AdriaArray temporary deployment in the Po Plain and Sardinia (Italy)

Abstract

We present the deployment and performance of 17 temporary broadband seismic stations installed in Northern Italy and Sardinia as part of the AdriaArray project. These stations aim to densify the national seismic network, especially in areas with historically sparse coverage such as the Po Plain and Sardinia. We describe here the network design and site selection that follow high‑quality standards developed during previous large‑scale European seismic experiments. Despite challenging environmental and anthropogenic conditions, the stations recorded high‑quality data, enabling both local and teleseismic event detection. We analyze the seismic noise characteristics across the network using probabilistic power spectral densities and observe that stations installed in sedimentary basins typically show higher noise levels at short periods, while stations in rock sites – especially in Sardinia – generally perform better. The use of different sensor types and installation methods also influences noise behavior, particularly in the long‑period components. Despite the diverse conditions, the stations allow for the recording of both local and teleseismic events. The addition of the 4P stations improves the network’s detection threshold by approximately 0.4 magnitude units in Sardinia and 0.2 in the North Italy. The open‑access data from this deployment contribute to AdriaArray’s broader goals of advancing seismic imaging and geodynamic interpretation in the Mediterranean region.