Abstract
This paper describes a travel—time analysis performed for the Italian seismic stations, in particular those operating in southern Italy, in order to study the crust and upper mantle properties in the region. Average P-wave residuals of teleseisms in the distance range 30°–95° with respect to Jeffreys-Bullen tables, at thirteen permanent and temporary stations of southern Italy, are coherent with a high velocity zone beneath Calabria and northern Sicily and low velocity material in the mantle beneath the Eolian Islands. Travel—time residuals from Tyrrhenian intermediate earthquakes show a high velocity structure which extends in a NW direction from a depth of at least 200 km down to 450 km.
A damped least-squares inversion applied to DSS data confirms the existence of low velocity zones in the crust beneath the Eolian Islands, at 8–12 km depth, that agrees with previous results and with the lack of S waves from local earthquakes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agarwal, N. K., Jacoby, W. R., andBerckemer, H. (1976),Teleseismic P-Wave Travel-Time Residuals and Deep Structure of the Aegean Region, Tectonophysics31, 33–57.
Ballarin, S., Palla, B., andTrombetti, C. (1972),La gravità in Italia. Carta delle anomalie topografiche e topografico-isotopiche, Boll. Geod. Sc. Aff.31, 461–489.
Barberi, F., Gasparini, P., Innocenti, F., andVillari, L. (1973),Volcanism of the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea and its Geodynamic Implications, J. Geophys. Res.78, 5221–5232.
Bottari, A. (1975),Deep Structures of the Southern Tyrrhenian Basin and P-Wave Residuals at Messina, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am.65, 1013–1021.
Bottari, A., andLo Giudice, E. (1975),P-Wave Velocity and Plate Tectonics Implications from the Tyrrhenian Deep Earthquake Zone, Tectonophysics25, 187–200.
Caputo, M., Panza, G. F., andPostpischl, D. (1970),Deep Structure of the Mediterranean Basin, J. Geophys. Res.75, 4919–4923.
Caputo, M., Panza, G. F., andPostpischl, D. (1972),New Evidences about the Deep Structure of the Lipari Arc, Tectonophysics15, 219–231.
Crosson, R. S. (1976),Crustal Structure Modeling of Earthquake Data 1. Simultaneous Least Squares Estimation of Hypocenter and Velocity Parameters, J. Geophys. Res.81, 3036–3046.
Del Pezzo, E., Luongo, G., andScarpa, R. (1979),Seismic Wave Transmission in Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Boll. Geof. Teor. Appl.21, 53–66.
Giese, P., andMorelli, C. (1975),Crustal Structure in Italy, Quad. Ric. Sc. CNR-Roma,90, 453–487.
Gregersen, S. (1977),P-Wave Travel-Time Residuals Caused by a Dipping Plate in the Aegean Arc in Greece, Tectonophysics37, 83–93.
Hales, L. A. (1972),The Travel Times of P Seismic Waves and their Relevance to the Upper Mantle Velocity Distribution, inThe Upper Mantle (ed. A. R. Ritsema), Tectonophysics13 (1–4), 447–482.
Herrin, E., andTaggart, J. N. (1968),Regional Variations in P Travel Times, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am.58, 1325–1337.
Jeffreys, H., andSingh, K. (1973),Comparison of Station Errors in Seismology, Geophys. J. R. Astr. Soc.32, 423–437.
Lee, W. H. K., andLahr, J. C. (1971),HYP071: A Computer Program for Determinign Hypocenter, Magnitude and First Motion Pattern of Local Earthquakes, USGS Open-file Report, 100pp.
Morelli, C., Giese, P., Cassinis, R., Colombi, B., Guerra, I., Luongo, G., Scarascia, S., andSchutte, K. G. (1975),Crustal Structure of Southern Italy. A Seismic Refraction Profile Between Puglia-Calabria-Sicily, Boll. Geof. Teor. Appl.17, 183–210.
Payo, G. (1972),P-Wave Residuals at some Iberic Stations and Deep Structure of South-Western Europe, Geophys. J. R. Astr. Soc.26, 481–497.
Prozorov, A. G. (1977),Systematic Variations of Mean Travel-Time Residuals in Space and Time, Pure appl. Geophys.115, 675–692.
Ritsema, A. R. (1972),Deep Earthquakes of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Geol. Mijnbouw51, 541–545.
Riuscetti, M., andSchick, R. (1975),Earthquakes and Tectonics in Southern Italy, Boll. Geof. Teor. Appl.17, 59–78.
Willmore, P. L., andBancroft, A. M. (1960),The Time-Term Approach to Refraction Seismology, Geophys. J. R. Astr. Soc.3, 419–432.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Publication No. 193, Progetto Finalizzato Geodinamica, CNR-Roma.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Del Pezzo, E., Guerra, I. & Scarpa, R. The crust and upper mantle structure beneath southern Italy by earthquakes and DSS data. PAGEOPH 119, 1134–1143 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00876692
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00876692