Research Project

MUSE-4D is intended to study tectonic, dynamic and rheological control on seismogenic extensional faulting. We focus on 4 M7-class multi-event Special EarthQuakes (SEQs): Irpinia 1980, Reggio-Messina 1908, Lucania 1857, South Calabria 1783. These events and their host structures are analysed in an innovative overtime (Quaternary and active) and multi-scale (local to regional) perspective with a fully integrated interdisciplinary (geology, seismology, geophysics) approach.

The research is aimed at developing:

  1. a new unified 3D geometric and kinematic fault model of the southern Campania-Lucania and southern Calabria seismogenic systems (Product 1), within the seismotectonic context of the southern Apennines of Italy (Product 2);
  2. a 4D seismotectonic model of the SEQs structural/rheological and seismological complexities and their interconnection in time and 3D space (Product 3), with a special focus on the possible presence of time transitory barriers to the deformation propagation (i.e. Earthquake Gates);
  3. analogue dynamic models that schematically reproduce the SEQS complexities and highlight fault parameters most influent on surface deformation/rupture patterns;
  4. an overall new understanding of overtime tectonics and earthquake dynamics in southern Italy (Product 4).
Methodological Strategy

Our methodological strategy is based on:

  1. an interdisciplinary approach (geology, seismology, geophysics) with continuous exchanges among researchers with different background and expertise;
  2. Reconstructing the active and potentially seismogenic deformation pattern in a long-term tectonic perspective (overall Quaternary time, last 2.5 My) and at different scales (from outcrop to regional);
  3. Approaching the geometric and kinematic fault reconstructions in a 3D environment, following the innovative criteria pioneered by the Southern California Earthquake Center (Plesch et al., 2007), recently applied to Central Italy (Castaldo et al., 2018);
  4. Interpreting the 3D regional seismotectonic setting of Areas A and B also at the light of the data and experience recently acquired by some of the participants in the intervening southern Lucania-Northern Calabria extensional belt (Area C, Fig.1);
  5. Taking into account the lesson learned on 3D earthquake-fault association and complex sequences evolution from the L’Aquila 2009 and the Central Italy Seismic Sequence 2016-17, which occurred in a similar tectonic setting, and that are very well constrained from seismological and co-seismic geological data.
Work Packages

The research activity is organized in 10 thematic Work Packages (WPs):