Seismic response to stress-strain fields in the lithosphere of Sicily

Main Article Content

G. Barberi
D. Caccamo
G. De Luca
G. Neri
R. Scarpa

Abstract

Earthquake locations and fault-plane solutions are investigated in Sicily and the surrounding areas, by using local network data for the period 1988-1995, and a recently proposed 3D model of the local crustal structure. The results were used for local-to-regional scale stress inversion and strain tensor computations, after integration by a set of selected focal mechanisms taken from the literature. The area under study appears to be affected by heterogeneity of seismic deformation and the stress field. The contraction-to-extension transition from west to east on a regional scale can find a reasonable explanation in the framework of current geodynamic models, such as those assuming the activity of two main tectonic sources in the South Italy region, e.g., the Africa-Europe north-south slow convergence and the faster eastward roll-back of a westward-dipping Ionian subducting slab (Cinque al., 1993). The analysis of low-magnitude (2.5-4.0) earthquakes permitted us to perform an investigation of local-scale strain heterogeneities in this region and to evidence notable changes in the deformation style when processes at different scales are considered.

Article Details

How to Cite
Barberi, G., Caccamo, D., De Luca, G., Neri, G. and Scarpa, R. (1999) “Seismic response to stress-strain fields in the lithosphere of Sicily”, Annals of Geophysics, 42(5). doi: 10.4401/ag-3760.
Section
OLD