A seismic source zone model for the seismic hazard assessment of the Italian territory

We designed a new seismic source model for Italy to be used as an input for country-wide probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA) in the frame of the compilation of a new national reference map.

We started off by reviewing existing models available for Italy and for other European countries, then discussed the main open issues in the current practice of seismogenic zoning.

The new model, termed ZS9, is largely based on data collected in the past 10 years, including historical earthquakes and instrumental seismicity, active faults and their seismogenic potential, and seismotectonic evidence from recent earthquakes. This information allowed us to propose new interpretations for poorly understood areas where the new data are in conflict with assumptions made in designing the previous and widely used model ZS4.

ZS9 is made out of 36 zones where earthquakes with M_w > = 5 are expected. It also assumes that earthquakes with M_w up to 5 may occur anywhere outside the seismogenic zones, although the associated probability is rather low. Special care was taken to ensure that each zone sampled a large enough number of earthquakes so that we could compute reliable earthquake production rates.

Although it was drawn following criteria that are standard practice in PSHA, ZS9 is also innovative in that every zone is characterised also by its mean seismogenic depth (the depth of the crustal volume that will presumably release future earthquakes) and predominant focal mechanism (their most likely rupture mechanism). These properties were determined using instrumental data, and only in a limited number of cases we resorted to geologic constraints and expert judgment to cope with lack of data or conflicting indications. These attributes allow ZS9 to be used with more accurate regionalized depth-dependent attenuation relations, and are ultimately expected to increase significantly the reliability of seismic hazard estimates.     

Efficacy of beach dewatering — Alassio,Italy

The goal of this study is to estimate the efficiency of dewatering operations in Alassio Beach, north Italy by following an integrated approach which included beach volume calculations, daily mapping of the shoreline position, examination of specific beach widening events and daily comparisons of morphodynamic characteristics of the drained beach versus a control section which included wave run-up, bar patterns, rip migration, evolution of the berm and cusp morphology.     

Groundwater characteristics within loessic deposits: the coastal springs of Los Acantilados,Mar del Plata,Argentina

The urban growth of the southern neighborhoods of Mar del Plata City provoked significant changes in the groundwater balance of the loessic sequences. These regional loessic levels with a significant portion of volcanic ash layers were reported subject to fluoride and nitrate concentrations. Residential houses pump from sands located 70 m depth and withdraw the sewages to depths less than 5 m. These effects cause significant local and seasonal (summer) increments of the water table outcropping via springs at certain unconformities of the coastal cliffs. A mathematical model was applied to analyze the water level lowering at the productive levels, while there is a decrease in the quality of the upper levels subject to waste discharges. Much of this groundwater flow is concentrated in unconformities between different types of sediments. Human activities have affected the aquifer dynamics increasing the groundwater pumping rates and the return velocity of the sewages. This should be considered in the management strategies of coastal hydric resources.     

Relationship between some trace elements and magmatic processes

Relationships between magmatic differentiation, volcanological evolution and occurrence of some trace elements have been pointed out by a petrographic and volcanological study of the Quaternary magmatic products of the Northern Latium alkali-potassic volcanoes (Sabatini, Vico, Vulsini).Several hundred analyses of U, Th, Be, Zr, Rb, Sr have been carried out. The above elements are contained in exceptional quantity in the examined alkaline rocks. The distribution pattern of these elements helps for a better understanding of some types of differentiation and, above all, allows to identify the processes related to the uplift and outflow of magmas which are undetectable with the usual petrochemical methods.In particular, the trace elements considered allow us to distinguish a deepseated magma evolution from superficial differentiations related to the volcanic conditions. Moreover, a loss of alkalies from the upper levels of the magmatic chambers has been ascertained which determines peculiar deformations in the normal petrogenetic trends.-- (: Sabatini, Vico, Vulsini). , . .

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Zusammenfassung Das petrographische und vulkanologische Studium der quartären Vulkanite der Mediterranen Sippe des nördlichen Latiums (die Vulkane Sabatini, Vico und Vulsini) haben uns die Gelegenheit gegeben, die Verhältnisse zwischen Magmenentwicklung, vulkanologischer Evolution und Verteilung einiger Spurenelemente zu bestätigen.Zu diesem Zweck sind Hunderte von Analysen von U, Th, Be, Zr, Sr, Rb — Elemente welche in ungemein großen Mengen in den untersuchten alkalischen Gesteinen enthalten sind — vorgenommen worden. Das Studium der Verteilung dieser Elemente hat ein gründliches Verstehen einiger Differentiationstypen erlaubt, und vor allem den Ablauf des Prozesses des Magmen-Aufstiegs und Abflusses gezeigt, welcher nicht mittels der normalen petrochemischen Untersuchungen ersichtlich ist.Besonders die in Betracht gezogenen Spurenelemente erlauben die Unterscheidung der magmatischen Evolution in den tiefen Lagen von den oberflächlicheren Differentiationen, welche an das vulkanische Geschehen gebunden sind.In dieser Hinsicht ist ein wichtiges Schlußergebnis die Bestätigung des Alkaliverlustes seitens der oberflächlichen Sektoren der Magmaherde, ein Verlust welcher eigenartige Deformationen von den normalen petrogenetischen Linien gezeigt hat.

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Résumé L'étude pétrographique et volcanologique des manifestations magmatiques quaternaires de la province alcalin-potassique du Latium septentrional (Volcans Sabatini, Vico et Vulsini) nous a permis de vérifier les rapports entre la différenciation magmatique, l'évolution volcanologique et la distribution de quelques éléments en traces.Dans ce but on a exécuté plusieurs centaines d'analyses de U, Th, Be, Zn, Rb, Sr, éléments qui sont présents en quantité exceptionellement élevé dans les roches alcalines examinées.L'étude de la distribution de ces éléments a permis une compréhension plus approfondie de certains types de differenciation et surtout, elle a indiqué l'existence de processus liés à la remontée et effusion des magmas, qui ne sont pas relevables par les examens pétrochimiques normaux.En particulier les éléments en traces considérés permettent de distinguer l'évolution magmatique de milieu profond des différenciations superficielles liées aux situations volcaniques.A ce propos une conclusion importante a été la constatation de la perte d'alcali par les portions plus superficielles des réservoirs magmatiques; une perte qui a déterminé des déformations particulières qui les éloignent des lignes pétrogénétiques normales.

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Authors are indepded to Dr. S.Smcana and to Dr. G.Falchi for the analyses performance.     

Mantle upwelling within the Pannonian Basin: evidence from xenolith lithology and mineral chemistry

Five spinel lherzolite xenoliths hosted in Neogene alkali basalts from the marginal parts of the Pannonian Basin (Styrian Basin in Austria and Persani Mts. in the Eastern Transylvanian Basin, Romania) contain orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene–spinel clusters, which are believed to represent former garnet in lherzolitic mantle material. 'Palaeo' equilibrium pressure of this former garnet lherzolite was estimated to be equivalent to depths of 90–120 km using calculated garnet compositions and measured orthopyroxene compositions from the clusters. 'Neo' equilibrium pressures of the xenoliths indicate depths of 55–65 km, suggesting c.  50–60 km uprise of the mantle section represented by these xenoliths. This petrological result confirms the observations from previous geophysical studies that significant mantle uplift has occurred beneath the Pannonian Basin.     

An inverse procedure to estimate transmissivity from heads and SP signals

Experimental hydraulic heads and electrical (self-potential) signals associated with a pumping test were used in an inverse model to estimate the transmissivity distribution of a real aquifer. Several works reported in the literature show that there is a relatively good linear relationship between the hydraulic heads in the aquifer and electrical signals measured at the ground surface. In this experimental test field, first, the current coupling coefficient was determined by the best fit between experimental and modeled self-potential signals at the end of the pumping phase. Soon afterward, with the hydraulic heads obtained from the self-potential signals, the transmissivity distribution of the aquifer was conditioned by means an inverse model based on the successive linear estimator (SLE). To further substantiate the estimated T field from the SLE analysis, we analyzed the drawdown rate, the derivative of the drawdown with respect to the ln(t), because the drawdown rate is highly sensitive to the variability in the transmissivity field. In our opinion, these results show that self-potential signals allow the monitoring of subsurface flow in the course of pumping experiments, and that electrical potentials serve as a good complement to piezometric observations to condition and characterize the transmissivity distribution of an aquifer.     

High-resolution seismic stratigraphy of the late Neogene of the central sector of the Colombian Pacific continental shelf: A seismic expression of an active continental margin

The sedimentary prism of the central Pacific continental shelf of Colombia was affected by regional folding and faulting, and probably later mud diapirism, from the Late Miocene to the Holocene. Interpretation of high-resolution seismic lines (2 s/dt) revealed that the prism consists of 13 high-resolution seismic units, that can be separated into 5 seismic groups.Deposition of the prism and the associated stacking pattern, are probably the response to variable uplift and subsidence in a fore-arc basin that underwent important tectonic events by the end of the Miocene. Throughout the Pliocene, the continental shelf sedimentation was affected by the growing of a dome structure probable due to mud diapirism. This fact caused peripheral faults both normal and reverse that controlled the distribution of some of the seismic units. During the Late Pleistocene (Wisconsin stage?) a eustatic sea level fall caused the shoreline to advance about 50 km westward of its present position. Because of this eustatic sea level change, a strong fluvial dissection took place and is interpreted as the probable extension of the San Juan River to the south of the present day river mouth. Within this framework it is believed that the Malaga and Buenaventura Bays were the passageways of branches of the old drainage system of the San Juan River. The inner branch circulated through the present Buenaventura Bay and runs southward leaving the mark of an apparent valley identified in the seismic information in the eastern sector of the study area. This old fluvial valley and its filling material located in the present day inner continental shelf front of Buenaventura are postulated as important targets to find placer minerals such as gold and platinum.