The westward drift of the lithosphere. A tidal ratchet?

Is the westerly rotation of the lithosphere an ephemeral accidental recent phenomenon or is it a stable process of Earth’s geodynamics? The reason why the tidal drag has been questioned as the mechanism determining the lithospheric shift relative to the underlying mantle is the apparent too high viscosity of the asthenosphere. However, plate boundaries asymmetries are a robust indication of the ‘westerly’ decoupling of the entire Earth’s outer lithospheric shell and new studies support lower viscosities in the low-velocity layer (LVZ) atop the asthenosphere. Since the solid Earth tide oscillation is longer in one side relative to the other due to the contemporaneous Moon’s revolution, we demonstrate that a non-linear rheological behavior is expected in the lithosphere mantle interplay. This may provide a sort of ratchet favoring lowering of the LVZ viscosity under shear, allowing decoupling in the LVZ and triggering the westerly motion of the lithosphere relative to the mantle

Longer aftershocks duration in extensional tectonic settings

Aftershocks number decay through time, depending on several parameters peculiar to each seismogenic regions, including mainshock magnitude, crustal rheology, and stress changes along the fault. However, the exact role of these parameters in controlling the duration of the aftershock sequence is still unknown. Here, using two methodologies, we show that the tectonic setting primarily controls the duration of aftershocks. On average and for a given mainshock magnitude (1) aftershock sequences are longer and (2) the number of earthquakes is greater in extensional tectonic settings than in contractional ones. We interpret this difference as related to the different type of energy dissipated during earthquakes. In detail, (1) a joint effect of gravitational forces and pure elastic stress release governs extensional earthquakes, whereas (2) pure elastic stress release controls contractional earthquakes. Accordingly, normal faults operate in favour of gravity, preserving inertia for a longer period and seismicity lasts until gravitational equilibrium is reached. Vice versa, thrusts act against gravity, exhaust their inertia faster and the elastic energy dissipation is buffered by the gravitational force. Hence, for seismic sequences of comparable magnitude and rheological parameters, aftershocks last longer in extensional settings because gravity favours the collapse of the hangingwall volumes

Polarized Plate Tectonics.

The mechanisms driving plate motion and the Earth\u2019s geodynamics are still not entirely clari\u2423ed. Lithospheric volumes recycled at subduction zones or emerging at rift zones testify mantle convection. The cooling of the planet and the related density gradients are invoked to explain mantle convection either driven from the hot interior or from the cooler outer boundary layer. In this paper we summarize a number of evidence sup- porting generalized asymmetries along the plate boundaries that point to a polariza- tion of plate tectonics. W-directed slabs provide two to three times larger volumes to the mantle with respect to the opposite E- or NE-directed subduction zones. W-directed slabs are deeper and steeper, usually characterized by down-dip compres- sion. Moreover, they show a shallow decollement and low elevated accretionary prism, a steep regional monocline with a deep trench or foredeep, a backarc basin with high heat \u2423ow and positive gravity anomaly. Conversely directed subduction zones show antithetic signatures and no similar backarc basin. Rift zones also show an asymmetry, e.g., faster Vs in the western lithosphere and a slightly deeper bathymetry with respect to the eastern \u2423ank. These evidences can be linked to the westward drift of the lithosphere relative to the underlying mantle and may explain the differences among subduction and rift zones as a function of their geographic polarity with respect to the \u201ctectonic equator.\u201d Therefore also mantle convection and plate motion should be polar- ized. All this supports a general tuning of the Earth\u2019s geodynamics and mantle convec- tion by astronomical forces

Asymmetric Atlantic continental margins

We analyze the gross crustal structure of the Atlantic Ocean passive continental margins from north to the south, comparing eleven sections of the conjugate margins. As a general result, the western margins show a sharper continental-ocean transition with respect to the eastern margins that rather show a wider stretched and thinner margin. The Moho is in average about 5.7°±1° dipping toward the interior of the continent on the western side, whereas it is about 2.7°±1° in the eastern margins. Moreover, the stretched continental crust is on average 244 km wide on the western side, whereas it is up to about 439 km on the eastern side of the Atlantic. This systematic asymmetry reflects the early stages of the diachronous Mesozoic to Cenozoic continental rifting, which is inferred as the result of a polarized westward motion of both western and eastern plates, being Greenland, Northern and Southern Americas plates moving westward faster with respect to Scandinavia, Europe and Africa, relative to the underlying mantle

Common features between neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions of the biliary tract and the pancreas

The bile duct system and pancreas show many similarities due to their anatomical proximity and common embryological origin. Consequently, preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the bile duct and pancreas share analogies in terms of molecular, histological and pathophysiological features. Intraepithelial neoplasms are reported in biliary tract, as biliary intraepithelial neoplasm (BilIN), and in pancreas, as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasm (PanIN). Both can evolve to invasive carcinomas, respectively cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Intraductal papillary neoplasms arise in biliary tract and pancreas. Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the biliary tract (IPNB) share common histologic and phenotypic features such as pancreatobiliary, gastric, intestinal and oncocytic types, and biological behavior with the pancreatic counterpart, the intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas (IPMN). All these neoplastic lesions exhibit similar immunohistochemical phenotypes, suggesting a common carcinogenic process. Indeed, CCA and PDAC display similar clinic-pathological features as growth pattern, poor response to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy and, as a consequence, an unfavorable prognosis. The objective of this review is to discuss similarities and differences between the neoplastic lesions of the pancreas and biliary tract with potential implications on a common origin from similar stem/progenitor cells

Present geodynamics of the northern Adriatic plate

The northern Adriatic plate is surrounded and squeezed by three orogens (i.e. Apennines, Alps and Dinarides). Therefore, in the same area, the effects of three independent subduction zones coexist and overlap. This supports the evidence that plate boundaries are passive features. The northeastward migration of the Apennines subduction hinge determines the present-day faster subsidence rate in the western side of the northern Adriatic (>1 mm/yr). This is recorded also by the dip of the foreland regional monocline, and the increase SW-ward of the depth of the Tyrrhenian layer, as well as the increase in thickness of the Pliocene and Pleistocene sediments. These data indicate the dominant influence of the Apennines subduction and the related asymmetric subsidence in the northern Adriatic realm. The Dinarides front has been subsided by the Apennines subduction hinge, as shown by the eroded Dalmatian anticlines in the eastern Adriatic Sea. GPS data show the horizontal pattern of motion along the front of the three belts surrounding the northern Adriatic plate. Values of shortening along the prisms are in the order of 2-3 mm/yr (Northern Apennines), 1-2 mm/yr (Southern Alps) and <1mm/yr (Dinarides). The pattern of the new GPS velocities relative to Eurasia account for different tectonic domains and the estimated strain rates are within 0.1 μstrain/yr. The shortening directions tend to be perpendicular to the thrust belt fronts, as expected. The areas where the strain rate sharply decreases across a tectonic feature (e.g., the Ferrara salient) are considered structures seismically loading the brittle laye

Fault on-off versus coseismic fluids reaction

AbstractThe fault activation (fault on) interrupts the enduring fault locking (fault off) and marks the end of a seismic cycle in which the brittle-ductile transition (BDT) acts as a sort of switch. We suggest that the fluid flow rates differ during the different periods of the seismic cycle (interseismic, pre-seismic, coseismic and post-seismic) and in particular as a function of the tectonic style. Regional examples indicate that tectonic-related fluids anomalies depend on the stage of the tectonic cycle and the tectonic style. Although it is difficult to model an increasing permeability with depth and several BDT transitions plus independent acquicludes may occur in the crust, we devised the simplest numerical model of a fault constantly shearing in the ductile deeper crust while being locked in the brittle shallow layer, with variable homogeneous permeabilities. The results indicate different behaviors in the three main tectonic settings. In tensional tectonics, a stretched band antithetic to the normal fault forms above the BDT during the interseismic period. Fractures close and fluids are expelled during the coseismic stage. The mechanism reverses in compressional tectonics. During the interseismic stage, an over-compressed band forms above the BDT. The band dilates while rebounding in the coseismic stage and attracts fluids locally. At the tip lines along strike-slip faults, two couples of subvertical bands show different behavior, one in dilation/compression and one in compression/dilation. This deformation pattern inverts during the coseismic stage. Sometimes a pre-seismic stage in which fluids start moving may be observed and could potentially become a precursor

Volume unbalance on the 2016 Amatrice - Norcia (Central Italy) seismic sequence and insights on normal fault earthquake mechanism

We analyse the M w 6.5, 2016 Amatrice-Norcia (Central Italy) seismic sequence by means of InSAR, GPS, seismological and geologic data. The &gt;1000 km 2 area affected by deformation is involving a volume of about 6000 km 3 and the relocated seismicity is widely distributed in the hangingwall of the master fault system and the conjugate antithetic faults. Noteworthy, the coseismically subsided hangingwall volume is about 0.12 km 3 , whereas the uplifted adjacent volumes uplifted only 0.016 km 3 . Therefore, the subsided volume was about 7.5 times larger than the uplifted one. The coseismic motion requires equivalent volume at depth absorbing the hangingwall downward movement. This unbalance regularly occurs in normal fault-related earthquakes and can be inferred as a significant contribution to coseismic strain accomodated by a stress-drop driven collapse of precursory dilatancy. The vertical coseismic displacement is in fact larger than the horizontal component, consistent with the vertical orientation of the maximum lithostatic stress tensor

A model of plate motion

The wide use of space geodesy techniques devoted to geophysical and geodynamical purposes has recently evidenced some limitations due to the intrinsic Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF) definition. Current TRFs are defined under hypotheses suited to overcome the rank deficiency of the observations with respect to the parameters that have to be estimated, i.e. coordinates and velocities (Dermanis, 2001; Dermanis, 2002). From a geodetic point of view, one possibility implies the application of the no-net-rotation condition (NNR). One of the main geophysical consequences due to the application of this condition is that it allows only accurate estimations of relative motions, whilst other motions of geodynamical interest, for instance with respect to the inner layers of the Earth body, are not determinable. The main purpose of this paper is to propose a unified way to describe plate motions, overcoming the problems introduced by the NNR condition, in order to establish a new reference frame useful for geodynamical applications too. Since we believe relevant the role played by global tectonics inferences, we introduce the concept of the main tectonic sinusoid to propose an analytical description of the plate motions flow, which is polarized to the “west” in the hotspot reference frame

The 2013–2018 matese and beneventano seismic sequences (Central–Southern apennines). New constraints on the hypocentral depth determination

The Matese and Beneventano areas coincide with the transition from the central to the southern Apennines and are characterized by both SW-and NE-dipping normal faulting seismogenic structures, responsible for the large historical earthquakes. We studied the Matese and Beneventano seismicity by means of high-precision locations of earthquakes spanning from 29 December 2013 to 4 September 2018. Events were located by using all of the available data from temporary and permanent stations in the area and a 1D computed velocity model, inverting the dataset with the Velest code. For events M &gt; 2.8 we used P-and S-waves arrival times of the strong motion stations located in the study area. A constant value of 1.83 for Vp/Vs was computed with a modified Wadati method. The dataset consists of 2378 earthquakes, 18,715 P-and 12,295 S-wave arrival times. We computed 55 new fault plane solutions. The mechanisms show predominantly normal fault movements, with T-axis trends oriented NE–SW. Only relatively small E–W trending clusters in the eastern peripheral zones of the Apenninic belt show right-lateral strike-slip kinematics similar to that observed in the Potenza (1990–1991) and Molise (2002 and 2018) sequences. These belong to transfer zones associated with differential slab retreat of the Adriatic plate subduction beneath the Apennines. The Matese sequence (December 2013–February 2014; main shock Mw 5.0) is the most relevant part of our dataset. Hypocentral depths along the axis of the Apenninic belt are in agreement with previous seismological studies that place most of the earthquakes in the brittle upper crust. We confirm a general deepening of seismicity moving from west to the east along the Apennines. Seismicity depth is controlled by heat-flow, which is lower in the eastern side, thus causing a deeper brittle–ductile transition