An Automated Method for Mapping Independent Spatial b Values

We present an automated method for mapping the b values. The algorithm is very simple and presents three advantages: (a) it does not requires any tuning of the parameters like, for instance, a fixed cell size or a maximum radius of the cell; (b) it implies a more appropriate use of the catalog, by using almost all the events in the catalog used (with a tolerance of 1%) with no overlap; (c) it implies the full independence of the b values, thus allowing the statistical comparison of the results using standard tests. Although the resulting b values are comparable with those obtained by applying the other methods of common use in seismology, these latter (a) leave out many earthquakes from the analysis, with loose of useful information, (b) produce diffuse cells overlapping aiming at reaching many cells of the grid in order to get the correct number of events in each cell, and (c) results in correlated b values, which do not allow the test of significance for the differences in the b values. Finally, due to the independence from any ad hoc a-priori choice, our method is suitable for automatic and operator-free procedures.Plain Language Summary The methods usually used in seismology for mapping the b value require the tuning of some parameters depending on the analyzed catalog. Here we propose a method that only implies the choice of the minimum number of earthquakes needed to obtain reliable b value estimates, which does not depend on the specific cases. Due to the mutual complete independence of the resulting b values, the proposed method allows the use of standard statistical tests to compare the results

Site effects at the Campi Flegrei,preliminary results

The Campi Flegrei caldera is a complex structure with a high population density, located west of the city of Naples. In addition of being an active volcano it is characterized by a high seismic hazard due to both Appennines regional earthquakes and to local earthquakes occurring during the bradyseismic crises. These unrest phenomena are characterized by slow ground vertical movements, particularly active in the central part of the caldera, and by a high number of low-magnitude earthquakes. In this context, the determination of the site transfer functions of the area has a strong relevance for the Civil Defense aimed to determine the hazard of the area. We have calculated the site transfer function with different techniques (H/V and Generalized Inversion technique) and have collected data on the local geology with the aim of correlating the site transfer functions with lithology and topography. This analysis has been performed on three areas: the Astroni crater, the Camaldoli hill and the Agnano plain. A future development will be to extend this analysis to the whole Campi Flegrei area

Somma Vesuvius: the Volcano and the Observatory

The present guidebook was prepared for the fieldtrip during the Kick off meeting of the project titled “Strategies and tools for Real Time Earthquake RisK ReducTion” (REAKT). It reports information on the geology of the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic area and illustrates the sites visited during the field excursion. The guide mostly benefited of contributions coming from some previous guidebooks (Cioni et al., 1995; Orsi et al., 1998); it also includes some interesting results available in the main and most recent literature. The fieldtrip will be devoted to illustrating i) the major morphological and structural features of the Somma-Vesuvius volcano, and ii) the deposits of the eruptions and their impact on the territory. The trip will end with the tour of the Osservatorio Vesuviano edifice that preserves the memory of the oldest volcanological observatory in the world and hosts a museum and two scientific exibitions

Multiple resolution seismic attenuation imaging at Mt. Vesuvius

A three-dimensional S wave attenuation tomography of Mt. Vesuvius has been ob- tained with multiple measurements of coda-normalized S-wave spectra of local small magnitude earthquakes. We used 6609 waveforms, relative to 826 volcano-tectonic earthquakes, located close to the crater axis in a depth range between 1 and 4 km (below the sea level), recorded at seven 3-component digital seismic stations. We adopted a two-point ray-tracing; rays were traced in an high resolution 3-D velocity model. The spatial resolution achieved in the attenuation tomography is comparable with that of the velocity tomography (we resolve 300 m side cubic cells). We statisti- cally tested that the results are almost independent from the radiation pattern. We also applied an improvement of the ordinary spectral-slope method to both P- and S-waves, assuming that the di¤erences between the theoretical and the experimental high frequency spectral-slope are only due to the attenuation e¤ects.We could check the coda-normalization method comparing the S attenuation image obtained with the two methods. The images were obtained with a multiple resolution approach. Results show the general coincidence of low attenuation with high velocity zones. The joint interpretation of velocity and attenuation images allows us to interpret the low attenuation zone intruding toward the surface until a depth of 500 meters below the sea level as related to the residual part of solidi ed magma from the last eruption. In the depth range between -700 and -2300 meters above sea level, the images are consistent with the presence of multiple acquifer layers. No evidence of magma patches greater than the minimum cell dimension (300m) has been found. A shallow P wave attenuation anomaly (beneath the southern ank of the volcano) is consitent with the presence of gas saturated rocks. The zone characterized by the maximum seismic energy release cohincides with a high attenuation and low velocity volume, interpreted as a cracked medium

Tectonic stress and renewed uplift at Campi Flegrei caldera, southern Italy: New insights from caldera drilling

Deep drilling is a key tool for the investigation of active volcanoes in the modern Earth Sciences, as this provides the only means to obtain direct information on processes that occur at depth. Data acquired from drilling projects are fundamental to our understanding of volcano dynamics, and for mitigation of the hazards they pose for millions of people who live close to active volcanoes. We present here the first borehole measurement of the stress field in the crust of Campi Flegrei (southern Italy), a large active caldera, and one of the highest risk volcanoes worldwide. Measurements were performed to depths of ∼500 m during a pilot study for the Campi Flegrei Deep Drilling Project. These data indicate an extensional stress field, with a minimum horizontal stress of ca. 75% to 80% of the maximum horizontal stress, which is approximately equal to the vertical stress. The deviation from lithostatic conditions is consistent with a progressive increase in applied horizontal stress during episodes of unrest, since at least 1969. As the stress field is evolving with time, the outcome of renewed unrest cannot be assessed by analogy with previous episodes. Interpretations of future unrest must therefore accommodate the possibility that Campi Flegrei is approaching conditions that are more favourable to a volcanic eruption than has previously been the case. Such long-term accumulation of stress is not expected to be unique to Campi Flegrei, and so might provide a basis for improved forecasts of eruptions at large calderas elsewhere

Site Amplification map of Campi Flegrei and Vesuvius estimated from the combined analysis of Lithological and Seismological information

Seismic stations used for the site analysis. • Site Transfer functions resulted from the two different techniques: Generalized Inversion Technique (GIT) and Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Method. • Definition of homogeneous areas using the geological information. • Site amplification maps obtained for different frequency bands. All these analysys are done both for Vesuvius and Campi Flegre

The seismic monitoring network of Mt. Vesuvius

Mt. Vesuvius (southern Italy) is one of the most hazardous volcanoes in the world. Its activity is currently characterized by moderate seismicity, with hypocenters located beneath the crater zone with depth rarely exceeding 5 km and magnitudes generally less than 3. The current configu- ration of the seismic monitoring network of Mt. Vesuvius consists of 18 seismic stations and 7 infrasound microphones. During the period 2006- 2010 a seismic array with 48 channels was also operative. The station distribution provides appropriate coverage of the area around the volcanic edifice. The current development of the network and its geometry, under conditions of low seismic noise, allows locating seismic events with M<1. Remote instruments continuously transmit data to the main acquisition center in Naples. Data transmission is realized using different technological solutions based on UHF, Wi-Fi radio links, and TCP/IP client-server applications. Data are collected in the monitoring center of the Osservatorio Vesuviano (Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Naples section), which is equipped with systems for displaying and analyzing signals, using both real-time automatic and manual procedures. 24-hour surveillance allows to immediately communicate any significant anomaly to the Civil Protection authorities

Changes in the eruptive style of Stromboli Volcano before the 2019 paroxysmal phase discovered through SOM clustering of seismo-acoustic features compared with camera images and GBInSAR data

Two paroxysmal explosions occurred at Stromboli on 3 July and 28 August 2019, the first of which caused the death of a young tourist. After the first paroxysm an effusive activity began from the summit vents and affected the NW flank of the island for the entire period between the two paroxysms. We carried out an unsupervised analysis of seismic and infrasonic data of Strombolian explosions over 10 months (15 November 2018&ndash;15 September 2019) using a Self-Organizing Map (SOM) neural network to recognize changes in the eruptive patterns of Stromboli that preceded the paroxysms. We used a dataset of 14,289 events. The SOM analysis identified three main clusters that showed different occurrences with time indicating a clear change in Stromboli&rsquo;s eruptive style before the paroxysm of 3 July 2019. We compared the main clusters with the recordings of the fixed monitoring cameras and with the Ground-Based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar measurements, and found that the clusters are associated with different types of Strombolian explosions and different deformation patterns of the summit area. Our findings provide new insights into Strombolian eruptive mechanisms and new perspectives to improve the monitoring of Stromboli and other open conduit volcanoes

Site effects at the Campi Flegrei,preliminary results

The Campi Flegrei caldera is a complex structure with a high population density, located west of the city of Naples. In addition of being an active volcano it is characterized by a high seismic hazard due to both Appennines regional earthquakes and to local earthquakes occurring during the bradyseismic crises. These unrest phenomena are characterized by slow ground vertical movements, particularly active in the central part of the caldera, and by a high number of low-magnitude earthquakes. In this context, the determination of the site transfer functions of the area has a strong relevance for the Civil Defense aimed to determine the hazard of the area. We have calculated the site transfer function with different techniques (H/V and Generalized Inversion technique) and have collected data on the local geology with the aim of correlating the site transfer functions with lithology and topography. This analysis has been performed on three areas: the Astroni crater, the Camaldoli hill and the Agnano plain. A future development will be to extend this analysis to the whole Campi Flegrei area.Published4.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaN/A or not JCRope