The assessment of seismic activity in the shallow continental mantle has long been hindered by the low resolution of both seismic imaging and earthquake locations in young collision zones. Here, we combine the most recent and high-resolution image of the lithospheric structure of the Western Alps with a high quality dataset of anomalously deep earthquakes recorded in the same area in the past 25 yrs. We show that these earthquakes are aligned on an active lithospheric strike-slip fault, and we provide evidence that this fault is located in the mantle wedge beneath the Adriatic Moho. Our results: (i) provide direct evidence that deep material can be seismogenic or not depending on the lithology; (ii) confirm the role of serpentinization in favoring the aseismic creep of mantle rocks; and (iii) demonstrate that the upper mantle can be stiff and seismogenic not only in cold cratons, but also in young orogenic belts.

Malusa', M., Zhao, L., Eva, E., Solarino, S., Paul, A., Guillot, S., et al. (2017). Earthquakes in the western Alpine mantle wedge. GONDWANA RESEARCH, 44, 89-95 [10.1016/j.gr.2016.11.012].

Earthquakes in the western Alpine mantle wedge

MALUSA', MARCO GIOVANNI
;
2017

Abstract

The assessment of seismic activity in the shallow continental mantle has long been hindered by the low resolution of both seismic imaging and earthquake locations in young collision zones. Here, we combine the most recent and high-resolution image of the lithospheric structure of the Western Alps with a high quality dataset of anomalously deep earthquakes recorded in the same area in the past 25 yrs. We show that these earthquakes are aligned on an active lithospheric strike-slip fault, and we provide evidence that this fault is located in the mantle wedge beneath the Adriatic Moho. Our results: (i) provide direct evidence that deep material can be seismogenic or not depending on the lithology; (ii) confirm the role of serpentinization in favoring the aseismic creep of mantle rocks; and (iii) demonstrate that the upper mantle can be stiff and seismogenic not only in cold cratons, but also in young orogenic belts.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Aseismic creep; Deep Alpine structure; Focal mechanism heterogeneity; Lithosphere rheology; Mantle earthquakes;
deep Alpine structure; mantle earthquakes; focal mechanism heterogeneity; aseismic creep; lithosphere rheology
English
2017
44
89
95
open
Malusa', M., Zhao, L., Eva, E., Solarino, S., Paul, A., Guillot, S., et al. (2017). Earthquakes in the western Alpine mantle wedge. GONDWANA RESEARCH, 44, 89-95 [10.1016/j.gr.2016.11.012].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/140714
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