Hypothesis for the mechanics and seismic behaviour of low-angle normal faults: the example of the Altotiberina fault Northern Apennines

Widespread mapping of low-angle normal faults in areas of former continental extension continues to prompt debate as to whether such structures may be seismically active at very low dips (• <30 °)in the upper continental crust.The Northern Apennines provide an example where an active low-angle normal fault (Altotiberina fault, ATF)can be studied.A set of commercial seismic reflection profiles plus deep boreholes have been used to constrain the geometry of the fault at depth.These data have been integrated with a microseismic survey showing that part of the microseismicity (M <3.0)is consistent with the geometry of the ATF as imaged by depth converted seismic reflection profiles.Frictional fault mechanics under Byerlee ’s friction coefficient and vertical • 1 (constrained from the inversion of the focal mechanisms)defines the peculiar condition for reactivation of the ATF:small values of differential stress,• 1 •• 3 <28 MPa,relatively high value of tensile strength of the fault surrounding rocks (T ~10 MPa)and tensile fluid overpressure P f >• 3 (i.e.• v >0.93).The short-lived attainment of P f >• 3 along small fault portions,in an area characterised by large amounts of CO2,account for the microseismic activity located along the ATF,which occurs on rupture surfaces in the range of 10 –•10 – 3 km 2.

The influence of normal stress and sliding velocity on the frictional behaviour of calcite at room temperature. Insights from laboratory experiments and microstructural observations

The presence of calcite in and near faults, as the dominant material, cement, or vein fill, indicates that the mechanical behaviour of carbonate-dominated material likely plays an important role in shallow- and mid-crustal faulting. To better understand the behaviour of calcite, under loading conditions relevant to earthquake nucleation, we sheared powdered gouge of Carrara Marble, >98 per cent CaCO3, at constant normal stresses between 1 and 100 MPa under water-saturated conditions at room temperature. We performed slide-hold-slide tests, 1–3000 s, to measure the amount of static frictional strengthening and creep relaxation, and velocity-stepping tests, 0.1–1000 µm s–1, to evaluate frictional stability. We observe that the rates of frictional strengthening and creep relaxation decrease with increasing normal stress and diverge as shear velocity is increased from 1 to 3000 µm s–1 during slide-hold-slide experiments. We also observe complex frictional stability behaviour that depends on both normal stress and shearing velocity. At normal stresses less than 20 MPa, we observe predominantly velocity-neutral friction behaviour. Above 20 MPa, we observe strong velocity-strengthening frictional behaviour at low velocities, which then evolves towards velocity-weakening friction behaviour at high velocities. Microstructural analyses of recovered samples highlight a variety of deformation mechanisms including grain size reduction and localization, folding of calcite grains and fluid-assisted diffusion mass transfer processes promoting the development of calcite nanograins in the highly deformed portions of the experimental fault. Our combined analyses indicate that calcite fault gouge transitions from brittle to semi-brittle behaviour at high normal stress and slow sliding velocities. This transition has important implications for earthquake nucleation and propagation on faults in carbonate-dominated lithologies

The shallow boreholes at The AltotiBerina near fault Observatory (TABOO; northern Apennines of Italy)

Abstract. As part of an interdisciplinary research project, funded by the European Research Council and addressing the mechanics of weak faults, we drilled three 200–250 m-deep boreholes and installed an array of seismometers. The array augments TABOO (The AltotiBerina near fault ObservatOry), a scientific infrastructure managed by the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. The observatory, which consists of a geophysical network equipped with multi-sensor stations, is located in the northern Apennines (Italy) and monitors a large and active low-angle normal fault. The drilling operations started at the end of 2011 and were completed by July 2012. We instrumented the boreholes with three-component short-period (2 Hz) passive instruments at different depths. The seismometers are now fully operational and collecting waveforms characterised by a very high signal to noise ratio that is ideal for studying microearthquakes. The resulting increase in the detection capability of the seismic network will allow for a broader range of transients to be identified

Can grain size sensitive flow lubricate faults during the initial stages of earthquake propagation?

Recent friction experiments carried out under upper crustal P–T conditions have shown that microstructures typical of high temperature creep develop in the slip zone of experimental faults. These mechanisms are more commonly thought to control aseismic viscous flow and shear zone strength in the lower crust/upper mantle. In this study, displacement-controlled experiments have been performed on carbonate gouges at seismic slip rates (1 m s−1), to investigate whether they may also control the frictional strength of seismic faults at the higher strain rates attained in the brittle crust. At relatively low displacements (900 °C) grain boundary sliding (GBS) deformation mechanisms. The observed micro-textures are strikingly similar to those predicted by theoretical studies, and those observed during experiments on metals and fine-grained carbonates, where superplastic behaviour has been inferred. To a first approximation, the measured drop in strength is in agreement with our flow stress calculations, suggesting that strain could be accommodated more efficiently by these mechanisms within the weaker bulk slip zone, rather than by frictional sliding along the main slip surfaces in the slip zone. Frictionally induced, grainsize-sensitive GBS deformation mechanisms can thus account for the self-lubrication and dynamic weakening of carbonate faults during earthquake propagation in nature

The role of shear fabric in controlling breakdown processes during laboratory slow-slip events

Understanding the physical mechanisms at the origin of slow-slip events has been proven a very challenging task. In particular, little is known on the role of fault heterogeneity during slow slip. In this study, we provide evidences that fault fabric controls slip velocity time histories during slow-slip events generated in the laboratory. We performed experiments using a double-direct biaxial shear apparatus and two different fault gouges, homogeneous quartz powder, and heterogeneous anhydrite/dolomite mixture. We measure details of fault slip to resolve the slip velocity function and volumetric deformation that, coupled with an analysis of the resulting microstructure, allow us to infer the mechanical processes at play. Our results show that slow-slip events can be generated for both fault gouges when k&nbsp;~&nbsp;kc with similar values of breakdown work. The shear fabric exerts a strong influence during the coseismic breakdown stage. In quartz, where most of the slip occurs on a very localized slipping surface, the peak slip velocity is attained near the final stage of friction breakdown and therefore a relevant amount of the mechanical work is absorbed during slip acceleration. In anhydrite/dolomite mixture, the peak slip velocity is suddenly reached after a relatively small drop in friction, accompanied by fault dilation, implying that most of the mechanical work is absorbed during slip deceleration. For anhydrite/dolomite mixture these results are likely related to heterogeneous slip distribution along the observed foliation. Taken together, these observations suggest that the mechanics of slow-slip events depends on shear zone fabric

Physical properties of seismogenic Triassic evaporites in the northern Appennines (Central Italy)

see Abstract Volum

Modelling fluid flow in complex natural fault zones. Implications for natural and human-induced earthquake nucleation

Pore fluid overpressures in active fault systems can drive fluid flow and cause fault weakening and seismicity. In return, deformation accommodated by different modes of failure (e.g. brittle vs. ductile) also affects fault zone permeability and, hence, fluid flow and pore fluid pressure distribution. Current numerical simulation techniques model how fluid flow controls fault reactivation and associated seismicity. However, the control exerted by pore fluid pressure on the transition from slow aseismic fault sliding to fast seismic sliding, during the earthquake nucleation phase, is still poorly understood. Here, we model overpressured, supercritical CO2 fluid flow in natural faults, where non-linear, complex feedback between fluid flow, fluid pressure and fault deformation controls the length of the nucleation phase of an earthquake and the duration of the interseismic period. The model setup is an analogue for recent seismic source events in the Northern Apennines of Italy (e.g. Mw 6.0 1997-98 Colfiorito and Mw 6.5 2016 Norcia earthquakes). Our modelling results of Darcy fluid flow show that the duration of the nucleation phase can be reduced by orders of magnitude, when realistic models of fault zone architecture and pore pressure- and deformation-dependent permeability are considered. In particular, earthquake nucleation phase duration can drop from more than 10 years to a few days/minutes, while the seismic moment can decrease by a factor of 6. Notably, the moment of aseismic slip (M0=109Nm) obtained during the nucleation phase modelled in our study is of the same order as the detection limit of local strain measurements using strain meters. These findings have significant implications for earthquake early warning systems, as the duration and moment of the nucleation phase will affect the likelihood of timely precursory signal detection. Interestingly, aseismic slip has been measured up to a few months before some recent large earthquakes, although in a different tectonic context than the model developed here, rekindling interest in the nucleation phase of earthquakes. In addition, our results have important implications for short and long term earthquake forecasting, as crustal fluid migration during the interseismic period may control fault strength and earthquake recurrence intervals

Stabilization of fault slip by fluid injection in the laboratory and in situ

Faults can slip seismically or aseismically depending on their hydromechanical properties, which can be measured in the laboratory. Here, we demonstrate that fault slip induced by fluid injection in a natural fault at the decametric scale is quantitatively consistent with fault slip and frictional properties measured in the laboratory. The increase in fluid pressure first induces accelerating aseismic creep and fault opening. As the fluid pressure increases further, friction becomes mainly rate strengthening, favoring aseismic slip. Our study reveals how coupling between fault slip and fluid flow promotes stable fault creep during fluid injection. Seismicity is most probably triggered indirectly by the fluid injection due to loading of nonpressurized fault patches by aseismic creep

Frictional strengthening explored during non-steady state shearing. Implications for fault stability and slip event recurrence time

On natural faults that host repeating slip events, the inter-event loading time is quite large compared to the slip event duration. Since most friction studies focus on steady-state frictional behavior, the fault loading phase is not typically examined. Here, we employ a method specifically designed to evaluate fault strength evolution during active loading, under shear driving rates as low as 10−10&nbsp;m/s, on natural fault gouge samples from the Waikukupa Thrust in southern New Zealand. These tests reveal that in the early stages of loading following a slip event, there is a period of increased stability, which fades with accumulated slip. In the framework of rate- and state-dependent friction laws, this temporary stable phase exists as long as slip is less than the critical slip distance and the elapsed time is less than the value of the state variable at steady state. These observations indicate a minimum earthquake recurrence time, which depends on the field value of the critical slip distance and the background slip rate. We compare estimates of minimum earthquake recurrence times with the recurrence times of repeating large earthquakes on the Alpine Fault in southern New Zealand and repeating small-magnitude earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault system in California. We find that the observed recurrence times are mostly longer than the predicted minimum values, and exceptions in the San Andreas system may be explained by elevated slip rates due to larger earthquakes in this region

Fault structure and slip localization in carbonate-bearing normal faults: An example from the Northern Apennines of Italy

Carbonate-bearing normal faults are important structures for controlling fluid flow and seismogenesis within the brittle upper crust. Numerous studies have tried to characterize fault zone structure and earthquake slip processes along carbonate-bearing faults. However, due to the different scales of investigation, these studies are not often integrated to provide a comprehensive fault image. Here we present a multi-scale investigation of a normal fault exhumed from seismogenic depths. The fault extends for a length of 10 km with a maximum width of about 1.5 km and consists of 5 sub-parallel and interacting segments. The maximum displacement (370e650 m) of each fault segment is partitioned along sub-parallel slipping zones extending for a total width of about 50 m. Each slipping zone is characterized by slipping surfaces exhibiting different slip plane phenomena. Fault rock development is controlled by the protolith lithology. In massive limestone, moving away from the slip surface, we observe a thin layer (<2 cm) of ultracataclasite, cataclasite (2e10 cm) and fault breccia. In marly limestone, the fault rock consists of a cataclasite with hydrofractures and smectite-rich pressure solution seams. At the micro-nanoscale, the slip surface consists of a continuous and thin (<300 mm) layer composed of coarse calcite grains (~5e20 mm in size) associated with sub-micrometer grains showing fading grain boundaries, voids and/or vesicles, and suggesting thermal decomposition processes. Micrometer-sized calcite crystals show nanoscale polysynthetic twinning affected by the occurrence of subgrain boundaries and polygonalized nanostructures. Investigations at the kilometres-tens of meter scale provide fault images that can be directly compared with high-resolution seismological data and when combined can be used to develop a comprehensive characterization of seismically active fault structures in carbonate lithologies. Micro and nanoscale investigations along the principal slipping zone suggest that different deformation processes, including plastic deformation and thermal decomposition, were active during seismic slip