An updated view of the Italian seismicity from probabilistic location in 3D velocity models: The 1981–2018 Italian catalog of absolute earthquake locations (CLASS)

Abstract

We have built a complete catalog of three-dimensional (3D) hypocenter locations of earthquakes recorded in Italy from 1981 to 2018. Our catalog includes more than 420,000 events relocated by inverting a newly integrated dataset of ∼5.0 million P and ∼ 3.5 million S wave arrival times recorded by the Italian National Seismic Network and other permanent seismological networks operating in Italy. Available magnitudes are associated with earthquake locations from the most recent datasets and bulletins of Italian seismicity. Earthquakes are located in an updated 3D tomographic model of Italy obtained by including the Moho discontinuity and the seismic velocities of the Ionian subduction zone. We used a probabilistic, non-linear earthquake location code which provides complete information of the hypocenter solution uncertainties. Quality estimators of earthquake locations are analyzed a posteriori with an original criterion for a quantitative classification of the results, allowing users to select seismic events belonging to consistent quality classes and giving a more controlled image of the Italian instrumental seismicity for tectonic and geodynamical studies. The resulting catalog gives a new, coherent view of the spatial and temporal distribution of Italian seismicity. By selecting well constrained located events we construct the new Italian Crustal Seismogenic Layer (CSL) with a good spatial resolution, allowing us to show a comparison between seismogenic thicknesses and Moho geometry distribution. We finally present some examples of seismicity distribution in selected areas of Italy at regional and local scale relating the relocated events of our catalog with available multidisciplinary information from geology, geochemistry, geodynamical models, and historical seismicity.