The effect of static Coulomb stress changes on the earthquake interaction in South-Central Apennines (Italy)

Abstract

We have computed static stress changes associated to several earthquakes occurred in the Apennine chain, in Italy. Stress associated with fault slip has been computed by the Okada (1992) formulation. Static Coulomb stress changes associated to three subevents forming the Irpinia, 1980, Ms=6.9 main shock indicate that such subevents have been consecutively triggered, each one by stress changes produced by previous ones. Furthermore, aftershocks of this complex faulting event are well correlated with zones of maximum increase of Coulomb stress. The interplay of regional stress and of local stress changes due to the mainshock produces an aftershock distribution considerably wide and a large variability of focal mechanisms. Variability of focal mechanism is consistent with a low level of background regional stress (less than 2 Mpa). The analysis of two further seismic sequence in the central Apennine, occurred on 1979 close to Norcia town (ML=5.9) and on 1984 in National Park of Abruzzo (ML=5.5), also show a clear correlation of aftershock occurrence with positive Coulomb stress changes generated by mainshocks. The static stress change due to the mainshock of 1984, in Abruzzo region, is likely to have triggered, 4 days after, a further mainshock (ML=5.1) on the northern edge prolongation of the main fault, where the Coulomb stress change is maximum.Such evidences indicate a strong correlation among earthquakes in the Apennine chain, trough static stress changes, at several time and space scales. Modelling of such effects is useful both for improving our knowledge of the earthquake dynamics and for a better evaluation of seismic hazard in Italy.