Skip to main content
Log in

The 1997 Umbria-Marche (Italy) earthquake sequence: analysis of the data recorded by the local and temporary networks

  • Published:
Journal of Seismology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We present some preliminary results obtained from thejoined analysis of the data collected by the permanentand the temporary networks operating in the area ofthe earthquake sequence that followed (andanticipated) the 26 September, Central Italy, mainshocks. In particular, these earthquake data haveallowed us to determine a well constrainedwave-velocity model (both P and S) with stationcorrections which demonstrated to produce robusthypocentral locations. These velocity modelswith station corrections have been used forre-locating the whole September 1997–July 1998subset of data of the permanent network, and theprevious background seismicity, starting from May1996. The focal mechanisms of the largest events werealso obtained from an analysis of the first-motionpolarities.Our results indicate that 1) the seismic activityaligns on a SE-NW trend for a total length of about50 km of extension; 2) the focal depth of theseevents is restricted to the range 0–9 km; 3) mostevents can be related to sub-parallel SW dipping faultplanes; 4) focal mechanisms of the largest shocks(ML > 4) show a coherent behaviour, withnormal fault solution on SSE-NNW striking, SW dippingplanes; 5) the space-time evolution of the activitydisplays a discontinuous mode of energy release, withdifferent episodes of activation and an apparentclustering of aftershocks at the edges of the areaswhich presumably ruptured in the main shocks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amato, A., Alessandrini, B., Cimini, G.B., Frepoli, A. and Selvaggi, G., 1993, Active and remnant subducted slabs beneath Italy: Evidence from seismic tomography and seismicity, Ann. Geofis. 36, 201–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amato, A., Azzara, R., Chiarabba, C., Cimini, G.B., Cocco, M., Di Bona, M., Margheriti, L., Mazza, S., Mele, F., Selvaggi, G., Basili, A., Boschi, E., Courboulex, F., Deschamps, A., Gaffet, S., Bittarelli, G., Chiaraluce, L., Piccinini, D. and Ripepe, M., 1998, The 1997 Umbria-Marche, Italy, earthquake sequence: a first look at the main shocks and aftershocks, Geophys. Res. Lett. 25/15, 2861–2864.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bath, M. and Duda, S.J., 1964, Earthquake volume, plain area, seismic strain, deformation and related quantities, Ann. Geofis. 17, 353–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brozzetti, F. and Lavecchia, G., 1994, Seismicity and related extensional stress field: the case of the Norcia Seismic Zone (Central Italy), Ann. Tectonicae 8, 36–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cattaneo, M., Augliera, P., Spallarossa, D. and Eva, C., 1997, Reconstruction of seismogenetic structures by multiplet analysis: an example of Western Liguria, Italy, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 87/4, 8369–8379.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cello, G., Mazzoli, S., Tondi, E. and Turco, E., 1997, Active tectonics in the Central Apennines and possible implications for seismic hazard analysis in peninsular Italy, Tectonophysics 272, 43–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Courboulex, F., Deschamps, A., Cattaneo, M., Costi, F., Deverchere, J., Virieux, J., Augliera, P., Lanza, V. and Spallarossa, D., 1998, Source study and tectonic implications of the 1995 Ventimiglia (border of Italy and France) earthquake (Ml = 4.7), Tectonophysics 290, 245–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deschamps, A., Iannaccone, G. and Scarpa, R., 1984, The Umbrian earthquake (Italy) of 19 September 1979, Ann. Geophys. 2, 29–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deschamps, A., Courboulex, F., Gaffet, S., Lomax, A., Virieux, J., Amato, A., Azzara, R., Castello, B., Chiarabba, C., Cimini, G.B., Cocco, M., Di Bona, M., Margheriti, L., Mele, F., Selvaggi, G., Chiaraluce, L., Piccinini, D. and Ripepe, M., 1999. Spatio-temporal distribution of seismic activity during the Umbria-Marche crisis, 1997, Journ. Seismology, this volume.

  • Ekstrom, G., Morelli, A., Boschi, E. and Dziewonski, A.M., 1998, Moment tensor analysis of the central Italy earthquake sequence of September-October 1997, Geophys. Res. Lett. 25/11, 1971–1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frepoli, A. and Amato, A., 1997, Contemporaneous extension and compression in the northern Apennines from earthquake faultplane solutions, Geophys. J. Int. 129, 368–388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galli, P. and Galadini, F., 1999, Seismotectonic framework of the 1997- 1998 Umbria-Marche (Central Italy) earthquakes, Seism. Res. Lett. 70/4, 417–427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kissling, E., Ellsworth, W.L., Eberhart-Phillips, D. and Kradolfer, U., 1994, Initial reference models in local earthquake tomography, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 19635–19646.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavecchia, G., Brozzetti, F., Barchi, M., Menichetti, M. and Keller, J.V.A., 1994, Seismotectonic zoning in east-central Italy deduced from an analysis of the Neogene to present deformations and related stress fields, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 106, 1107–1120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mariucci, M.T., Amato, A. and Montone, P., 1999, Recent tectonic evolution and present stress in the Northern Apennines (Italy), Tectonics 18/1, 108–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michelini, A., Spallarossa, D., Cattaneo, M., Govoni, A. and Montanari, A., 1999, The 1997 Umbria-Marche (Italy) earthquake sequence: tomographic images obtained from data of the GNDT-SSN temporary network, Journ. Seismology, this volume.

  • Parolai, S., Trojani, L., Monachesi, G., Frappiccini, M., Cattaneo, M. and Augliera, P., 1999, New considerations on the seismicity distribution in the Marchesan area by means of an analysis of the location accuracy of the RSM network, Submitted to Journ. Seismology.

  • Pino, N.A., Mazza, S. and Boschi, E., 1999, Rupture directivity of the major shocks in the 1997 Umbria-Marche (Central Italy) sequence from regional broadband waveforms, Geophys. Res. Lett. 26/14, 2101–2104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponziani, F., 1994, Digitalizzazione e reinterpretazione di dati di sismica crostale: ipotesi su un modello geodinamico per l'Italia Centrale - Tirreno Settentrionale, Ph. D. Thesis, Università Scienze della Terra, Perugia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponziani, F., De Franco, R., Minelli, G., Biella, G., Federico, C. and Pialli, G., 1995, Crustal shortening and duplication of the Moho in the Northern Apennines: a view from seismic refraction data, Tectonophysics 252, 391–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reasenberg, P. and Oppenheimer, D., 1985, FPFIT, FPPLOT and FPPAGE: Fortran computer programs for calculating and displaying earthquake fault plane solutions, U.S. Geol. Surv. Open File Rep., 85–739.

  • Scherbaum, F., 1996, Of Poles and Zeros - Fundamental of Digital Seismology. Vol. 15 - Modern Approaches in Geophysics - Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selvaggi, G., Amato, A., 1992, Subcrustal earthquakes in the Northern Apennines (Italy): evidence for a still active subduction?, Geophys. Res. Lett. 19, 2127–2130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zollo, A., Bongiovanni, G., Herrero, A., Marcucci, S. and Milana, G., 1998, The 1997 Colfiorito earthquake sequence (central Italy): insights on the mainshocks ruptures from near source strong motion records, XXIII Gen. Ass. EGS, Nice, 18- 24 April 1998.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cattaneo, M., Augliera, P., De Luca, G. et al. The 1997 Umbria-Marche (Italy) earthquake sequence: analysis of the data recorded by the local and temporary networks. Journal of Seismology 4, 401–414 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026511209166

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026511209166

Navigation