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 Mw > = 5 are expected. It also assumes that earthquakes with Mw 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. 相似文献
In the Strait of Messina (Sicily, Central Mediterranean Sea) strong tidal currents, very irregular hydrological regime and related solid load, and local seismic activity cause sediment instability; this area represents therefore a case‐study of a naturally disturbed soft‐bottom environment. In this paper, mollusc and polychaete assemblages of the northern part of the Strait were described. Composition, community structure, eco‐ethological features, trophic guilds and sediment‐type relationships were studied in 64 stations sampled located between 3.5 and 50 m depth in October 1992 by means of a Van Veen grab. A total of 131 species (65 molluscs and 66 polychaetes) were identified. A dense population of the tubicolous polychaete Ditrupa arietina was recognized, together with the occurrence of other species tied to a high sedimentation rate, such as Corbula gibba and Tellina distorta, as well as widespread, mud‐tolerant species (e.g.Chone spp., Hyalinoecia tubicola). Diversity (H′) showed a peak at intermediate depths (10/20 m) and a clear decrease beyond this depth, corresponding to the Ditrupa core population. Multivariate comparison between sediment features and community composition throughout the bathymetric gradient showed a narrow ecocline between two environments subjected to opposite hydrodynamic constraints. In the shallower zone, a wide typology of trophic‐ethological guilds was related to community patchiness, in contrast to a greater functional uniformity of the deeper assemblage, dominated by sessile, semi‐infaunal suspension feeders. A possible role played by a phase of increased rainfall to increase bottom instability, locally emphasized by a previous human activity, is also discussed. 相似文献
The EC funded Geochemical Seismic Zonation program (EEC GSZ Project 1996–1998) chose Sardinia as a low-seismicity site, in which the relationships between fluid geochemistry and seismo-tectonics
had to be investigated and results compared with outcomes from other selected high-seismicity sites. A first article, examining
the role of fault segmentation and seismic quiescence on the geochemical composition of groundwaters and gases, has already
been presented (Angelone et al. 2005). This article deals with environmental isotopes which, together with selected hydrochemical data, give hints on tectonically-related
fluid circulations. Four water-dominated hydrothermal systems were considered, all located along regional fault systems and
discharging groundwaters belonging to the Na–HCO3 and Na–Cl facies. In the considered systems, groundwater circulation takes place, principally, in the Palaeozoic Crystalline
Basement (PCB), with the exception of the Logudoro system, where hydrological circuits develop in the Mesozoic Carbonate Platform
(MCP). The high CO2 contents, the non-attainment of fluid-rock equilibrium and the large lithological variability prevent the construction of
a unique hydrogeological–geochemical conceptual model. In this case, stable isotopes provide a useful tool to describe the
origin of fluids and their subterranean movements. Stable isotopes of water, integrated with hydrochemical data, indicate
that fluids are derived from three main end members. The dominant component is a relatively recent local meteoric water; the
second one is marine water; and the third one is a fossil freshwater, depleted in heavy isotopes with respect to modern rains.
The latter end member entered the aquifer system in the past, when climatic conditions were greatly different from today.
At least two circulation systems can be recognised, namely a shallow cold system and a deep hydrothermal system, as well as
two distinct hydrological processes: (1) gravity-controlled descent of cold water towards greater depths and (2) convection
linked to a thermal gradient, causing deep fluids to rise up from the hydrothermal reservoir towards the surface. The highly
variable δ13CTDIC values suggest the presence of two distinct CO2 sources, namely, a biogenic one and a thermogenic one. The relation between the isotopic compositions of CO2 and He indicates an increased mantle signature in uprising CO2-rich fluids. 相似文献
Characterization of the microseismic activity (ML<2.0) has been performed at Mt. Melbourne since 1990. We recorded a group of low frequency events with common morphological characteristics, i.e., an emerging onset, an unclear second phase and a sharply dropping coda. Spectral analysis of events recorded at more than one station indicates that the seismogram characteristics and spectral content are largely due to source effects. A polarization filter applied to a set of three component data revealed a first phase made up ofP waves followed (after about 0.9–1.4 sec.) by a second phase probably composed ofSH-type waves. Particle motion analysis detected a seismic ray angle direction mainly between N70°E and N110°E and apparent angle of incidence between 35° and 48° for the first phase. The studied seismicity was localized in an area on the eastern slope of Mt. Melbourne Volcano which presents a surface temperature anomaly (Mazzarini andSalvini, 1994). We formulate two hypotheses for the type of earthquakes recorded: 1) long-period events involving active presence of magmatic fluids in the source processes; 2) or the result of fracturing processes (shear?) in a medium characterized by transition between brittle and plastic behaviors. In the latter hypothesis the superficial thermal anomaly may be a symptom of this behavior at depth and is confirmed by the lown values observed for the exponential fit in the codaQ analysis. 相似文献
A recent noticeable climatic anomaly in some meteomarine quantities is analysed based on observations during the period March 1, 1971-February 28, 1993 taken in Trieste (Italy). Marked deviations from the normal values of the coupled quantities atmospheric pressure-solar irradiance and atmospheric pressure-sea level elevation, during the last 22 years, are analysed. The procedures used bring out a clear and persistent configuration of high pressure, high irradiance and low sea level from 1989 on, previously unmatched. 相似文献
A simple matching technique is developed which allows us to compute the response of the solar envelope to perturbations which occur within the solar convective region, and in timescales of importance to climate. This technique is applied to perturbation of the convective efficiency (-mechanism), and of the non-gas component of the pressure in different regions of the convection zone (-mechanism). The results indicate that while either perturbation affects the solar luminosity, the -mechanism has almost no effect on the solar outer radius, regardless of the affected region, whereas the -mechanism produces radius changes which may be large if the location of perturbation is deep enough. 相似文献
The solar irradiance modulation due to active regions during 1980 has been investigated in detail. Specifically, we estimate the uncertainties caused by ground-based data used as input in the modeling effort, and by our currently incomplete knowledge of the proper parameters that describe the angular variation of sunspot and facular contrasts. We conclude that the most significant uncertainties are due to errors in area measurements and, possibly, varying spot and facular brightness. A standard model for later use is derived by a best-fit technique of the currently available ACRIM irradiance data and the predictions of our models with appropriately varied parameters. Finally, we compute the expected irradiance for the entire year of 1980.NRC Senior Research Associate on leave from the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics and the Astro-Geophysics Department, University of Colorado at Boulder, Colo., U.S.A. 相似文献
Frozen sediment cores from Lake Pupuke in Auckland City, New Zealand, contain a high resolution decadal to annual scale record
of changing lake paleoenvironments and geochemistry that reflects changing landuse and hydrology in the catchment over the
past c. 190 years. A reliable chronology is available from AMS 14C and 210Pb dating of the sediments, with the timing of the older part of the record supported by the first appearance of pollen of
introduced Pinus and Plantago lanceolata associated with European settlement of Auckland in the early 1840s. Diatom stratigraphy, sediment elemental and carbon isotope
geochemistry reflect changes in sediment sources and lake conditions commensurate with European development of the Lake Pupuke
catchment, in particular enhanced algal productivity controlled by the influx of nutrients after c. 1920 AD. Attempts to prevent
nuisance algal blooms in 1933, 1934 and 1939 using CuSO4 addition produced Cu spikes in the sediment that allowed confirmation of the accuracy of the 210Pb chronology. Hence, the elemental and isotopic composition of the Lake Pupuke sediments reflect the timing of significant
anthropogenic activities, rather than climatic variations, that have occurred within the watershed over the past c. 190 years.
The comparison of records of land use change in the catchment with the multi-proxy record of changes in the sediments usually
allowed unambiguous identification of the signatures of change and their causes. 相似文献