Publication Date:
2020-02-06
Description:
On August 24th 2016, a Mw 6.0 earthquake started the Amatrice - Norcia (Central Italy) seismic
sequence, generated by the extensional tectonics along the Apennines, that had its apex with the Mw
6.5 October 30th mainshock. As a unique documented case reported in Italy, complex surface
faulting occurred during both earthquakes along the Mt. Vettore fault. Multiple surface faulting was
accompanied at depth by the development of a km-scale normal fault-propagation fold. This fold
was characterized by breakthrough and by surface rupture within thick carbonatic layers only in the
central and north-western area (Mt. Vettore). On the contrary, the fault remained blind where
flexural slip was active in sandy-silty turbiditic deposits in the south-eastern area (Mt. Gorzano).
We explain the different faulting behaviour with the occurrence of more rigid and competent
lithologies in areas characterized by breakthrough and with the occurrence of weaker lithologies in
areas characterized by blind faulting. Overall, the entire seismic sequence appears as a gradual
gravitational adjustment of the hangingwall block, slipping along a NW-trending and 80 km long
fault system. In particular, the following crustal blocks, partially overlapping and with different
length (30, 40 and 22 km, respectively), progressively collapsed during the sequence: the Amatrice
sector during the August 24th 2016, Mw 6.0 event, the Norcia-Visso sector during the October 26th
2016, Mw 5.9 and the 2016 October 30th Mw 6.5 event, and the Campotosto Lake sector during the
four January 18th 2017, M〉5 events. The progressive involvement of these three rock volumes,
during the seismic sequence is here explained by the occurrence of a low angle detachment that
limited the maximum potential depth of the mainshocks and consequently the dimensions of
involved rock volumes, therefore limiting the magnitudes of the mainshocks.
Description:
Published
Description:
101676
Description:
2T. Deformazione crostale attiva
Description:
JCR Journal
Keywords:
Normal fault earthquake
;
fault propagation fold
;
Coseismic crustal deformation of the Amatrice-Norcia 2016 sequence
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
article
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