Coseismic Deformation and Source Modeling of the May 2012 Emilia (Northern Italy) Earthquakes

Pezzo, Giuseppe; Boncori, John Peter Merryman; Tolomei, Cristiano; Salvi, Stefano; Atzori, Simone; Antonioli, Andrea; Trasatti, Elisa; Novali, F.; Serpelloni, Enrico; Candela, Leonardo; Giuliani, Roberta

doi:10.1785/0220120171

Cited by 63 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Definitely, the issue concerning the triggering between the main events of the May 2012 Emilia sequence remains still unsolved. In fact, previous analyses based on okadastyle modeling of fault interactions (Ganas et al 2012;Pezzo et al 2013) have not reached conclusive evidence on the effect of static stress transfer, while dynamic triggering as suggested by Convertito et al (2013) could be not a robust explanation for two failures separated by a time window of 9 days, since the dynamic effect is likely to vanish few hours after the rupture.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…To implement the seismic sources for the 2012 Emilia earthquakes, we adopted the geometries proposed by Pezzo et al (2013), who retrieved the fault planes for the May 20 and 29 events by means of the inversion of InSAR and GPS data, using the analytical solutions for dislocations in an elastic half-space (Okada 1985). Due to the quite good geodetic coverage for these events , the obtained source models turn out to be relatively detailed.…”

Section: The Fe Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We used coseismic deformation data derived from GPS measurements and InSAR deformation maps acquired from COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) and Radarsat-1 (RSAT) satellites (Pezzo et al 2013). Serpelloni et al (2012) provided the coseismic offsets retrieved from continuous GPS stations operating in and around the epicentral area.…”

Section: Geodetic Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two CSK interferograms were generated by Pezzo et al (2013), one capturing the easternmost part of the ground displacements of the first earthquake (hereinafter CSK1) and the other yielding a well-centered picture for the second shock (hereinafter CSK2). A third interferogram was calculated from a RSAT pair spanning the seismic activity from May 12th to June 5th and showing a cumulating displacement field: to obtain a full displacement field for the May 20 event, a differential map was generated by subtracting the CSK2 deformation map from the RSAT one (hereinafter RSAT-CSK2) (Pezzo et al 2013).…”

Section: Geodetic Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cesca et al (2013), by regional waveform inversion, inferred that the static stress perturbation associated with the May 20 earthquake can not be responsible for the rupture of the Mirandola fault, but it can have sped it up, being the event mature on that fault. Pezzo et al (2013), by means of geodetic data modeling and stress-transfer analysis, suggested that, although the May 20 event did not produce stress loading at the May 29 hypocenter, a triggering effect could be ascribed to additional stress load redistribution, owing to an aseismic slip occurred on the eastern sector of the Mirandola thrust in the time span between the two shocks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of fluid migration and static stress transfer in searching connections between the May 2012 Emilia earthquakes through a fully 3D finite element modeling

Volpe

Piersanti

2016

Model. Earth Syst. Environ.

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On May 20 and 29, 2012, two earthquakes struck the Emilia Romagna region (Northern Italy), with similar mechanisms. The proximity in space and time between the two events required to investigate possible triggering effects in terms of stress transfer or fluid migration. Moreover, the debate concerning fluid extraction-injection activities brought to the appointment of an International Commission (ICHESE), for evaluating relationships between the hydrocarbon exploitation and the seismic activity near the focal zone: the ICHESE conclusive report did not exclude the possibility of a triggering effect associated with explorations, although this appears not supported by robust evidences. On the other hand, there is no agreement between published papers addressing classical triggering mechanisms and in this respect an improved analysis based on 3D numerical modeling is a valuable tool to provide new insights and outcomes. To this aim, we built up a 3D model honoring the complexities of the real Earth, to retrieve the slip patterns on both the rupture planes by implementing finite element computed Green's functions in a linear joint inversion scheme of geodetic data. Then, we inspected possible mechanisms which could have contributed to promote the second event, such as Coulomb stress transfer and natural fluid migration. Our findings suggest that both phenomena are not likely to be responsible for the May 29 earthquake, even if fluid migration was found to have a role in facilitating the rupture but without reaching hydrofracturing condition. Nevertheless a suprahydrostatic pore pressure is inferred which could have promoted the reactivation of the thrust fault.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: The Fe Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geodetic Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geodetic Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The role of fluid migration and static stress transfer in searching connections between the May 2012 Emilia earthquakes through a fully 3D finite element modeling

Volpe

Piersanti

2016

Model. Earth Syst. Environ.

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Vertical GPS ground motion rates in the Euro‐Mediterranean region: New evidence of velocity gradients at different spatial scales along the Nubia‐Eurasia plate boundary

Faccenna²,

et al. 2013

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[1] We use 2.5 to 14 years long position time series from >800 continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) stations to study vertical deformation rates in the Euro-Mediterranean region. We estimate and remove common mode errors in position time series using a principal component analysis, obtaining a significant gain in the signal-to-noise ratio of the displacements data. Following the results of a maximum likelihood estimation analysis, which gives a mean spectral index~À0.7, we adopt a power law + white noise stochastic model in estimating the final vertical rates and find 95% of the velocities within ±2 mm/yr, with uncertainties from filtered time series~40% smaller than from the unfiltered ones. We highlight the presence of statistically significant velocity gradients where the stations density is higher. We find undulations of the vertical velocity field at different spatial scales both in tectonically active regions, like eastern Alps, Apennines, and eastern Mediterranean, and in regions characterized by a low or negligible tectonic activity, like central Iberia and western Alps. A correlation between smooth vertical velocities and topographic features is apparent in many sectors of the study area. Glacial isostatic adjustment and weathering processes do not completely explain the measured rates, and a combination of active tectonics and deep-seated geodynamic processes must be invoked. Excluding areas where localized processes are likely, or where subduction processes may be active, mantle dynamics is the most likely process, but regional mantle modeling is required for a better understanding.

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Source inversion of the 1570 Ferrara earthquake and definitive diversion of the Po River (Italy)

Sirovich

Pettenati

2015

JGR Solid Earth

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An 11‐parameter, kinematic‐function (KF) model was used to retrieve the approximate geometrical and kinematic characteristics of the fault source of the 1570 Mw 5.8 Ferrara earthquake in the Po Plain, including the double‐couple orientation (strike angle 127 ± 16°, dip 28 ± 7°, and rake 77 ± 16°). These results are compatible with either the outermost thrust fronts of the northern Apennines, which are buried beneath the Po Plain's alluvial deposits, or the blind crustal‐scale thrust. The 1570 event developed to the ENE of the two main shocks on 20 May 2012 (M 6.1) and 29 May 2012 (M 5.9). The three earthquakes had similar kinematics and are found 20–30 km from each other en echelon in the buried chain. Geomorphological and historical evidence exist which suggest the following: (i) the long‐lasting uplift of the buried Apenninic front shifted the central part of the course of the Po River approximately 20 km northward in historical times and (ii) the 1570 earthquake marked the definitive diversion of the final part of the Po River away from Ferrara and the closure of the Po delta 40 km south of its present position.

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Coseismic Deformation and Source Modeling of the May 2012 Emilia (Northern Italy) Earthquakes

Cited by 63 publications

References 31 publications

The role of fluid migration and static stress transfer in searching connections between the May 2012 Emilia earthquakes through a fully 3D finite element modeling

The role of fluid migration and static stress transfer in searching connections between the May 2012 Emilia earthquakes through a fully 3D finite element modeling

Vertical GPS ground motion rates in the Euro‐Mediterranean region: New evidence of velocity gradients at different spatial scales along the Nubia‐Eurasia plate boundary

Source inversion of the 1570 Ferrara earthquake and definitive diversion of the Po River (Italy)

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