Multidimensional Clustering and Registration of Seismic Waveform Data

Hydrothermal circulation on Ischia Island (Southern Italy), revealed by an integrated geochemical, geophysical and geological approach

Volcano-hosted hydrothermal systems are complex geological objects, whose thorough characterisation requires extensive and interdisciplinary work. Indeed, even thought geological, geochemical and geophysical observations offer highly significant but independent information, only an integrated multidisciplinary approach can yield a comprehensive characterisation of the chemical/physical structure of hydrothermal systems. Notwithstanding the extensive application of geological, geochemical and geophysical techniques in geothermal research, there are only a few examples in the literature of concurrent use of the three techniques [Finizola et al., 2002; Zlotnicki et al., 2009]; these studies ov…

Il terremoto di Messina del 1908 in un modello sismotettonico della Sicilia settentrionale e del Basso Tirreno.

Analysis of the seismo-volcanic and hydrothermal activity recorded on the Marsili submarine volcano

Localizzazione ipocentrale e clustering degli eventi sismici registrati durante la campagna OBS condotta nel Tirreno meridionale

Caratterizzazione geofisica dell’acquifero idrotermale dell’area di Panza (Ischia)

Gli obiettivi di questo lavoro sono quelli di ricostruire, con metodologie geofisiche integrate, le principali geometrie tettoniche ed idrogeologiche del territorio di Panza nell'isola di Ischia. La zona è stata scelta in quanto caratterizzata da un'intensa attività idrotermale e deformativa connessa con la presenza di un reservoir geotermico.

The Ischia Island hydrothermal system: an integrated multidisciplinary (geochemical, geophysical and geological) study

Ischia Island is the emergent portion of a large volcanic complex on the Gulf of Naples (Southern Italy). Ischia volcano has undertaken a complex evolution since 150 ka b.p., with prolonged cycles of effusive and explosive eruptions alternated with quiescence periods (the most recent of which started after the 1302 A.D. Arso eruption). Currently, hot springs (with discharge temperature up to 90 C), fumarolic gas emissions with CO2 up to 97%, and diffuse soil degassing testify a persistent activity state of the Ischia volcano. Ischia Island is a very good example of an active volcano hosting a large hydrothermal system and, in particular, its south-western sector has long been known to be th…

Geophysical study of the hydrothermal reservoir in the Panza area (Ischia, Italy)

The aim of the work is the reconstruction of the main geometric pattern and the characterisation with geophysical parameters of geological structures lying at small and medium depths in an area of the Ischia island (Italy), where a sensible hydrothermal activity is present.

Waveforms clustering and single-station location of microearthquake multiplets recorded in the northern Sicilian offshore region

In 2009 December, the OBSLab-INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia) deployed an Ocean Bottom Seismometer with Hydrophone (OBS/H) near the epicentral area of the main shock of the Palermo seismic sequence of 2002. The monitoring activity had a total duration of about 8 months. During this experiment, the OBS/H recorded 247 very local microearthquakes, whose local magnitude is between -0.5 and 2.5 and TS - TP delay time between 0.2 and 5 s, almost all ofwhichwere undetected by the Italian National Seismic Network. This local microseismicity has been analysed using an innovative clustering technique that exploits the similarity between the waveforms generated by different events…

ERT and IPT surveys to check the integrity of the geomembrane in the landfill of Bellolampo (Palermo, Italy)

In landfills, changes in resistivity and chargeability can be related to the characteristics of the waste and they can be abrupt and considerable within short distances. These physical properties are function of generation, mobility and degree of saturation of the leachate, gas generation, compaction density and variability. These relationships mean that it can be possible to get an overall image of the quantity and characteristics of the waste from surface electrical measurements over the landfill. In this paper, we present and discuss the results of three electrical tomographies carried out in the landfill site of Bellolampo (Palermo, Italy). The main aim of these surveys was to check the…

The Palermo (Sicily) seismic cluster of September 2002, in the seismotectonic framework of the Tyrrhenian Sea-Sicily border area

The northern coast of Sicily and its offshore area represent a hinge zone between a sector of the Tyrrhenian
 Basin, characterized by the strongest crustal thinning, and the sector of the Sicilian belt which has emerged. This
 hinge zone is part of a wider W-E trending right-lateral shear zone, which has been affecting the Maghrebian
 Chain units since the Pliocene. Seismological and structural data have been used to evaluate the seismotectonic
 behavior of the area investigated here. Seismological analysis was performed on a data set of about 2100 seismic
 events which occurred between January 1988 and October 2002 in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. This paper
 focuses…

Influence of different array datasets on reliability of electrical resistivity tomography

The goal of this work is to study how the reliability of inverse model depends on a few basic parameters, as the combination of potential spacing and dipolar distance and, consequently, the number of measurements and of current dipoles, considering also how error affects inversion. The number of current dipole used is crucial, when using multichannel resistivity-meters, because it determines the overall acquisition time. A systematic comparison is presented between four 2D resistivity models and their images, obtained by the inversion of synthetic datasets relating to four different arrays: dipole-dipole (DD), pole-dipole (PD), Wenner-Schlumberger (WS) and multiple gradient (MG). For DD, PD…

Tidal gravity observations at Mt. Etna and Stromboli: Results concerning the modeled and observed tidal factors

Continuous gravity observations performed in the last few years, both at Mt. Etna and Stromboli, have prompted the need to improve the tidal analysis in order to acquire the best corrected data for the detection of volcano related signals. On Mt. Etna, the sites are very close to each other and the expected tidal factor differences are negligible. It is thus useful to unify the tidal analysis results of the different data sets in a unique tidal model. This tidal model, which can be independently confirmed by a modeling of the tidal parameters based on the elastic response of the Earth to tidal forces and the computation of the ocean tides effects on gravity, is very useful for the precise t…

Cluster analysis to support microzonation studies

In recent times the use of microtremor techniques for subsoil investigation increased significantly. The use of HVSR (Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio)technique for seismic microzoning studies allows in many case to obtain detailed reconstruction of the roof of the seismic bedrock and to identify areas with similar seismic behaviour. Two different algorithms of clusteringhave been tested on a HVSR datasets acquired for studies of seismic microzoning in various Sicilian urban centers. HVSR data were previously properly processed to extract frequency and amplitude of peaks by a code based on clustering of HVSR curves determined in sliding time windows.To select an optimal set of time win…

An algorithm for earthquakes clustering based on maximum likelihood

In this paper we propose a clustering technique set up to separate and find out the two main components of seismicity: the background seismicity and the triggered one. We suppose that a seismic catalogue is the realization of a non homogeneous space-time Poisson clustered process, with a different parametrization for the intensity function of the Poisson-type component and of the clustered (triggered) component. The method here proposed assigns each earthquake to the cluster of earthquakes, or to the set of independent events, according to the increment to the likelihood function, computed using the conditional intensity function estimated by maximum likelihood methods and iteratively chang…

Un metodo per l'identificazione di cluster di eventi sismici. 23° Convegno G.N.G.T.S (Roma 2004)

GLM-based automatic picking of waveforms

Local earthquakes tomography in the southern tyrrhenian region (italy): geophysical and petrological inferences on subducting lithosphere

Improvement of HVSR technique by cluster analysis

The Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) technique, applied to ambient noise, is widely used to quickly estimate the fundamental frequency of a site. The HVSR technique is based on numerous assumptions about the propagation medium and the nature of the seismic noise, often hard to verified. In addition, in order to obtain reliable results, several acquisition and processing criteria must be respected. One of the most controversial aspects in the technique implementation are the reliable criteria for the identification in the microtremors signals of time windows appropriate for the calculation of the HVSR curves. Several authors suggest to remove spikes and transients because they br…

Tomographic images of the Ionian Slab beneath the Calabrian Arc by using the TomoDD algorithm.

The Palermo earthquake of 6th September 2002 in the seismotectonic framework of the Tyrrhenian sea-Sicily border

Rete Sismica Nazionale e sua performance di localizzazione: una valutazione tramite il metodo SNES

Centroid-based Cluster Analysis of HVSR Data for Seismic Microzonation

Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) datasets acquired for studies of seismic microzoning in various urban centers of Sicilian towns, have been used to test clustering analysis through a nonhierarchical centroid-based algorithm. In this context clustering techniques may be useful to identify areas with similar seismic behaviour through HVSR data. Centroid-based algorithms generally require the number of clusters, k, and the initial centroid coordinates to be specified in advance. This aspect is considered to be one of the biggest drawbacks of these algorithms. The proposed algorithm doesn’t limit the number of k clusters and choose the initial centroids automatically from the data s…

Palermo 2010 - Campagna di monitoraggio sismo-acustico sottomarino dell’area epicentrale del terremoto di Palermo del 6 settembre 2002

Analisi spettrale parametrica e di polarizzazione applicate agli eventi sismici registrati sul vulcano sottomarino Marsili

Study of Southern Tyrrhenian and Sicilian regions by a sequential procedure to integrate WAM seismic tomographies and Bouguer anomaly data

A procedure to obtain 3D velocity-density models and earthquake relocation by integrated inversion of P and S wave traveltimes and Bouguer anomaly distribution was applied to a large dataset concerning the Southern Tyrrhenian and Sicilian areas. The seismic dataset was subdivided into two subsets for separate inversions, whose results were later on joined by the WAM (Weighted Average Model) technique. This is a post-processing technique proposed by Calò et al. (2009) by which preliminary tomographic models are unified in a common 3D grid. The first dataset concerns 28873 P and 9990 S arrival times of 1800 earthquakes located in the area 14°30′ E - 17°E, 37°N - 41°N while the second dataset …

Seismic velocity structures of Southern Italy from tomographic imaging of the Ionian slab and petrological inferences.

International audience; In this study we have determined detailed Vp and Vs seismic velocity models of the Ionian lithosphere subducting beneath the Tyrrhenian basin and of the surrounding mantle, by applying a post-processing technique to a large sample of local earthquake tomography studies. Our seismic velocity models permit us to infer the presence of low velocity anomalies within the slab, which we interpret as regions that are partially hydrated by fluids released during the subduction process. A petrological interpretation of the velocity anomalies gives new details on the magmatism of the volcanic Aeolian arc. Furthermore our velocity models provide a more detailed description of th…

Tomografia WAM integrata dell’area sud-tirrenica e siciliana.

Sismicità dell'area Ionica: un'immagine ottenuta da dati OBS (Neries, Na6)

The integration of surface and subsurface stratigraphic data with HVSR measures for studies of seismic microzonation: the case of Oliveri (ME)

Because of its high seismic hazard the urban area of Oliveri has been subject of a study on seismic microzonation at first level (OPCM 3907/2010). The urban area develops on a large coastal plain made of Late Pleistocene and Holocene mixed fluvial/marine sediments, that mainly consist of silty sands and gravels. The eastern part of this plain is dominated by the alluvial deposits of the Elicona torrent. The coastal and alluvial sediments overlap a complexly deformed substrate made of Hercynian metamorphites (Aspromonte unit), the Capo d’Orlando Flysch, the Antisicilide Argille Scagliose and Pleistocene clays and calcarenites. This area is affected by high uplift rates as recently estimated …

Urban MEMS based seismic network for post-earthquakes rapid disaster assessment

Abstract. In this paper, we introduce a project for the realization of the first European real-time urban seismic network based on Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. MEMS accelerometers are a highly enabling technology, and nowadays, the sensitivity and the dynamic range of these sensors are such as to allow the recording of earthquakes of moderate magnitude even at a distance of several tens of kilometers. Moreover, thanks to their low cost and smaller size, MEMS accelerometers can be easily installed in urban areas in order to achieve an urban seismic network constituted by high density of observation points. The network is being implemented in the Acireale Municipality (…

Un metodo per l’identificazione di clusters di eventi sismici

A coupled geophysical and geochemical approach to the study of buried degassing structures on mt. Etna

Seismic Characterization by Inversion of HVSR Data to Improve Geological Modelling

SUMMARY An application of HVSR inversion is presented in order to verify the effectiveness of this technique for purposes of geological reconstruction of the subsoil finalized to studies of seismic microzonation of heavily urbanized areas, where few stratigraphic and geophysical constraints are available and most of the information are derived from the geological maps. In such cases the uncertainty of the results is is enhanced by doubts on the nature of the H/V peaks, not always caused by stratigraphic discontinuities, and to the subjective choices done especially in the step of signal preprocessing. The investigated area (Altavilla Milicia, Sicily) includes the town center and the adjacen…

Studi di base per il monitoraggio elettrotomografico dell’intrusione salina dell’acquifero di Petrosino

Waveforms clustering of small magnitude earthquakes recorded in the Northern Sicilian offshore: evidence of multiplets

Lithospheric P- and S-wave velocity models of the Sicilian area using WAM tomography: Procedure and assessments

We present 3-D models of the P- and S-wave velocity distributions in the crust and uppermost mantle beneath Sicily, Calabria (Southern Italy), and surrounding submerged areas, obtained by tomographic inversion of traveltimes of regional body waves phases. Our method combines double-difference tomographic inversion with a post-processing procedure [Weighted Average Model method (WAM)]. This procedure was applied to a set of models consistent with the experimental data. We tested the ability of the WAM procedure to mitigate the uncertainty associated with the arbitrary nature of the many input parameters required for each inversion. The local reliability and resolution of the obtained models …

A MESOZOIC PALEOMARGIN in WESTERN SICILY, its TERTIARY EVOLUTION and its PRESENT-DAY SEISMOGENETIC POTENTIAL

New seismological, structural and marine geology constraints for a seismotectonic model of the hinge zone between northern Sicily and southern Tyrrhenian

Evidence of the seismo‐volcanic and hydrothermal activity of the Marsili seamount from new geophysical and geochemical data

Comparative NV and WA seismic modelling of CROP sections in the Thyrrenian Sea

Local earthquake tomography in the Southern Tyrrhenian region of Italy: Geophysical and petrological inferences on subducting litosphere

We obtained a high-resolution seismic tomography of the Ionian lithosphere subduction using a new approach based on: (a) the Double-Difference technique for inversions and (b) the statistical post-processing of a great number of preliminary models (Weighted Average Model, WAM method); the latter was used to increase reliability and resolution. In the tomographic model, the high-velocity portion of the steeply dipping Ionian slab is well imaged, as is an underlying low-Vp (≈7.0 km/s) aseismic region. We propose that the low-velocity region can be assigned to a partially hydrated (serpentinized) mantle of the subducting Ionian slab, which progressively dehydrates with depth in dense high-pres…

The Palermo earthquake of 6th september 2002 in the framework of the Tyrrhenian sea seismicity. 32nd International Geological Congress. Scientific Session abstracts (part 2) - 1314. Florence 20-28, Agosto, 2004

Clustering of waveforms-data based on FPCA direction

The necessity of nding similar features of waveforms data recorded for earthquakes at di erent time instants is here considered, since eventual similarity between these functions could suggest similar behavior of the source process of the corresponding earthquakes. In this paper we develop a clustering algorithm for curves based on directions de ned by an application of PCA to functional data.

Tripotential data processing for HES interpretation

In this paper some methods are proposed and compared to correct the experimental measurements for preliminary processing of tripotential data which are acquired for HES prospecting. However, the use of those methods should be based upon an accurate analysis of all experimental data. Such an analysis ought to involve: 1) an estimate of the averaged measurement errors with their variance and distribution in both the space and the three apparent-resistivities domains; 2) the choice of a resistivity model capable of describing the actual volume under study. The differences among the three values of apparent resistivity measured on a point are generally influenced both by the resistivity distrib…

A regional-scale discontinuity in western Sicily revealed by a multidisciplinary approach: A new piece for understanding the geodynamic puzzle of the southern Mediterranean

The results of an integrated stratigraphic, structural, geophysical, and geochemical study reveal the presence of a crustal discontinuity in western Sicily that, at present, runs roughly N-S along a band from San Vito Lo Capo to Sciacca (SVCS). The boundary between the two zones of this discontinuity is nearly orthogonal to the main thrust propagation of the Sicilian thrust-and-fold belt. The different Permian to Tertiary sedimentary evolution recorded by the two zones appears related to this discontinuity, with thick carbonate platforms in the western sector facing deep-water successions in the eastern one. The presence of Upper Triassic reefs, huge megabreccias bodies, and widespread subm…

Geological modeling of Altavilla Milicia (Sicily) using HVSR data

At today the use of inversion of HVSR curves is mainly limited to derive average parameters of the shear wave velocity, although recently they have been used also for a detailed reconstruction of the roof of the seismic bedrock (Di Stefano et al. 2014). Since ambient vibrations may contain waves travelling in all directions, as body waves and Rayleigh and Love waves, a limit of this method lies in the uncertain composition of seismic noise, in the lack of knowledge about the microseismic field and in the subjective choices regarding the data processing. This work aims to verify the potential and limits of the HVSR inversion for the purposes of geological reconstruction of the subsoil in hea…

Integrated geophysical survey for 3D modelling of a coastal aquifer polluted by seawater

Geophysical surveys are carried out in the coastal area of Petrosino (south-western Sicily) to study the time evolution of seawater contamination of the coastal aquifer, probably increased due to human impact. The overexploitation of the aquifer, due to an intensive agricultural use has affected significantly the natural hydro-geochemical state of the basin. The study is based on a processing and integrated analysis of hydrogeological, geochemical and geophysical data. In particular in the last two years seasonal time-lapse electrical resistivity tomographies (ERT), new TDEM soundings and Multi-Analysis Surface Wave soundings (MASW) have been carried out. The interpretation of the total set…

Local earthquake tomography in the Southern Tyrrhenian region (Italy): Geophysical and petrological inferences on subducting litosphere.

Functional Principal components direction to cluster earthquake waveforms

Looking for curves similarity could be a complex issue characterized by subjective choices related to continuous transformations of observed discrete data (Chiodi, 1989). In this paper we combine the aim of finding clusters from a set of individual curves to the functional nature of data, applying a variant of a k-means algorithm based on the principal component rotation of data. We apply a classical clustering method to rotated data, according to the direction of maximum variance. A k-means clustering algorithm based on PCA rotation of data is proposed, as an alternative to methods that require previous interpolation of data based on splines or linear fitting (Garc´ıa- Escudero and Gordali…

Nonparametric clustering of seismic events

In this paper we propose a clustering technique, based on the maximization of the likelihood function defined from the generalization of a model for seismic activity (ETAS model, (Ogata (1988))), iteratively changing the partitioning of the events. In this context it is useful to apply models requiring the distinction between independent events (i.e. the background seismicity) and strongly correlated ones. This technique develops nonparametric estimation methods of the point process intensity function. To evaluate the goodness of fit of the model, from which the clustering method is implemented, residuals process analysis is used.

WAM tomography in the southern Tyrrhenian region : petrological inferences and hypothesis on the fluid circulation in the subducting Ionian slab and adjoining mantle domains

The structure of a hydrothermal system from an integrated geochemical, geophysical, and geological approach: The Ischia Island case study

The complexity of volcano-hosted hydrothermal systems is such that thorough characterization requires extensive and interdisciplinary work. We use here an integrated multidisciplinary approach, combining geological investigations with hydrogeochemical and soil degassing prospecting, and resistivity surveys, to provide a comprehensive characterization of the shallow structure of the southwestern Ischia's hydrothermal system. We show that the investigated area is characterized by a structural setting that, although very complex, can be schematized in three sectors, namely, the extra caldera sector (ECS), caldera floor sector (CFS), and resurgent caldera sector (RCS). This contrasted structura…

A ML Estimator of the Correlation Dimension for Left-hand Truncated Data Samples

— A maximum-likelihood (ML) estimator of the correlation dimension d 2 of fractal sets of points not affected by the left-hand truncation of their inter-distances is defined. Such truncation might produce significant biases of the ML estimates of d 2 when the observed scale range of the phenomenon is very narrow, as often occurs in seismological studies. A second very simple algorithm based on the determination of the first two moments of the inter-distances distribution (SOM) is also proposed, itself not biased by the left-hand truncation effect. The asymptotic variance of the ML estimates is given. Statistical tests carried out on data samples with different sizes extracted from populatio…

Stima semi-parametrica della funzione di intensità di un processo di punto spazio-temporale.

Contribution of HVSR measures for seismic microzonation studies

The HVSR method applied to seismic noise can be a very useful technique to map the site effects of the territory, to identify the thickness of the soft covering and so the depth of the seismic bedrock. The case of the urban area of Oliveri is presented. Because of its high seismic hazard this area has been subject of first level seismic microzonation. The town lies on a large coastal plain made of mixed fluvial/marine sediments, overlapping a deformed substrate. In order to identify points on the area probably suffering of relevant site effects and to define a preliminary Vs subsurface model, 23 HVSR measurements were performed. A clustering technique of continuous signals has been used to …

Sismicità recente nella Sicilia nord orientale e relazioni con la distribuzione della deformazione superficiale.

Seismotectonics of North-Western Sicily and the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy). 32nd International Geological Congress. Scientific Session abstracts (part 1) - 771. Florence 20-28, Agosto, 2004

FPCA Algorithm For Waveform Clustering

Similar features between waveform data recorded for earthquakes at different time instants could suggest similar behavior of the source process of the corresponding source seismic process. In this paper we combine the aim of finding clusters from a set of individual waveform curves with the functional nature of data, applying a variant of a k-means algorithm based on the principal component rotation of data. This approach overcome the limitation of the cross-correlation, and represents an alternative to methods based on the interpolation of data by splines or linear fitting.

Assessment of a geological model by surface wave analyses

A set of horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) measurements, carried out in the Altavilla Milicia (Sicily) area, is analyzed to test a geological model of the area. Statistical techniques have been used in different stages of the data analysis, to optimize the reliability of the information extracted from geophysical measurements. In particular, cluster analysis algorithms have been implemented to select the time windows of the microseismic signal to be used for calculating the spectral ratio H/V and to identify sets of spectral ratio peaks likely caused by the same underground structures. Using results of reflection seismic lines, ty…

Valutazione della performance di localizzazione della RSNC-INGV tramite simulazione numerica

A properly organized seismic network is a valuable tool formonitoring seismic zones and seismic risk assessment. This paper proposes a method for evaluating the performance in hypocenter location of a seismic network by numerical simulation (SNES, SeismicNetwork Evaluation through Simulation). The SNESmethod needs as input: the location of the stations that make the network and their noisiness, the velocity model used in the location routine and a law that allows to estimate the variance in the time residuals. This method gives, as function of magnitude, hypocentral depth and confidence level, the spatial distribution of: number of active stations in the location procedure and relative azim…

TOMOGRAFIA SISMICA DELL’AREA SICILIANA: ANALISI DI AFFIDABILITÀ E COSTRUZIONE DI MODELLI WAM AD ALTA RISOLUZIONE

Relazioni tra sismicita’ e tettonica nel margine settentrionale della Sicilia

Integration of HVSR measures and stratigraphic constraints for seismic microzonation studies: the case of Oliveri (ME)

Abstract. Because of its high seismic hazard the urban area of Oliveri has been subject of first level seismic microzonation. The town develops on a large coastal plain made of mixed fluvial/marine sediments, overlapping a complexly deformed substrate. In order to identify points on the area probably suffering relevant site effects and define a preliminary Vs subsurface model for the first level of microzonation, we performed 23 HVSR measurements. A clustering technique of continuous signals has been used to optimize the calculation of the HVSR curves. 42 reliable peaks of the H/V spectra in the frequency range 0.6–10 Hz have been identified. A second clustering technique has been applied t…

An integrated approach to investigate the seismotectonics of northern Sicily and southern Tyrrhenian

Abstract This paper deals with a comparison among recent structure and seismicity in the hinge zone between northern Sicily and southern Tyrrhenian, corresponding to both emerged and submerged northern portion of the Maghrebian chain. This hinge zone is part of a wider W–E trending right-lateral shear zone, mainly characterized by both a synthetic NW-SE/W–E oriented, and antithetic left-lateral N–S/NE-SW fault systems, which has been affecting the tectonic edifice, since the Pliocene. The inland structures have been mapped using aerial-photo interpretation, geological mapping and mesostructural analysis to reconstruct the stress regime in the study area. On the contrary, the offshore struct…

Comparison of different acquisition patterns for 2D tomographic resistivity surveys

A systematic comparison is presented between some 2D resistivity models and their images by the inversion of synthetic datasets relating to three different arrays, suitable for multichannel data acquisitions (dipole-dipole (DD), Wenner-Schlumberger (WS) and multiple gradient (MG)). The goal is to study how the measurement errors affects the resolution of the tomographic models and the ability to retrieve correct information on buried targets. We considered different data acquisition patterns, gradually increasing the complexity of the combinations of potential spacing and dipolar distance. To this end we increased the number of current dipoles to obtain approximately the same amount of meas…

Maximum Likelihood Based Declustering of Simulated and Observed Seismic Catalogs

A regional-scale discontinuity in western Sicily revealed by a multidisciplinary approach: A new piece for understanding the geodynamic puzzle of the southern Mediterranean

The results of an integrated stratigraphic, structural, geophysical, and geochemical study reveal the presence of a crustal discontinuity in western Sicily that, at present, runs roughly N-S along a band from San Vito Lo Capo to Sciacca. The boundary between the two zones of this discontinuity is nearly orthogonal to the main thrust propagation of the Sicilian thrust-and-fold belt. The different Permian to Tertiary sedimentary evolution recorded by the two zones appears related to this discontinuity, with thick carbonate platforms in the western sector facing deepwater successions in the eastern one. The presence of Upper Triassic reefs, huge megabreccia bodies, and widespread submarine vol…

A New Dissimilarity Measure for Clustering Seismic Signals

Hypocenter and focal mechanism of an earthquake can be determined by the analysis of signals, named waveforms, related to the wave field produced and recorded by a seismic network. Assuming that waveform similarity implies the similarity of focal parameters, the analysis of those signals characterized by very similar shapes can be used to give important details about the physical phenomena which have generated an earthquake. Recent works have shown the effectiveness of cross-correlation and/or cross-spectral dissimilarities to identify clusters of seismic events. In this work we propose a new dissimilarity measure between seismic signals whose reliability has been tested on real seismic dat…

Local Earthquake Tomography in the Southern Tyrrhenian Region of Italy: Geophysical and Petrological Inferences on the Subducting Lithosphere

We obtained a high-resolution seismic tomography of the Ionian lithosphere subduction using a new approach based on: (a) the Double-Difference technique for inversions and (b) the statistical post-processing of a great number of preliminary models (Weighted Average Model, WAM method); the latter was used to increase reliability and resolution. In the tomographic model, the high-velocity portion of the steeply dipping Ionian slab is well imaged, as is an underlying low-Vp (≈7.0 km/s) aseismic region. We propose that the low-velocity region can be assigned to a partially hydrated (serpentinized) mantle of the subducting Ionian slab, which progressively dehydrates with depth in dense high-pres…

Cluster analysis of HVSR peak datasets to detect geological structures

A modified centroid-based algorithm has been applied to HVSR (Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio) datasets (Nakamura, 2000) acquired for studies of seismic microzoning in various urban centers of Sicilian towns also aimed to obtain detailed reconstruction of the roof of the seismic bedrock (Di Stefano et al. 2014). HVSR data were previously properly processed to extract frequency and amplitude of peaks by a code based on clustering of HVSR curves determined in sliding time windows. In centroid-based clustering, clusters are represented by a central vector, which may not necessarily be a member of the data set. After fixing the number of clusters, the algorithm find the cluster centers an…

Improvement of HVSR technique by cluster analysis

Earthquakes clustering based on maximum likelihood estimation of point process conditional intensity function

Polarization and high resolution parametric spectral analysis applied to the seismic signals recorded on the Marsili submarine volcano

Clustering and Registration of Multidimensional Functional Data

In order to find similarity between multidimensional curves, we consider the application of a procedure that provides a simultaneous assignation to clusters and alignment of such functions. In particular we look for clusters of multivariate seismic waveforms based on EM-type procedure and functional data analysis tools.

Comparison between nonparametric and parametric estimate of the conditional intensity function of a seismic space-time point process

A seismic gap can be defined as a segment of an active geologic fault that has not produced seismic events for an unusually long time; gaps are often considered susceptible to future strong earthquakes occurrence and therefore their identification may be useful for predictive purposes. In this paper we try to identify gaps in an area of South Tyrrhenian Sea by comparing the observed seismicity, estimated by nonparametric method, and the theoretical one, described by a particular space-time point process (ETAS model).

Comparison of different sets of array configurations for multichannel 2D ERT acquisition

Abstract Traditional electrode arrays such Wenner-Schlumberger or dipole-dipole are still widely used thanks to their well-known properties but the array configurations are generally not optimized for multi-channel resistivity measures. Synthetic datasets relating to four different arrays, dipole-dipole (DD), pole-dipole (PD), Wenner-Schlumberger (WS) and a modified version of multiple gradient (MG), have been made for a systematic comparison between 2D resistivity models and their inverted images. Different sets of array configurations generated from simple combinations of geometric parameters (potential dipole lengths and dipole separation factors) were tested with synthetic and field dat…

Fractal dimension confidence interval estimation of epicentral distributions

Estimates of the fractal dimension of hypocentral distributions require evaluating the range of independent variables in which fractal parameters exhibit a power law. Systematic and accidental errors are produced mainly by the subjective selection of this range, the insufficiency of data sets as well as by hypocenter mislocations. Therefore it is very important to determine the confidence intervals which are associated with fractal dimension estimates. The effects of various sources of errors are studied using different geometric clusters of epicenters, which have been synthetically generated using a multicluster algorithm with different hierarchical levels, so as to reproduce some characte…

Un approccio generalizzato all'analisi SPAC dei microtremori

Wavelet correlation filter for wide-angle seismic data

A new filtering technique for single-fold wide-angle reflection/refraction seismic data is presented. The technique is based on the wavelet decomposition of a set of adjacent traces followed by coherence analysis. The filtering procedure consists of three steps. In the first, a wavelet decomposition of traces into different detail levels is performed. In the second, the coherence attributes for each level are evaluated by calculating cross-correlation functions of detail portions contained in a space–time moving window. Finally, the filtered traces are obtained as a weighted reconstruction of the trace details. Each weight is obtained from the coherence-attributes distribution estimated in …

GEOCHEMICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH AIMED AT CHARACTERIZING THE HYDRO-GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES OF A KARST FORMATION

Geochemical and geophysical research was effected in an area between the Madonia mountain range and the coast around the Rock of Cefalù, at the base of which there are a number of large-sized springs. The aim of the study was to reconstruct the buried hydro-geological structures that carry the waters from the Madonia Mountains to the areas along the coast where they surface. The Madonia Mountains are prevalently made up of carbonatic formations and terrigenous deposits of the Numidian Flysch. Outcrops of the Cozzo Terravecchia formation are also present, as are Messinian evaporitic deposits and recent detritic deposits of alluvial and marine origin. The Karst processes that develop in the l…

Gravity modelling of the lower crust in Sardinia (Italy)

In this paper an example is given of an application of statistical techniques to the Bouguer anomalies analysis in order to design a simple crustal model using few a priori assumptions. All gravity measurements carried out in Sardinia have been collected and processed. The Bouguer anomalies have been calculated according to local density estimates. Spectral analysis of the Bouguer anomalies has been carried out along selected profiles in order to estimate the mean depth of the Moho discontinuity and that of an infracrustal discontinuity. The use of this technique inferred the presence of a discontinuity at a mean depth of ~ 28 km, interpreted as Moho and the likely presence of an infracrust…

Sequential techique for joint inversion of gravimetric and seismic data applied to the Sicilian area

Clustering of waveforms based on FPCA direction

Looking for curves similarity could be a complex issue characterized by subjective choices related to continuous transformations of observed discrete data (Chiodi, 1989). Waveforms correlation techniques have been introduced to charac- terize the degree of seismic event similarity (Menke, 1999) and in facilitating more accurate relative locations within similar event clusters by providing more precise timing of seismic wave (P and S) arrivals (Phillips, 1997). In this paper functional analysis (Ramsey, and Silverman, 2006) is considered to highlight common characteristics of waveforms-data and to summarize these charac- teristics by few components, by applying a variant of a classical clust…

Time-Frequency Filtering for Seismic Waves Clustering

This paper introduces a new technique for clustering seismic events based on processing, in time-frequency domain, the waveforms recorded by seismographs. The detection of clusters of waveforms is performed by a k-means like algorithm which analyzes, at each iteration, the time-frequency content of the signals in order to optimally remove the non discriminant components which should compromise the grouping of waveforms. This step is followed by the allocation and by the computation of the cluster centroids on the basis of the filtered signals. The effectiveness of the method is shown on a real dataset of seismic waveforms.

On the stationarity of the horizontal to vertical noise spectral ratio

The Horizontal to Vertical Noise Spectral Ratio (HVNSR) method is nowadays widely used to estimate the resonance frequencies of geological structures. In the HVNSR method, seismic noise is considered as a stationary stochastic process. However, especially in industrialized/urbanized area, this is a very strict assumption seldom occurred. Several sources of noise can generate non stationary and anisotropic microtremor fields. To investigate the stationarity of microtremor, we have carried out several long-term measures of seismic noise with broad-band seismic sensors, in areas where the main source of anthropogenic noise is well known. The signals acquired have been analyzed both in frequenc…

An overview on wavelet multi-resolution decomposition compared with traditional frequency domain filtering for continuous gravity data denoising

Tomografia sismica WAM. Alcuni confronti con tecniche di inversione tradizionale.

Un tentativo di analisi integrata della tettonica e sismicità nella zona di cerniera tra Sicilia settentrionale e Basso Tirreno.

Integration of onshore and offshore seismic arrays to study the seismicity of the Calabrian Region: a two steps automatic procedure for the identification of the best stations geometry

Abstract. We plan to deploy in the Taranto Gulf some Ocean Bottom broadband Seismometer with Hydrophones. Our aim is to investigate the offshore seismicity of the Sibari Gulf. The seismographic network optimization consists in the identification of the optimal sites for the installation of the offshore stations, which is a crucial factor for the success of the monitoring campaign. In this paper, we propose a two steps automatic procedure for the identification of the best stations geometry. In the first step, based on the application of a set of a priori criteria, the suitable sites to host the ocean bottom seismic stations are identified. In the second step, the network improvement is eval…

The structure of a hydrothermal system from an integrated geochemical, geophysical and geological approach: the Ischia Island case study

The complexity of volcano-hosted hydrothermal systems is such that thorough characterisation requires extensive and interdisciplinary work. We use here an integrated multidisciplinary approach, combining geological investigations with hydrogeochemical and soil degassing prospecting, and resistivity surveys, to provide a comprehensive characterisation of the shallow structure of the south-western Ischia’s hydrothermal system. We show that the investigated area is characterised by a structural setting that, although very complex, can be schematised in three sectors, namely the extra caldera sector (ECS), caldera floor sector (CFS), and resurgent caldera sector (RCS). This contrasted structura…

Electrical resistivity and induced polarization tomographies to test the efficiency and safety of the new landfill of Bellolampo (Palermo, Italy)

A geophysical study by means of electrical resistivity and induced polarization tomographies was carried out in the landfill site of Bellolampo (Palermo, Italy) to check the integrity of the landfill liner and to detect possible leachate plumes. Preliminarily, synthetic tests were performed, simulating acquisition data along profiles placed above resistivity distribution, suitable to represent landfills protected with an high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liner at the bottom or with possible leachate plumes. Optimized array data sets for parallel measurements have been tested in order to assess the resolution and the effectiveness of tomographic images, comparing inversions with and without t…

New seismological and geological-structural contributions to the support of a seismotectonic model of the hinge area between northern Sicily and southern Tyrrhenian

modelling of the subducting slab beneath the south tyrrhenian basin with geophisical and geochemical data

COMPARATIVE NV AND WA SEISMIC MODELLING OF CROP PROFILES IN THE TYRRHENIAN SEA

Semi-parametric estimation of conditional intensity functions in inhomogeneous space-time point processes

Dealing with data coming from a space-time inhomogeneous process, there is often the need of obtaining estimates of the conditional intensity function, without a complete defi nition of a parametric model and so nonparametric estimation is required: isotropic or anisotropic kernel estimates can be used. The properties of the intensities estimated are not always good, expecially in seismological field. We could try to choose the bandwidth in order to have good predictive properties of the estimated intensity function. Since a direct ML approach can not be followed, we use an estimation procedure based on the further increments of likelihood obtained adding a new observation. Similarly to cro…

Inverse problem for tripotential measures in the study of buried cavities

This paper presents a solution to the inverse electrical problem for the interpretation of apparent resistivity anomalies due to empty buried cavities of quasi-spherical shape when tripotential measures are carried out. The anomalies of the apparent resistivities ra,rb andrg,and the composed resistivitiesrmand rt were previously calculated for a sufficient class of spherical models of resistivity anomalies. Then, for the whole class of models, some functionals of spatial distribution of the apparent and composed resistivity were identified and analyzed. They represent the average characteristics of the anomalies and, depending in a simple way on the fundamental parameters of the sources of …

Southern-Tyrrhenian seismicity in space-time-magnitude domain

An analysis is conducted on a catalogue containing more than 2000 seismic events
 occurred in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea between 1988 and October 2002, as an attempt
 to characterise the main seismogenetic processes active in the area in space, time and magnitude domain by means of the parameters of phenomenological laws.
 
 We chose to adopt simple phenomenological models, since the low number of data did
 not allow to use more complex laws.
 
 The two main seismogenetic volumes present in the area were considered for the purpose
 of this work. The first includes a nearly homogeneous distribution of hypocentres in a
 NW steeply dipping layer as far as a…

Relationships between seismicity and tectonic in northern Sicily and southern Tyrrhenian: some important open problems.

Contribution of the cluster analysis of HVSR data for near surface geological reconstruction

The use of HVSR technique allows in many cases (Bonnefoy-Claudet et al. 2006) to obtain detailed reconstruction of the roof of the seismic bedrock (Di Stefano et al. 2014) and to identify areas with similar seismic behaviour. Theoretical considerations (Nakamura 1989) and experimental tests showed that amplification of horizontal motions between bottom and top of a sedimentary cover is well related to the ratio between the spectra of the horizontal and vertical components of the ground velocity (Nakamura 2000). This ratio is a measure of ellipticity of Rayleigh wave polarization, overlooking Love and body waves contribution. Assuming that subsoil can be represented as a stack of homogeneous…

Single station location of small-magnitude seismic events recorded by OBS in the Ionian Sea

Simultaneous seismic wave clustering and registration

In this paper we introduce a simple procedure to identify clusters of multivariate waveforms based on a simultaneous assignation and alignment procedure. This approach is aimed at the identification of clusters of earthquakes, assuming that similarities between seismic events with respect to hypocentral parameters and focal mechanism correspond to similarities between waveforms of events. Therefore we define a distance measure between seismic curves in R^d d>=1, in order to interpret and better understand the main features of the generating seismic process.

Active faults and inferred seismic sources in the S. Vito Lo Capo peninsula, north-western sicily, Italy

Integration of stratigraphic data with HVSR measures for studies of seismic microzonation: the case of Oliveri (ME)

The seismic microzoning is a technique of analysis of a territory which aims to recognize, at a small scale, the local geological and geomorphologic conditions that may significantly affect the characteristics of the seismic motion, generating stress on structures that could produce permanent and critical effects. In other words, this technique has the objective to predict and evaluate possible site effects as a result of an earthquake. The first phase of the seismic microzoning is the detailed partition of the territory in homogeneous areas with respect to the expected behavior of soils during an earthquake. The seismic micro-zoning is a tool for prevention and reduction of seismic risk pa…

Clustering of seismic catalogs based on maximum likelihood estimation

A contribution to a seismotectonic model of the hinge zone between northern Sicily and southern Tyrrhenian by some seismological and structural constraints

An integrated research on the hinge zone between northern Sicily and its Tyrrhenian off-shore has been carried out, by means of structural, seismological and statistical analyses. The main structural features of the area are represented by both NWSE to W–E striking right-lateral and N–S to NE-SW striking leftlateral fault systems, responsible of uplifting (restraining) and subsiding (releasing) zones. Within this hinge zone the seismicity is mainly located between 10 and 20 km of depth and clustered according to the orientation of the outcropping fault systems. The brittle strain partitioning related to a right-lateral simple shear zone has been reconstructed in the onshore sector, while in…

Tidal Gravity Observations at Mt. Etna and Stromboli: results concerning the modeled and observed tidal factors

Caratterizzazione geofisica dell'acquiferio idrotermale dell'area di Panza (Ischia)

The Palermo earthquake of 6th September 2002 in the framework of the Tyrrhenian sea seismicity

Realizzazione di una rete di monitoraggio geodetico della frana di Scopello (Sicilia nord-occidentale)

L’area di Scopello (Sicilia Nord-Occidentale) è da tempo oggetto di studi che, sulla base di osservazioni e rilievi geomorfologici, hanno consentito sia di riconoscere la presenza di frane superficiali e di fenomeni di deformazione gravitativa profonda di versante (DGPV), sia di ipotizzare cause e tipologie dei movimenti in atto, giungendo alla definizione di un primo modello interpretativo. I movimenti franosi si sviluppano lungo i settori costieri dell’area di Scopello, dove è a giorno un piano di sovrascorrimento del Miocene superiore, che vede la sovrapposizione di unità rigide, costituite da successioni carbonatiche meso-cenozoiche, su unità duttili, costituite, al tetto, da argille-ma…

Tomografia sismica passiva nell'area dell'arco Calbro e del Tirreno sud orientale

Evidenze sperimentali dell'attività del vulcano sottomarino Marsili

GPS Monitoring of the Scopello (Sicily, Italy) DGSD Phenomenon: Relationships Between Surficial and Deep-Seated Morphodynamics

The Scopello area, which is located along the north-western Tyrrhenian coastal sector of the Sicilian chain (Italy), is widely affected by Deep-seated Gravitational Slope Deformation (DGSD) phenomena, which are mainly the result of a geomorphologic setting marked by the outcropping of an overthrust plan, limiting a brittle fractured carbonate slab, laid onto a ductile marly-clayey substratum. Due to the very advanced stage of the deformation phenomena, a coupled morphodynamic style has established between shallow landslides and DGSD phenomena, affecting the exhumed ductile substratum and the overlaying rigid dismantled slab, respectively. A GPS network was realized for monitoring the Scopel…

Tidal modulation of thermometric signals acquired at Mt. Etna (Italy)

The INGV's new OBS/H: Analysis of the signals recorded at the Marsili submarine volcano

Abstract The ocean bottom seismometer with hydrophone deployed on the flat top of the Marsili submarine volcano (790 m deep) by the Gibilmanna OBS Lab (CNT–INGV) from 12th to 21st July, 2006, recorded more than 1000 transient seismic signals. Nineteen of these signals were associated with tectonic earthquakes: 1 teleseismic, 8 regional (located by INGV) and 10 small local seismic events (non located earthquakes). The regional events were used to determine sensor orientation. By comparing the signals recorded with typical volcanic seismic activity, we were able to group all the other signals into three categories: 817 volcano–tectonic type B (VT-B) events, 159 occurrences of high frequency t…

Palermo 2010 - Underwater seismic monitoring of the epicenter area of the 6 September 2002 Palermo Earthquake

Geoelectrical study of archaeological structures in the Himera plane (North-western Sicily)

This paper presents the results obtained from a geoelectrical study carried out on the Himera plane for archaeological research. Both the tripotential method and the dipole-dipole profile method have been used on a 40 m ´ 40 m investigation area in order to obtain several resistivity maps. The latter show different geoelectrical anomalies, the shape of which allows us to interpret simple archaeological structures, consistent with current knowledge of ancient Himera sites. Furthermore, the study of the whole set of data in the resistivity domain has allowed us to infer some other characteristics from the subsequent geological process of alluvial covering of the site.

Integrated interpretation of geophysical surveys aimed at tridimensional modeling of a coastal aquifer subjected to sea-water intrusion

“Messina 1908-2008” Progetto Di Ricerca Integrato Sull’area Calabro – Peloritana: La Campagna Obs/H

Schema sismotettonico preliminare della zona di cerniera tra Sicilia settentrionale e Basso Tirreno.

Seismic Network Evaluation through Simulation: an application to the Italian RSNC-INGV

Results concerning the modeled and observed tidal factors at Mt. Etna and Stromboli volcanoes

Selection of time windows in the horizontal-to-vertical noise spectral ratio by means of cluster analysis

The selection of the elementary analysis windows in continuous noise recordings for optimal estimation of the mean horizontal‐to‐vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) curve is generally performed by visual inspection of HVSR curves considered as functions of time. Starting from full‐length records, HVSR curves are determined in consecutive time windows of appropriate lengths. Time windows with HVSR curves that are anomalous on the basis of a simple visual inspection are generally ignored in the computation of the average HVSR curve. It is often very difficult to optimize the selection of time windows to be used for the calculation of the HVSR curve representative of a site. The use of nonobjective…

Un metodo per l'identificazione di cluster di eventi sismici

Seismic Network Evaluation through Simulation: An Application to the Italian National Seismic Network

Abstract A properly organized seismic network is a valuable tool for monitoring seismic zones and assessing seismic hazards. In this paper we propose a new method (seismic network evaluation through simulation, SNES) to evaluate the performance of hypocenter location of a seismic network. The SNES method gives, as a function of magnitude, hypocentral depth, and confidence level, the spatial distribution of the number of active stations in the location procedure and their relative azimuthal gaps, along with confidence intervals in hypocentral parameters. The application of the SNES method also permits evaluation of the magnitude of completeness ( M C ), the background noise levels at the sta…

A method to identify clusters of seismic events

Assessment of the Reliability of the SPAC Method in Urban Areas

We have carried out several long-term measures of seismic noise with triangular arrays of broad-band seismic sensors, to investigate the reliability of the SPAC method in urban areas. We investigate the stationary and anisotropy of the microtremor wave field. We have found that the anisotropy of the microtremor wave field can be evaluated analyzing the HVNSR as function the azimuth. Furthermore, we showed as strong anisotropies in the microtremors are often observable in particular at high frequencies (> 1 Hz). We have verified as microtremors can be difficult to considered as ergodic processes, and for this reason time averaging, also even over a long periods of time, cannot replace an app…

Studio geochimico e geofisico del settore nord-occidentale delle Madonie