We apply a new analysis technique using earthquake focal mechanisms
to infer the 3-D fluid pressure field at depth in the source region
of the A.D. 2009 L'Aquila earthquake/aftershock sequence. The technique,
termed focal mechanism tomography, inverts for fluid pressure by
examining the fault orientation relative to the regional tectonic
stress pattern. We identify three large-scale pockets of high fluid
pressure (up to 50 MPa above hydrostatic pressure) at depths of 7-10
km that strongly correlates with an independent data set of well-located
foreshocks and aftershocks. The shape of overpressured regions and
the evolution of seismicity indicate a plausible scenario that this
sequence is being driven in part by the poro-elastic response of
trapped reservoirs of high-pressure fluid, presumably CO2, and postseismic
fluid flow initiated by the main shock.
%0 Journal Article
%1 terakawa_etal:2010
%A Terakawa, Toshiko
%A Zoporowski, Anna
%A Galvan, Boris
%A Miller, Stephen A.
%D 2010
%J Geology
%K geophysics seismology
%N 11
%P 995--998
%R 10.1130/G31457.1
%T High-pressure fluid at hypocentral depths in the L'Aquila region
inferred from earthquake focal mechanisms
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/G31457.1
%V 38
%X We apply a new analysis technique using earthquake focal mechanisms
to infer the 3-D fluid pressure field at depth in the source region
of the A.D. 2009 L'Aquila earthquake/aftershock sequence. The technique,
termed focal mechanism tomography, inverts for fluid pressure by
examining the fault orientation relative to the regional tectonic
stress pattern. We identify three large-scale pockets of high fluid
pressure (up to 50 MPa above hydrostatic pressure) at depths of 7-10
km that strongly correlates with an independent data set of well-located
foreshocks and aftershocks. The shape of overpressured regions and
the evolution of seismicity indicate a plausible scenario that this
sequence is being driven in part by the poro-elastic response of
trapped reservoirs of high-pressure fluid, presumably CO2, and postseismic
fluid flow initiated by the main shock.
@article{terakawa_etal:2010,
abstract = {We apply a new analysis technique using earthquake focal mechanisms
to infer the 3-D fluid pressure field at depth in the source region
of the A.D. 2009 L'Aquila earthquake/aftershock sequence. The technique,
termed focal mechanism tomography, inverts for fluid pressure by
examining the fault orientation relative to the regional tectonic
stress pattern. We identify three large-scale pockets of high fluid
pressure (up to 50 MPa above hydrostatic pressure) at depths of 7-10
km that strongly correlates with an independent data set of well-located
foreshocks and aftershocks. The shape of overpressured regions and
the evolution of seismicity indicate a plausible scenario that this
sequence is being driven in part by the poro-elastic response of
trapped reservoirs of high-pressure fluid, presumably CO2, and postseismic
fluid flow initiated by the main shock.},
added-at = {2012-09-01T13:08:21.000+0200},
author = {Terakawa, Toshiko and Zoporowski, Anna and Galvan, Boris and Miller, Stephen A.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/280df84a31ff6a6fa6a2e8f9b8a1e6bb8/nilsma},
day = 1,
doi = {10.1130/G31457.1},
interhash = {421e852968153bf3f4bb86bb8a7aa726},
intrahash = {80df84a31ff6a6fa6a2e8f9b8a1e6bb8},
journal = {Geology},
keywords = {geophysics seismology},
month = nov,
number = 11,
pages = {995--998},
timestamp = {2021-02-09T13:26:45.000+0100},
title = {High-pressure fluid at hypocentral depths in the L'Aquila region
inferred from earthquake focal mechanisms},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/G31457.1},
volume = 38,
year = 2010
}