Abstract. Structural studies in active caldera systems are widely used in
geothermal exploration to reconstruct volcanological conceptual models.
Active calderas are difficult settings to perform such studies mostly
because of the highly dynamic environment, dominated by fast accumulation of
primary and secondary volcanic deposits, the variable and transient rheology
of the shallow volcanic pile, and the continuous feedbacks between faulting,
secondary porosity creation, and geothermal fluid
circulation, alteration and cementation that tend to obliterate the tectonic
deformation structures. In addition, deformation structures can be also
caused by near- and far-field stress regimes, which include magmatic
intrusions at various depths, the evolving topography and regional
tectonics. A lack of consideration of all these factors may severely
underpin the reliability of structural studies. By rebutting and providing a
detailed discussion of all the points raised by the comment of Norini and
Groppelli (2020) to the Urbani et al. (2020) paper, we take the opportunity
to specify the scientific rationale of our structural fieldwork and
strengthen its relevance for geothermal exploration and exploitation in active
caldera geothermal systems in general and, particularly, for the Holocene
history of deformation and geothermal circulation in the Los Humeros
caldera. At the same time, we identify several major flaws in the approach
and results presented in Norini and Groppelli (2020), such as (1) the lack of
an appropriate ranking of the deformation structures considering an
inventory method for structural analysis; (2) the misinterpretation and
misquoting of Urbani et al. (2020) and other relevant scientific literature;
and (3) irrelevant and contradictory statements within their comment.