Recent Evolution And Seismicity Of The Mediterranean Region

The Mediterranean is one of the most studied regions of the world. In spite of this, a considerable spread of opinions exists about the geodynamic evolution and the present tectonic setting of this zone. The difficulty in recognizing the driving mechanisms of deformation is due to a large extent to the complex distribution in space and time of tectonic events, to the high number of parameters involved in this problem and to the scarce possibility of carrying out quantitative estimates of the deformation implied by the various geodynamic hypotheses. However, we think that a great deal of the present ambiguity could be removed if there were more frequent and open discussions among the scientists who are working on this problem. The meeting ofERICE was organized to provide an opportunity in this sense. In making this effort, we were prompted by the conviction that each step towards the understanding of the Mediterranean evolution is of basic importance both for its scientific consequences and for the possibleimplicationsfor society. It is well known, for instance, that the knowledge ofongoing tectonic processes in a given region and of their connection with seismic activity may lead to the recognition of middle long term precursors of strong earthquakes. The few cases of tentative earthquake prediction in the world occurred where information on large scale seismotectonic behavior was available. This led to identify the zones prone to dangerous shocks, where observations of short-term earthquake precursors were then concentrated.

CROP Project: Deep Seismic Exploration of the Central Mediterranean and Italy presents and discusses new data ranging from Alps to Africa, obtained by the CROP PROJECT (transcrustal seismic exploration of the Mediterranean and Italy). New lithospheric imagings of relevant importance for understanding disputed topics are provided. Alps, Apennines, Calabrian Arc, Sicilian Apennine, Maghrebian Chain, Corso-Sardinian Block, paleo-basins (Ionian, Alpine Tethys), neo-basins (Balearic and Tyrrhenian) are innovatively reconstructed. Provides new data from the Alps to Africa Presents interpretation of the CROP seismic network data Offers a stepwise increase in information with new data for further studies

This book deals with a controversially discussed topic about the Mediterranean tectonic evolution, underlying the basic role of extrusion processes. Alternative interpretations of Mediterranean back-arc basins are discussed to complete the picture. The kinematics of the confining plates is discussed as well. Understanding the geodynamics that determined the evolution of the Mediterranean area may have important implications for other regions of the world. The recognition of the ongoing tectonic processes may help to identify possible regularities in the distribution of major earthquakes, allowing a better estimate of the long-period seismic hazard.

Neotectonics involves the study of the motions and deformations of the Earth's crust that are current or recent in geologic time. The Mediterranean region is one of the most important regions for neotectonics and related natural hazards. This volume focuses on the neotectonics of the Eastern Mediterranean region, which has experienced many major extensive earthquakes, including the devastating Izmit, Turkey earthquake on August 17, 1999. The event lasted for 37 seconds, killing around 17,000 people, injuring 44,000 people, and leaving approximately half a million people homeless. Since then, several North American, European, and Turkish research groups have studied the neotectonics and earthquake potential of the region using different geological and geophysical methods, including GPS studies, geodesy, and passive source seismology. Some results from their studies were presented in major North American and European geological meetings. This volume highlights the work involving the Eastern Mediterranean region, which has one of the world's longest and best studied active strike-slip (horizontal motion) faults: the east-west trending North Anatolian fault zone, which is very similar to the San Andreas fault in California. This volume features discussions of: Widespread applications in measuring plate motion that have strong implications in predicting natural disasters like earthquakes, both on a regional and a global scale Recent motions, particularly those produced by earthquakes, that provide insights on the physics of earthquake recurrence, the growth of mountains, orogenic movements, and seismic hazards Unique methodical approaches in collecting tectonophysical data, including field, seismic, experimental, computer-based, and theoretical approaches. Active Global Seismology is a valuable resource for geoscientists, particularly in the field of tectonophysics, geophysics, geodynamics, seismology, structural geology, environmental geology, and geoengineering. Read an interview with the editors to find out more: https://eos.org/editors-vox/neotectonics-and-earthquake-forecasting

Southwest Asia is one of the most remarkable regions on Earth in terms of active faulting and folding, large-magnitude earthquakes, volcanic landscapes, petroliferous foreland basins, historical civilizations as well as geologic outcrops that display the protracted and complex 540 m.y. stratigraphic record of Earth's Phanerozoic Era. Emerged from the birth and demise of the Paleo-Tethys and Neo-Tethys oceans, southwest Asia is currently the locus of ongoing tectonic collision between the Eurasia-Arabia continental plates. The region is characterized by the high plateaus of Iran and Anatolia fringed by the lofty ranges of Zagros, Alborz, Caucasus, Taurus, and Pontic mountains; the region also includes the strategic marine domains of the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Caspian, and Mediterranean. This 19-chapter volume, published in honor of Manuel Berberian, a preeminent geologist from the region, brings together a wealth of new data, analyses, and frontier research on the geologic evolution, collisional tectonics, active deformation, and historical and modern seismicity of key areas in southwest Asia.

requiring the adaptation of probabilistic maps to design ground motions; and (d) the generalization of design parameters to locations where there is little seismic history. Maximum displacements, velocities, and, based on the European Build ing Code EC8, design ground acceleration maps have thus been produced by ZivCic et al. for Slovenia, Marku§ic et al. for Croatia, Bus et al. for Hungary, and Radulian et al. for Romania. The last two contributions in the volume are dedicated to studies of local site effects that could affect the microzonation of large urban areas. Moldoveanu et al. employed a technique based on the modal summation and finite dif ferences to calculate the expected ground motion in the capital city of Bucha rest due to large intermediate-depth Vrancea earthquakes. Their results outline that the presence of alluvial sediments and the possible variation of event scenario require the use of all three components of motion for a reliable determination of the seismic input. The study of Marmureanu et al. , more limited in scope, offers a laboratory analysis of the attenuation effects for sur face layers. The authors confirm that seismic attenuation in sedimentary layers is a function of the strain levels induced by large earthquakes, and find that the quality factor is nearly constant over a relatively wide frequency range, between 7 and 100 Hz.

A publication of the Mediterranean Consortium for the 32nd International Geological Congress

The Mediterranean region represents a complex mosaic of continental, microcontinental and ophiolitic terranes, whose overall evolution has been controlled by relative movements between the African and Eurasian plates. Palaeomagnetic studies have played an important part in deciphering the sequence of tectonic events in this region. The 33 papers presented here span the full width of the Mediterranean basin and present results from Permian to Quaternary rocks.