Non-linear elasticity, earthquake triggering and seasonal hydrological forcing along the Irpinia fault, Southern Italy.

ABSTRACT: Pump-probe experiments investigate the strain sensitivity of crustal elastic properties, showing nonlinear variations during the strain cycle. In the laboratory, pre-seismic reductions in seismic velocity indicate that asperity contacts within the fault zone begin to fail before the macroscopic frictional sliding. The recognition of such effects in natural seismic-cycles has been challenging. Here we exploit seasonal hydrological strains, performing a natural analogue to a quasi-static laboratory pump-probe experiment to investigate the nonlinear strain sensitivity of crustal rocks and its role in seismic failure along the tectonically-active Irpinia Fault System (Southern Italy). By comparing 14-years-long series of spring discharge, strain, seismic velocity variations and earthquakes rat

SUBMITTER: Tarantino S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11561308 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature