Geophysical and Geodetic Deformation Patterns In The Mediterranean
Abstract
The active tectonics in the Mediterranean, from Gibraltar to Anatolia, is studied by means of an integrated approach based on geophysical, geodetic and seismo- logical methodologies. Major tectonic processes, such as continental collision and subduction, characterise this region that marks a broad transition zone between the African/Arabian and Eurasian plates. A thin-shell finite element approach allows us to simulate the deformation pattern in all the Mediterranean. The global plate motion model NUVEL-1A is used to account for the convergence, while the relative velocities of the overriding and subduction plates are obtained from another family of models that simulate the effects of the negatively buoyant density contrasts of the subducted lithosphere on the horizontal velocity at the surface. A systematic comparison be- tween model results and the seismic strain rates obtained from the NEIC catalogue, the geodetic velocity field and strain resulting from GPS, SLR and VLBI analyses and the World Stress Map, indicate that Africa/Arabia vs Eurasia convergence and subduction in the Aegean Sea and Calabrian Arc are the major tectonic mechanisms controlling the deformation style in the Mediterranean. The velocity resulting from our modelling and the new geodetic data obtained from recently installed permanent receivers in the northern Apennines (Camerino site) and in Calabria, allow us to study in more detail the style of deformation in the Italian Peninsula. In particular, the Camerino site, and other new permanent GPS receivers in proximity of this site, show a NNE motion with respect to Eurasia coherent with the motion of the Matera site in southern Italy.
- Publication:
-
EGS General Assembly Conference Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002EGSGA..27.1182J