AlpArray / From Top to Bottom - Seismicity, Motion Patterns & Stress Distribution in the Alpine Crust

The aim of our project is to investigate the processes which control the multi-scale seismicity of the Alps. We hypothesize that patterns of stress and motion can be quantified from the seismicity which is observed with unprecedented resolution by AlpArray.
A major challenge are the detection and analysis of weak seismic events which are of prime importance for establishing the link between near-surface and deep crustal processes. We face this by the integration of regional and local scale data and a consistent application of modern seismological techniques. The characterization of microseismicity aims to unravel the roles of rainfall, snowload and postglacial and tectonic effects. The observed seismicity will also illuminate the structure of faults and their kinematics at depth, and the here proposed combination of both regional and local seismic source studies will provide an important and unique link between surface deformation and deep processes.
In order to achieve the aims of our proposal, we will apply and further develop novel, waveform-based methodologies for detection, localisation and source characterization of weak seismicity which uses the full capacity of the dense seismic station configuration, and for the small scale applications we will consider velocity heterogeneities and topographic effects. Cluster analysis, source parameter determination through advanced waveform-based full moment tensor and stress field inversion techniques will be applied to distinguish and quantify the different mechanisms of the observed seismicity and their seismicity rates.

Duration
1 July 2017 bis 30 June 2020

PI
Simone Cesca, Torsten Dahm

Partners
Jörn Kummerow, Serge A. Shapiro (FU Berlin),
Joachim Wassermann (LMU München),
Thomas Plenefisch (BGR Hannover)