditions of the impact event which created Meteor Crater. After evaluating typical models used to investigate meteoroid disruption, such as the pancake and separated fragment models, we have carried out a series of hydrodynamic simulations using the 3D code SOVA to model the impactor flight through the atmosphere, both as a continuum object and a disrupted swarm. Our results indicate that the most probable pre‐atmospheric mass of the Meteor Crater projectile was in the range of 4.10⁸to 1.2.10⁹kg (equivalent to a sphere 46–66 m in diameter). During the entry process the projectile lost probably 30% to 70% of its mass, mainly because of mechanical ablation and gross fragmentation. Even in the case of a tight swarm of particles (C_d < 3), small fragments can separate from the crater‐forming swarm and land on the plains (tens of km away from the crater) as individual meteorites. Starting from an impactor pre‐atmospheric velocity of ?18 km/s, which represents an average value for Earth‐crossing asteroids, we find that after disruption, the most probable impact velocity at the Earth's surface for a tight swarm is around 15 km/s or higher. A highly dispersed swarm would result in a much stronger deceleration of the fragments but would produce a final crater much shallower than observed at Meteor Crater.     

Impact of event landslides on road networks: a statistical analysis of two Italian case studies

Despite abundant information on landslides, and on landslide hazard and risk, in Italy, little is known on the direct impact of event landslides on road networks and on the related economic costs. We investigated the physical and economic damage caused by two rainfall-induced landslide events in Central and Southern Italy, to obtain road restoration cost statistics. Using a GIS-based method, we exploited road maps and landslide event inventory maps to compute different metrics that quantify the impact of the landslide events on the natural landscape and on the road networks, by road type. The maps were used with cost data obtained from multiple sources, including local authorities, and specific legislation, to evaluate statistically the unit cost per metre of damaged road and the unit cost per square metre of damaging landslide, separately for main and secondary roads. The obtained unit costs showed large variations which we attribute to the different road types in the two study areas and to the different abundance of landslides. Our work confirms the long-standing conundrum of obtaining accurate landslide damage data and outlines the need for reliable, standardized methods to evaluate landslide damage and associated restoration costs that regional and local administrations can use rapidly in the aftermath of a landslide event. We conclude recommending that common standardized procedures to collect landslide cost data following each landslide event are established, in Italy and elsewhere. This will allow for more accurate and reliable evaluations of the economic costs of landslide events.     

Paleomagnetic analysis of curved thrust belts reproduced by physical models

This paper presents a new methodology for studying the evolution of curved mountain belts by means of paleomagnetic analyses performed on analogue models. Eleven models were designed aimed at reproducing various tectonic settings in thin-skinned tectonics. Our models analyze in particular those features reported in the literature as possible causes for peculiar rotational patterns in the outermost as well as in the more internal fronts. In all the models the sedimentary cover was reproduced by frictional low-cohesion materials (sand and glass micro-beads), which detached either on frictional or on viscous layers. These latter were reproduced in the models by silicone. The sand forming the models has been previously mixed with magnetite-dominated powder. Before deformation, the models were magnetized by means of two permanent magnets generating within each model a quasi-linear magnetic field of intensity variable between 20 and 100 mT. After deformation, the models were cut into closely spaced vertical sections and sampled by means of 1×1-cm Plexiglas cylinders at several locations along curved fronts. Care was taken to collect paleomagnetic samples only within virtually undeformed thrust sheets, avoiding zones affected by pervasive shear. Afterwards, the natural remanent magnetization of these samples was measured, and alternating field demagnetization was used to isolate the principal components. The characteristic components of magnetization isolated were used to estimate the vertical-axis rotations occurring during model deformation. We find that indenters pushing into deforming belts from behind form non-rotational curved outer fronts. The more internal fronts show oroclinal-type rotations of a smaller magnitude than that expected for a perfect orocline. Lateral symmetrical obstacles in the foreland colliding with forward propagating belts produce non-rotational outer curved fronts as well, whereas in between and inside the obstacles a perfect orocline forms only when the ratio between obstacles' distance and thickness of the cover is greater than 10. Finally, when a belt collides with an obstacle in the foreland oblique to the shortening direction the outer front displays rotations opposite in sign to oroclinal-type rotations, whereas the internal fronts seem to assume an “oroclinal type” rotational pattern. Furthermore rotation is easier in laterally unconfined models, i.e. when the wedge can “escape” laterally. The results from our models may be useful when compared to paleomagnetic rotations detected in natural arcs. In these cases, our results may allow for better understanding the tectonic setting controlling the genesis of curved mountain fronts, as is the case of the Gela Nappe of Sicily we compare with some of our models.     

Numerical modeling of impact heating and cooling of the Vredefort impact structure

Abstract— Large meteorite impacts, such as the one that created the Vredefort structure in South Africa?2 Ga ago, result in significant heating of the target. The temperatures achieved in these events have important implications for post‐impact metamorphism as well as for the development of hydrothermal systems. To investigate the post‐impact thermal evolution and the size of the Vredefort structure, we have analyzed impact‐induced shock heating in numerical simulations of terrestrial impacts by projectiles of a range of sizes thought to be appropriate for creating the Vredefort structure. When compared with the extent of estimated thermal shock metamorphism observed at different locations around Vredefort, our model results support our earlier estimates that the original crater was 120–160 km in diameter, based on comparison of predicted to observed locations of shock features. The simulations demonstrate that only limited shock heating of the target occurs outside the final crater and that the cooling time was at least 0.3 Myr but no more than 30 Myr.     

Advanced numerical modeling of seismic response of a propped r.c. diaphragm wall

The paper presents some results from a number of dynamic FE simulations carried out to investigate the seismic response of a propped flexible retaining wall in a dry coarse-grained soil, considering two bedrock acceleration time histories as seismic input. Two different soil plasticity models have been considered in this study: an anisotropic hardening, critical-state model for cyclic/dynamic loading of sands and the classical Mohr–Coulomb elastic-perfectly plastic model with nonassociative flow rule. The results obtained allow to highlight the main features of the seismic performance of such type of flexible retaining structures and to evaluate the effects of the constitutive assumptions made on soil behavior on the predicted wall displacements and structural loads.     

Large-scale Hercynian West-directed tectonics in southeastern Sardinia (Italy)

Abstract

Widespread Hercynian west-directed thrusting and west-facing folds, until now only reported in a limited area, are ubiquitous in the Sarrabus unit, southeastern Sardinia. Intense thrusting and imbrication in the higher tectonic levels of the Sarrabus unit potentially originated during west-directed thrusting of higher tectonic units, which have been eroded. The floor thrust of the Sarrabus unit, the Villasalto thrust, is a west- directed thrust that places the Sarrabus unit above the Gerrei and Meana Sardo units. East-west shortening in southeastern Sardinia followed north-south shortening in central Sardinia and internal deformation in the Castello Medusa-Riu Gruppa, Gerrei, Meana Sardo and Barbagia units. After restoration of movement along the Villasalto thrust, the Sarrabus unit is located east of the Gerrei and Meana Sardo unit. Therefore, it cannot be directly correlated with the Meana Sardo or the Barbagia units. © Elsevier, Paris