Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016–2017 seismic sequence
Abstract Hydrogeological perturbations in response to earthquakes are widely described worldwide. In carbonate aquifers, a post-seismic discharge increase is often attributed to an increase of bulk permeability due to co-seismic fracturing and the attention on the role of faults to explain the diver...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26681-2 |
| _version_ | 1797973670811926528 |
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| author | Costanza Cambi Francesco Mirabella Marco Petitta Francesca Banzato Giulio Beddini Carlo Cardellini Davide Fronzi Lucia Mastrorillo Alberto Tazioli Daniela Valigi |
| author_facet | Costanza Cambi Francesco Mirabella Marco Petitta Francesca Banzato Giulio Beddini Carlo Cardellini Davide Fronzi Lucia Mastrorillo Alberto Tazioli Daniela Valigi |
| author_sort | Costanza Cambi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Hydrogeological perturbations in response to earthquakes are widely described worldwide. In carbonate aquifers, a post-seismic discharge increase is often attributed to an increase of bulk permeability due to co-seismic fracturing and the attention on the role of faults to explain the diversion of groundwater is increasing. We focus on the reaction of carbonate hydrogeological basins to extensional seismicity, taking as an example the effects of the Central Italy 2016–2017 seismic sequence, on the Basal aquifer of the Sibillini Mountains area. Geo-structural, seismological and ground deformation data were collected and merged with artificial tracer tests results and with a 4-years discharge and geochemical monitoring campaign. The main NNW-directed groundwater flow was diverted to the west and a discharge deficit was observed at the foot-wall of the activated fault system with a relevant discharge increase, accompanied by geochemical variations, at the fault system hanging-wall. The observed variations are consistent with the combined action of a permeability increase along the activated fault systems, which modified the predominant pre-seismic along-strike regional flow, and with hydraulic conductivity increase due to fracturing, determining a fast aquifers emptying. We show that the prevailing mechanism depends on the aquifer systems position with respect to the activated faults. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:08:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f2c8e69438154942ae6b497e92f2540a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:08:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-f2c8e69438154942ae6b497e92f2540a2023-01-01T12:17:13ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-12-0112111310.1038/s41598-022-26681-2Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016–2017 seismic sequenceCostanza Cambi0Francesco Mirabella1Marco Petitta2Francesca Banzato3Giulio Beddini4Carlo Cardellini5Davide Fronzi6Lucia Mastrorillo7Alberto Tazioli8Daniela Valigi9Department of Physics and Geology, University of PerugiaDepartment of Physics and Geology, University of PerugiaDepartment of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of RomeDepartment of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of RomeDepartment of Physics and Geology, University of PerugiaDepartment of Physics and Geology, University of PerugiaDepartment of Science and Matter Engineering, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU), Università Politecnica delle MarcheDepartment of Sciences, Roma Tre UniversityDepartment of Science and Matter Engineering, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU), Università Politecnica delle MarcheDepartment of Physics and Geology, University of PerugiaAbstract Hydrogeological perturbations in response to earthquakes are widely described worldwide. In carbonate aquifers, a post-seismic discharge increase is often attributed to an increase of bulk permeability due to co-seismic fracturing and the attention on the role of faults to explain the diversion of groundwater is increasing. We focus on the reaction of carbonate hydrogeological basins to extensional seismicity, taking as an example the effects of the Central Italy 2016–2017 seismic sequence, on the Basal aquifer of the Sibillini Mountains area. Geo-structural, seismological and ground deformation data were collected and merged with artificial tracer tests results and with a 4-years discharge and geochemical monitoring campaign. The main NNW-directed groundwater flow was diverted to the west and a discharge deficit was observed at the foot-wall of the activated fault system with a relevant discharge increase, accompanied by geochemical variations, at the fault system hanging-wall. The observed variations are consistent with the combined action of a permeability increase along the activated fault systems, which modified the predominant pre-seismic along-strike regional flow, and with hydraulic conductivity increase due to fracturing, determining a fast aquifers emptying. We show that the prevailing mechanism depends on the aquifer systems position with respect to the activated faults.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26681-2 |
| spellingShingle | Costanza Cambi Francesco Mirabella Marco Petitta Francesca Banzato Giulio Beddini Carlo Cardellini Davide Fronzi Lucia Mastrorillo Alberto Tazioli Daniela Valigi Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016–2017 seismic sequence Scientific Reports |
| title | Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016–2017 seismic sequence |
| title_full | Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016–2017 seismic sequence |
| title_fullStr | Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016–2017 seismic sequence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016–2017 seismic sequence |
| title_short | Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016–2017 seismic sequence |
| title_sort | reaction of the carbonate sibillini mountains basal aquifer central italy to the extensional 2016 2017 seismic sequence |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26681-2 |
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