A LiDAR and field study of surface rupture and post-seismic slip for the 6th April 2009 L'Aquila Earthquake (M6.3). (URGENCY GRANT)
Lead Research Organisation:
Durham University
Department Name: Earth Sciences
Abstract
Normal faulting earthquakes produce coseismic vertical motions that have previously been observed to amplify during the days and weeks after the mainshock by a process known as 'postseismic creep' or 'after-slip'. It is vital to quantify the relative contributions of coseismic and postseismic motion in order to interpret (a) palaeoseismic observations where measurements of fault slip are made many years after the earthquake, or (b) historical documents where earthquake magnitude must be inferred from records of surface damage/shaking intensity, as without such constraints there is considerable uncertainty in the magnitude of the event implied by these data sets. Furthermore, if combined with other geodetic data sets, the amplitude, wavelength and timescales associated with such postseismic creep can also potentially constrain rheological changes and reloading of seismogenic faults. We will use LiDAR to scan a representative number of locations along the 6th April 2009 normal faulting earthquake rupture in L'Aquila in central Italy (M 6.3), in the immediate aftermath of the event and again in the coming weeks to quantify shallow after-slip. We will be accompanied by civil protection authorities (Dr. E. Vittori and his team; Head of Natural Hazards Unit at APAT - Agenzia per la Protezione dell'Ambiente e per i Servizi Technici, Rome; Dr. S. Barba and his team, Rome, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Rome), who will help us to access sites, and who initiated mapping of ruptures immediately after the earthquake. We have established expertise in the earthquake geology of central Italy, LiDAR scanning, the mechanics of earthquakes and faulting and, moreover, this earthquake occurred in an area where we are currently working on earthquake recurrence as part of NERC grant (NE/E01545X/1).
Publications
Walters R
(2009)
The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake (central Italy): A source mechanism and implications for seismic hazard
in Geophysical Research Letters
Faure Walker J
(2010)
Comparison of earthquake strains over 10 2 and 10 4 year timescales: Insights into variability in the seismic cycle in the central Apennines, Italy
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth
Roberts G
(2010)
Shallow subsurface structure of the 2009 April 6 Mw 6.3 L'Aquila earthquake surface rupture at Paganica, investigated with ground-penetrating radar Subsurface structure of L'Aquila earthquake
in Geophysical Journal International
Wilkinson M
(2010)
Partitioned postseismic deformation associated with the 2009 Mw 6.3 L'Aquila earthquake surface rupture measured using a terrestrial laser scanner
in Geophysical Research Letters
Attal M
(2011)
Testing fluvial erosion models using the transient response of bedrock rivers to tectonic forcing in the Apennines, Italy
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
Pearce M
(2011)
Quantification of fold curvature and fracturing using terrestrial laser scanning
in AAPG Bulletin
Vittori E
(2011)
Surface Faulting of the 6 April 2009 Mw 6.3 L'Aquila Earthquake in Central Italy
in Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
Tucker G
(2011)
Geomorphic significance of postglacial bedrock scarps on normal-fault footwalls FAULT SCARPS AND CLIMATE
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
Cowie P
(2012)
Relationships between fault geometry, slip rate variability and earthquake recurrence in extensional settings Fault geometry control on earthquake rupture
in Geophysical Journal International
Description | We have developed and tested workflows that allow us to detect the 4D evolution of surface features that have moved above a threshold of 1.5mm despite our Riegl z420i scanner's single point precision of 6mm@100m range. This breakthrough has allowed us to precisely constrain for the first time off-fault post-seismic deformation in the hangingwall to an earthquake capable fault. We were able to demonstrate the growth of a subtle hangingwall syncline in the same timeframe that after-slip was occurring on the actual fault plane. We have constrained slip rates on faults surrounding L'Aquila and assessed their contribution in the context of the overall Apennine extension which has important implications for seismic hazard in the region. There is an ongoing debate with Italian colleagues on the significance of individual structures in the Abruzzo region and our work contributes to this discussion. |
Exploitation Route | The methodologies and technologies we developed to monitor short term landcape changes could be used in a wide range of applications from landslides, flooding to active volcanoes This technology is being exploited via Durham University spin-out company - Geospatial Research limited. It has potential across a number of other non-geological fields |
Sectors | Education,Energy,Environment,Other |
Description | Rapid investigation of co and post-seismic deformation resulting from the 24th August 2016 Amatrice Earthquake (URGENCY) |
Amount | £61,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/P018858/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 12/2017 |
Title | Fault roughness of the Campo Felice fault; data and scripts |
Description | This dataset contains fault surface scans of the Campo Felice fault in the Italian Apennines, and scripts required to process these scans in order to investigate the fractal properties of fault roughness. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |