Towards a comprehensive European fault database for induced seismic hazard research

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serge Van Gessel ◽  
Harry Middelburg ◽  
Esther Hintersberger ◽  
Tine Larsen ◽  
Sabrine Ben Rhouma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress State ◽  
Seismic Hazard ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Fault Systems ◽  
Geological Conditions ◽  
Seismogenic Faults ◽  
And Behavior

<p><strong>Towards a comprehensive European fault database for induced seismic hazard research</strong></p><p>Seismogenic faults and fault systems in tectonically active regions are extensively studied as a source of seismic hazard and especially of high magnitude natural earthquakes. Global research has already resulted in several databases and models presenting location, characteristics and kinematic behavior of such faults (e.g. GEM Global Active Faults Database, SHARE European Database of Seismogenic Faults, USGS Quaternary faults database).</p><p>Faults that are inactive under present-day geological conditions are far more abundant, yet less-well documented. Nevertheless, these faults can potentially pose significant hazards under anthropogenic activities, particularly when the stress state of such faults is influenced by adjacent active fault systems (e.g. Northern Italy). Subsurface extraction and injection of fluids can either alter the in-situ stress state to a level exceeding the critical stress threshold (e.g. through pressure-induced compaction) or reduce the fault strength to a point where natural stresses can trigger fault movements (e.g. through the invasion of fluids into the fault zone). Well-known cases are reported among others in Basel – Switzerland (geothermal stimulation), Oklahoma – US (waste water injection) and Groningen – The Netherlands (conventional hydrocarbon extraction).</p><p>Here, we present the development of a pan-European fault database by the project GeoERA-HIKE. The database incorporates the locations, geometries, characteristics and scientific references of both active and inactive faults and fault systems and will be complementary to existing databases of seismogenic faults. The database information is derived from national mapping studies and local assessments by the European Geological Survey Organizations and includes, amongst others, surface outcrop observations, geophysical monitoring, boreholes and geological modelling studies.</p><p>The primary goal of the database is to support induced hazard studies with better access to harmonized data and knowledge on fault characteristics and behavior. The correlation of fault systems across Europe with a generic semantic concepts framework provides better insight into the genetic links between active and inactive fault systems within the greater structural geological development of Europe. The integration of data from different geoscience disciplines will improve the understanding of in-situ characteristics and behavior. Ultimately, the database is intended to become a collaborative tool for future fault characterization and research by geoscience institutes.</p><p>The GeoERA-HIKE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under agreement No. 731166</p>

scholarly journals Active Fault Systems in the Inner Northwest Apennines, Italy: A Reappraisal One Century after the 1920 Mw ~6.5 Fivizzano Earthquake

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Giancarlo Molli ◽  
Isabelle Manighetti ◽  
Rick Bennett ◽  
Jacques Malavieille ◽  
Enrico Serpelloni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Active Fault ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Dense Network ◽  
Earthquake Fault ◽  
Slip Rates ◽  
Fault Systems ◽  
Seismological Data ◽  
Seismogenic Faults

Based on the review of the available stratigraphic, tectonic, morphological, geodetic, and seismological data, along with new structural observations, we present a reappraisal of the potential seismogenic faults and fault systems in the inner northwest Apennines, Italy, which was the site, one century ago, of the devastating Mw ~6.5, 1920 Fivizzano earthquake. Our updated fault catalog provides the fault locations, as well as the description of their architecture, large-scale segmentation, cumulative displacements, evidence for recent to present activity, and long-term slip rates. Our work documents that a dense network of active faults, and thus potential earthquake fault sources, exists in the region. We discuss the seismogenic potential of these faults, and propose a general tectonic scenario that might account for their development.

Across-strike variations of fault slip-rates constrained using in-situ cosmogenic 36Cl concentrations.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Iezzi ◽  
Gerald Roberts ◽  
Joanna Faure Walker ◽  
Ioannis Papanikolaou ◽  
Athanassios Ganas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Hazard ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Slip Rate ◽  
High Temporal Resolution ◽  
Strain Rates ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Regional Strain

<p>It is important to constrain the spatial distribution of strain-rate in deforming continental material because this underpins calculations of continental rheology and seismic hazard. To do so, it is becoming increasingly common to use combinations of GPS and historical and instrumental seismicity data to constrain regional strain-rate fields. However, GPS geodetic sites, whether permanent or campaign stations, tend to be widely-spaced relative to the spacing of active faults with known Holocene offsets. At the same time, the interpretation of seismicity data can be difficult due to lack of historical seismicity in cases where local fault recurrence intervals are longer than the historical record. This causes uncertainty on how regional strain-rates are partitioned in time and space, and hence with uncertainty regarding calculations of continental rheology and seismic hazard. To overcome this issue, we have gained high temporal resolution slip-rate histories for three parallel faults using in situ <sup>36</sup>Cl cosmogenic dating of the exposure of three parallel normal fault planes that have been progressively exhumed by earthquakes. We study the region around Athens, central Greece, where there also exists a relatively-dense GPS network and extensive records of instrumental and historical earthquakes. This allows to compare regional, decadal strain-rates measured with GPS geodesy with strain-rates across the faults implied by slip since ~40,000 years BP. We show that faults have all had episodic behaviour during the Holocene, with alternating earthquake clusters and periods of quiescence through time. Despite the fact that all three faults have been active in the Holocene, each fault slips in discrete time intervals lasting a few millennia, so that only one fault accommodates strain at any time. We show that magnitudes of strain-rates during the high slip-rate episodes are comparable with the regional strain-rates measured with GPS (fault strain-rates are 50-100% of the value of GPS regional strain-rate). Thus, if the GPS-derived strain-rate applies over longer time intervals, it appears that single faults dominate the strain-accumulation at any given time, with crustal deformation and seismic hazard localised within a distributed network of faults.</p><p> </p>

A European Fault Database as a stepping stone towards improved subsurface evaluation of hazards and resources

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serge Van Gessel ◽  
Rob van Ede ◽  
Hans Doornenbal ◽  
Johan ten Veen ◽  
Esther Hintersberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Pannonian Basin ◽  
Water Injection ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Geological Mapping ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Stepping Stone ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Seismogenic Faults

<p>Faults are prominent features in the subsurface that define the geological development and distribution of geological formations and resources therein. Faults can define resources themselves (e.g. minerals, thermal conduits), but more often they can pose a hazard to subsurface drilling, injection and extraction activities . Well-known examples are Basel – Switzerland (geothermal stimulation), Oklahoma – US (waste water injection) and Groningen – The Netherlands (conventional hydrocarbon extraction).</p><p>Despite that faults are a typical product of geological mapping, there was, until now, no consistent insight in these structures in a pan-European context. There are some examples focusing on the publication of seismogenic faults (e.g. GEM Global Active Faults Database, SHARE  European Database of Seismogenic Faults, USGS Quaternary faults database), yet deeply buried faults are under-represented here. With the European fault database, the GeoERA-HIKE project addresses the following objectives: i) develop a consistent and uniform repository for fault data and characteristics across Europe, ii) Implement an associated tectonic vocabulary which provides a framework for future interpretation, modelling and application of fault data, and iii) assess the applicability of fault data in case studies.</p><p>The current fault database is envisioned to be a major stepping stone for a sustained and uniform development and dissemination of tectonic data and knowledge which will be applicable to a broad spectrum of subsurface research challenges. The database contains data from Geological Survey Organizations and partners in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Iceland, Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, France, Ukraine, Portugal, Slovenia, Albania and various countries in the Pannonian Basin Area.</p><p>The GeoERA-HIKE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under agreement No. 731166</p>

scholarly journals Fossil landscapes and youthful seismogenic sources in the central Apennines: excerpts from the 24 August 2016, Amatrice earthquake and seismic hazard implications

2016 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianluca Valensise ◽  
Paola Vannoli ◽  
Roberto Basili ◽  
Lorenzo Bonini ◽  
Pierfrancesco Burrato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Hazard ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Upper Crust ◽  
Central Apennines ◽  
Great Caution ◽  
Seismogenic Sources ◽  
Seismogenic Faults ◽  
2016 Amatrice Earthquake

<p><em>We show and discuss the similarities among the 2016 Amatrice (Mw 6.0), 1997 Colfiorito-Sellano (Mw 6.0-5.6) and 2009 L’Aquila (Mw 6.3) earthquakes. They all occurred along the crest of the central Apennines and were caused by shallow dipping faults between 3 and 10 km depth, as shown by their characteristic InSAR signature. We contend that these earthquakes delineate a seismogenic style that is characteristic of this portion of the central Apennines, where the upward propagation of seismogenic faults is hindered by the presence of pre-existing regional thrusts. This leads to an effective decoupling between the deeper seismogenic portion of the upper crust and its uppermost 3 km.The decoupling implies that active faults mapped at the surface do not connect with the seismogenic sources, and that their evolution may be controlled by passive readjustments to coseismic strains or even by purely gravitational motions. Seismic hazard analyses and estimates based on such faults should hence be considered with great caution as they may be all but representative of the true seismogenic potential.</em></p><em></em>

scholarly journals Temporal and spatial earthquake clustering revealed through comparison of millennial strain-rates from 36Cl cosmogenic exposure dating and decadal GPS strain-rate

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Iezzi ◽  
Gerald Roberts ◽  
Joanna Faure Walker ◽  
Ioannis Papanikolaou ◽  
Athanassios Ganas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Hazard ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Slip Rate ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Fault Activity ◽  
Exposure Dating ◽  
Extensional Strain ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

AbstractTo assess whether continental extension and seismic hazard are spatially-localized on single faults or spread over wide regions containing multiple active faults, we investigated temporal and spatial slip-rate variability over many millennia using in-situ 36Cl cosmogenic exposure dating for active normal faults near Athens, Greece. We study a ~ NNE-SSW transect, sub-parallel to the extensional strain direction, constrained by two permanent GPS stations located at each end of the transect and arranged normal to the fault strikes. We sampled 3 of the 7 seven normal faults that exist between the GPS sites for 36Cl analyses. Results from Bayesian inference of the measured 36Cl data implies that some faults slip relatively-rapidly for a few millennia accompanied by relative quiescence on faults across strike, defining out-of-phase fault activity. Assuming that the decadal strain-rate derived from GPS applies over many millennia, slip on a single fault can accommodate ~ 30–75% of the regional strain-rate for a few millennia. Our results imply that only a fraction of the total number of Holocene active faults slip over timescales of a few millennia, so continental deformation and seismic hazard are localized on specific faults and over a length-scale shorter than the spacing of the present GPS network over this time-scale. Thus, (1) the identification of clustered fault activity is vital for probabilistic seismic hazard assessments, and (2) a combination of dense geodetic observations and palaeoseismology is needed to identify the precise location and width of actively deforming zones over specific time periods.

CONSERVATION OF RARE SPECIES PLANTS AND LICHENS IN SITU WITH PLANNED ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITIES: BASIC APPROACHES AND IMPLEMENTATION PRINCIPLES

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 38-45
Author(s):  
A. N. EFREMOV ◽  
N. V. PLIKINA ◽  
T. ABELI
Keyword(s):  
Rare Species ◽  
Technology Implementation ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Main Stage ◽  
Social Risks

Rare species are most vulnerable to man-made impacts, due to their biological characteristics or natural resource management. As a rule, the economic impact is associated with the destruction and damage of individual organisms, the destruction or alienation of habitats. Unfortunately, the conservation of habitat integrity is an important protection strategy, which is not always achievable in the implementation of industrial and infrastructural projects. The aim of the publication is to summarize the experience in the field of protection of rare species in the natural habitat (in situ), to evaluate and analyze the possibility of using existing methods in design and survey activities. In this regard, the main methodological approaches to the protection of rare species in the natural habitat (in situ) during the proposed economic activity were reflected. The algorithm suggested by the authors for implementing the in situ project should include a preparatory stage (initial data collection, preliminary risk assessments, technology development, obtaining permitting documentation), the main stage, the content of which is determined by the selected technology and a long monitoring stage, which makes it possible to assess the effectiveness of the taken measures. Among the main risks of in situ technology implementation, the following can be noted: the limited resources of the population that do not allow for the implementation of the procedure without prior reproduction of individuals in situ (in vitro); limited knowledge of the biology of the species; the possibility of invasion; the possibility of crossing for closely related species that сo-exist in the same habitat; social risks and consequences, target species or population may be important for the local population; financial risks during the recovery of the population. The available experience makes it possible to consider the approach to the conservation of rare species in situ as the best available technology that contributes to reducing negative environmental risks.

scholarly journals A Dieldrin Case Study: Another Evidence of an Obsolete Substance in the European Soil Environment

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 314
Author(s):  
Petros Tsiantas ◽  
Evangelia N. Tzanetou ◽  
Helen Karasali ◽  
Konstantinos M. Kasiotis
Keyword(s):  
Active Substance ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Carcinogenic Risk ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Soil Environment ◽  
Single Application ◽  
Environmental Concentration ◽  
Tandem Mass Spectrometric ◽  
Potential Use

Soil constitutes a central environmental compartment that, due to natural and anthropogenic activities, is a recipient of several contaminants. Among them, organochlorine pesticides are of major concern, even though they have been banned decades ago in the European Union, due to their persistence and the health effects they can elicit. In the presented work, a gas chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric (GC-MS/MS) developed method was applied to soil samples after the suspected and potential use of formulations containing organochlorine active substance. One soil sample was positive to dieldrin at 0.018 mg kg−1. Predicted environmental concentration in soil (PECsoil) considering a single application of this active substance potentially attributed the finding in its past use. The subsequent health risk assessment showed negligible non-carcinogenic risk and tolerable carcinogenic risk. The latter signifies that repetitive and prolonged sampling can unveil the pragmatic projection of persistent chemicals’ residues in the soil.

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