Seismic properties of the upper mantle beneath Lanzarote (Canary Islands): Model predictions based on texture measurements by EBSD

We present a petrophysical analysis of upper mantle xenoliths, collected in the Quaternary alkali basalt fields (Series III and IV) from the island of Lanzarote. The samples consist of eight harzburgite and four dunite nodules, 5 to 15 cm in size, and exhibit a typical protogranular to porphyroclastic texture. An anomalous foliation resulting from strong recovery processes is observed in half of the specimens. The lattice preferred orientations (LPO) of olivine, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene were measured using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). In most samples, olivine exhibits LPOs intermediate between the typical single crystal texture and the [100] fiber texture. Occasionally, the [010] fiber texture was also observed. Simultaneous occurrence of both types of fiber textures suggests the existence of more than one deformation regime, probably dominated by a simple shear component under low strain rate and moderate to high temperature. Orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene display a weaker but significant texture. The LPO data were used to calculate the seismic properties of the xenoliths at PT conditions obtained from geothermobarometry, and were compared to field geophysical data reported from the literature. The velocity of P-waves (7.9 km/s) obtained for a direction corresponding to the existing seismic transect is in good agreement with the most recent geophysical interpretation. Our results are consistent with a roughly W–E oriented fastest P-wave propagation direction in the uppermost mantle beneath the Canary Islands, and with the lithosphere structure proposed by previous authors involving a crust–mantle boundary at around 18 km in depth, overlaid by intermediate material between 11 and 18 km.     

Lava effusion rates from hand-held thermal infrared imagery: an example from the June 2003 effusive activity at Stromboli

A safe, easy and rapid method to calculate lava effusion rates using hand-held thermal image data was developed during June 2003 at Stromboli Volcano (Italy). We used a Forward Looking Infrared Radiometer (FLIR) to obtain images of the active lava flow field on a daily basis between May 31 and June 16, 2003. During this time the flow field geometry and size (where flows typically a few hundred meters long were emplaced on a steep slope) meant that near-vertical images of the whole flow field could be captured in a single image obtained from a helicopter hovering, at an altitude of 750 m and ∼1 km off shore. We used these images to adapt a thermally based effusion rate method, previously applied to low and high spatial resolution satellite data, to allow automated extraction of effusion rates from the hand-held thermal infrared imagery. A comparison between a thermally-derived (0.23–0.87 m³ s⁻¹) and dimensionally-derived effusion rate (0.56 m³ s⁻¹) showed that the thermally-derived range was centered on the expected value. Over the measurement period, the mean effusion rate was 0.38±0.25 m³ s⁻¹, which is similar to that obtained during the 1985–86 effusive eruption and the time-averaged supply rate calculated for normal (non-effusive) Strombolian activity. A short effusive pulse, reaching a peak of ∼1.2 m³ s⁻¹, was recorded on June 3, 2003. One explanation of such a peak would be an increase in driving pressure due to an increase in the height of the magma contained in the central column. We estimate that this pulse would require the magma column to attain a height of ∼190 m above the effusive vent, which is approximately the elevation difference between the vent and the floor of the NE crater. Our approach gives an easy-to-apply method that has the potential to provide effusion rate time series with a high temporal resolution.Editorial responsibility: M. Carroll     

Post-deformational annealing of calcite rocks

The evolution of microstructure and crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) during post-deformational annealing was studied on three calcite rock types differing in purity and grain size: Carrara marble (98% calcite, mean grain size of 115 μm), Solnhofen limestone (96%, 5 μm) and synthetic calcite aggregates (99%, 7 μm). Samples were first deformed in torsion at 727 °C at a shear strain rate of 3 × 10^{− 4} s^{− 1} to a shear strain of 5 and subsequently heat-treated at 727 °C for various durations between 0 and 24 h. Microstructures and CPOs were analysed by optical microscopy, image analysis and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD).All rock types deformed in the dislocation creep field at the same applied conditions, but their microstructures and CPOs after deformation and after annealing differed depending on starting grain size and material composition. In Carrara marble and in the synthetic calcite aggregate, a strong CPO developed during deformation accompanied by dynamic recrystallisation with significant changes in grain size. During annealing, widespread grain growth and subtle changes of CPO occurred, and equilibrated foam microstructures were approached after long annealing times. The CPO is the only feature in annealed samples indicating an earlier deformation phase, although it is not always identical to the CPO formed during deformation. In the more impure Solnhofen limestone, secondary phases on grain boundaries suppressed grain boundary mobility and prevented both the formation of a recrystallisation CPO during deformation and grain size modification during deformation and annealing.     

Variation of human perceptiveness of earthquakes during seismic sequences

This paper describes the variation of the human perception of earthquakes under the peculiar condition of seismic sequence occurrence. To this aim, we chose and have analyzed four seismic sequences that reflect the most common models of seismicity occurrence in the Italian territory. Our data always refer to the epicentral area, so that the contribution of the epicentral distance to the earthquake sensitiveness is considered constant. To search for recurrent behavior of people in the perception of earthquakes, we crossed seismological data to sensitivity data coming from the archives of the Italian Civil Protection. In each sequence, we individuate a number of “indicators”, such as the rate between felt and not-felt events and the minimum magnitude for which 100% of the events are felt. Such indicators are proportional to the energy released by the sequence and can be particularly affected by the time protraction of the sequence, and/or by the different familiarity with the seismic phenomenon, and/or by the intensity of the emotional impact of a seismic crisis. The observed trends of sensitiveness show a significant variation of the people perceptivity within the sequence development. From the analysis of the dataset, one can distinguish the variation of perceptivity due to emotional factors from those due to physical factors. An important observation, which is confirmed by a statistical analysis, is that the source depth does not affect the perceptiveness of earthquakes. Finally, we find important differences between on-sequence and off-sequence human perceptiveness that are connected with the different levels of alert.     

Alert system to mitigate tephra fallout hazards at Mt. Etna Volcano,Italy

Volcanic eruptions may create a wide range of risks in inhabited areas and, as a consequence, major economic damage to the surrounding territory. An example of volcanic hazard was given between 1998 and 2001 by Mt. Etna volcano, in Italy, with its frequent paroxysmal explosive activity that caused more than a hundred fire-fountain episodes. In the period January–June 2000, in particular, 64 lava fountains took place at the Southeast Crater. During the most intense explosive phase of each episode, a sustained column often formed, reaching up to 6 km above the eruptive vent. Then, the column started to expand laterally causing more or less copious tephra fallout on the slopes of Etna; ash and lapilli, therefore, constituted a serious danger for vehicular and air traffic. A software and hardware warning system was developed to mitigate the volcanic hazard indicating the areas affected by potential ash and lapilli fallout. The alert system was mainly based on the good correspondence between the pattern of volcanic tremor amplitude and the evolution of explosive activity. When a fixed tremor threshold was exceeded, a semiautomatic process started to send faxes to Civil Defence and Municipalities directly affected by tephra fallout, together with information on wind directions from the Meteorological Office. The application of this methodology, during the last 14 eruptive episodes in 2000 and the 14 events occurred in 2001, demonstrated the good correspondence between the forecasts on the areas affected by tephra fallout and the effective tephra distribution on land. Despite the integrity of the performance provided by the alert system, small discrepancies occurred in the technical procedure of alerting, for which possible solutions have been discussed. The improvement of this type of system, could become basic for the Etnean region and be proposed for similar volcanic areas throughout the world.     

Variations of local seismic response in Benevento (Southern Italy) using earthquakes and ambient noise recordings

The city of Benevento (Southern Italy) has been repeatedly struck by large historical earthquakes. A heterogeneous geologic structure and widespread soft soil conditions make the estimation of site effects crucial for the seismic hazard assessment of the city. From 2000 until 2004, we installed seismic stations to collect earthquake data over zones with different geological conditions. Despite the high level of urban noise, we recorded more than 150 earthquakes at twelve sites. This data set yields the first, well documented experimental evidence for weak to moderate local amplifications. We investigated site effects primarily by the classical spectral ratio technique (CSR) using a rock station placed on the Benevento hill as reference. All sites in the Calore river valley and in the eastern part of the Benevento hill show a moderate high-frequency (f > 4 Hz) amplification peak. Conversely, sites in the Sabato river valley share weak-to-moderate amplification in a wide frequency band (from 1–2 to 7–10 Hz), without evident frequency peaks. Application of no-reference-site techniques to earthquake and noise data confirms the results of the CSRs in the sites of the Calore river valley and of the eastern part of the Benevento hill, but fails in providing indications for site effects in the Sabato river valley, being the H/V ratios nearly flat. One-dimensional modeling indicates that the ground motion amplification can be essentially explained in terms of a vertically varying geologic structure. High-frequency narrow peaks are caused by the strong impedance contrast existing between near-surface soft deposits and stiff cemented conglomerates. Conversely, broad-band amplifications in the Sabato river valley are likely due to a more complex layering with weak impedance contrasts both in the shallow and deep structure of the valley.     

Observational Tests of the Galaxy Formation Process

The mutual feedback between star formation and nuclear activity in large spheroidal galaxies may be a key ingredient to overcome several difficulties plaguing current semi-analytic models for galaxy formation. We discuss some observational implications of the model by Granato et al. for the co-evolution of galaxies and active nuclei at their centers and stress the potential of the forthcoming surveys of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect on arcminute scales, down to μK levels, to investigate the early galaxy-formation phases, difficult to access by other means.     

Chemical parameters characterizing the sedimentary environment in a NW Adriatic coastal area (Italy)

Organic matter constituents (C, N, P) have been measured in surficial sediment samples from a coastal area often subjected to eutrophication phenomena. Chemical and physico-chemical parameters are substantially homogeneous throughout the area investigated, indicating a mainly autochthonous origin of the sedimented organic matter and allowing some considerations on the diagenetic processes possibly occurring at the sediment-water interface in relation to nutrient release.