Source Parameters of the 2009 L’Aquila Fault Earthquakes (Italy)

Abstract:

The 2009 L’Aquila main shock (6^th of April, M_w6.1) is one of the best-recorded normal faulting earthquakes with a distinctive foreshock-aftershock sequence. The seismic sequence activated an ~50-km-long, N133°E-trending fault system composed of two major right-stepping en echelon segments: the L’Aquila fault (AF) and the Campotosto fault. We focus our analysis only on the volume containing the high-angle AF segment where the whole foreshock sequence clustered around the nucleation patch together with numerous repeating earthquakes.

Analyzing the seismograms of the events that occurred within 6 km (±3) from the AF plane we discuss the complex nucleation and rupture process characterizing the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake together with the inferred heterogeneous distribution of the material/mechanical rock properties, seismicity pattern and coseismic slip, showing how different competing mechanisms control the initial stage of rupture and the dynamic rupture propagation.

We compute source parameters (i.e., stress drop, moment magnitude and corner frequency) of foreshocks and aftershocks to investigate the spatial-temporal pattern of fault zone heterogeneities. Source spectra at each station are inferred by using the multi-taper technique and corrected for attenuation; therefore corner frequency is inferred by using the Snoke’s relation. Outputs were compared to those we obtained by a multi-window-spectral-ratio technique (MWSR) computing the fit of stacked spectral ratios. Further, we discuss the results with those found in the literature. Ml versus Mw relation is inferred for this dataset. Foreshocks and aftershocks nucleated in the same fault portion do not show any difference in source parameters.