Geodynamics and seismology in the Adriatic Sea thanks to the TRACE oceanographic campaign

The primary objective of the mission lies in overcoming the structural limits linked to the distance of terrestrial monitoring stations from underwater epicentres. To fill this observation deficit, the operational protocol provides for positioning of twenty seismometers anchored to the seabed at a depth between 800 and 1200 meters. The devices will remain operational on site for a minimum period of one year, allowing the continuous and systematic recording of natural seismic phenomena in the southern Adriatic. This constant flow of instrumental data will allow active faults to be localized with geometric precision and the deep dynamics of the earth’s crust to be analysed in a geographical sector hitherto characterized by observational gaps.

Seismometer on the surface of the water just before it sank. image credits INGV

The evidence collected during the passive seismic experiment will provide useful elements to clarify the structural structure of the Adriatic plate and its complex convergence relationships with the European plate. The geological investigation aims to define the mechanical variables that govern earthquakes and the phenomena of underwater instability of the slopes.

From an institutional point of view, the TRACE project is developed through an international consortium that unites the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR), the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in collaboration with Dalhousie University, the University of Zagreb and the Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro. The French body Center national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) and the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) also participate in the cooperation network.

The seismic data financing and acquisition plan is supported by the SAKURA project, a specific research line included within the institutional INGV ROSE (Reinforcement of the Observational Systems of the Earth) program. The geophysical models deriving from the processing of data collected on the Adriatic seabed will have immediate implications both on basic scientific research and on engineering applied to the mitigation of natural risks. A detailed knowledge of offshore seismicity will in fact allow the competent authorities to optimize civil protection plans, update hazard maps and strengthen safety criteria for the design and maintenance of infrastructure networks located along the coasts of the coastal countries involved.