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Active Tectonic, Geological Hazard and Seismic Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability in Geographic Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 2801

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, 00143 Rome, Italy
Interests: geochemistry applied to seismic areas; study of natural fault tracers; variation of soil–gas concentrations pre-and post-earthquake; hydro-geochemical monitoring of active faults

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Seismic sustainability may be considered the main focus for earthquake researchers since it is concerned with protecting both society and the environment from earthquake-related hazards.

Earthquakes, being the most destructive natural hazards on Earth, make people highly vulnerable due to their unpredictable nature, as observed in many seismic regions of the world.

Therefore, it is particularly important to achieve both an accurate recognition and a characterization of risk zones for the safety of existing urban areas and of future territory intended for such use. Furthermore, many different hazards are associated with earthquakes, for example, ground shaking, faulting or breaches of the surface material, landslides, liquefaction, subsidence or surface depressions, tsunamis, etc. The lack of adequate forecasting yields for each of those has potentially destructive economic, social, and environmental consequences. The assessment of earthquake hazards involves studies concerning earthquake magnitude, frequency, probability of occurrence, and fault mapping. Deep knowledge of active/capable fault locations and their spatial extension can contribute to a reliable estimation of local risk that, consequently, will play a key role in risk mitigation. Different investigation methods, including geodetic, geologic, remote-sensing, geophysical, and geochemical data, are essential for detecting active faults and estimating seismic hazards. Further, stochastic modeling approaches can significantly contribute to a probabilistic assessment of risk.

The aim of this Special Issue is to compare studies on the origin, development, and individuation of surface/buried faults from known and inferred seismic areas using different scientific methods to broaden the horizons of seismic research in a risk assessment framework. Contributions on novel methods and instrumentation for seismic monitoring are also encouraged.

We look forward to receiving your contributions, as your expertise will further enhance our understanding and preparedness for seismic events.

Dr. Nunzia Voltattorni
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • fault mapping, seismic hazard
  • earthquake risk
  • fault monitoring techniques
  • risk probabilistic assessment

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3124 KiB  
Article
Analyzing the 222Rn/220Rn Ratio in a Seismic Area: A Reliable Method to Understand the Development of Active Structural Discontinuities in Earthquake Surveillance and Sustainability
by Nunzia Voltattorni, Andrea Gasparini, Daniele Cinti, Gianfranco Galli and Monia Procesi
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10449; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310449 - 28 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 805
Abstract
Studies on the individuation of surface and buried faults in seismic areas using geochemical methods can be considered a valid approach for improving sustainability in the risk assessment framework. Appropriate scientific knowledge of structural geology and its evolution pre/during/post seismic events can play [...] Read more.
Studies on the individuation of surface and buried faults in seismic areas using geochemical methods can be considered a valid approach for improving sustainability in the risk assessment framework. Appropriate scientific knowledge of structural geology and its evolution pre/during/post seismic events can play a fundamental role in human safety and resilience. The Abruzzo region (central Italy) underwent to a Mw 6.3 seismic event, in April 2009, that interested L’Aquila city (the county seat of the region) and many villages in the surrounding area. A first soil gas survey including radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) measurements was accomplished soon after the main shock, in an area of ~24 km2 a few kilometers away from L’Aquila city. Results highlighted the spatial influence of the active tectonic on gas migration towards the surface. The area was investigated again in spring 2016, both to evaluate the natural degassing during a period without further meaningful earthquakes and to verify the presence of faults supposed after the previous survey results. Comparing data from the two surveys, a variation in the 222Rn/220Rn ratio was observed, suggesting different sources (deep or superficial) of gas degassing strictly correlated with the temporal variation in soil vertical permeability. Furthermore, the results infer a new structural system different from that known in the literature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Active Tectonic, Geological Hazard and Seismic Sustainability)
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26 pages, 5094 KiB  
Article
Groundwater and Dissolved Gases Geochemistry in the Pesaro-Urbino Province (Northern Marche, Central Italy) as a Tool for Seismic Surveillance and Sustainability
by Lorenzo Chemeri, Marco Taussi, Jacopo Cabassi, Francesco Capecchiacci, Antonio Randazzo, Franco Tassi, Alberto Renzulli and Orlando Vaselli
Sustainability 2024, 16(12), 5178; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16125178 - 18 Jun 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1473
Abstract
The Pesaro-Urbino province (PUP) (northern Marche, central Italy) is one of the most seismically active areas in Italy, with the most recent earthquakes (5.2 and 5.5 Mw) having occurred on 9 November 2022 with an epicenter located in the Adriatic Sea. A detailed [...] Read more.
The Pesaro-Urbino province (PUP) (northern Marche, central Italy) is one of the most seismically active areas in Italy, with the most recent earthquakes (5.2 and 5.5 Mw) having occurred on 9 November 2022 with an epicenter located in the Adriatic Sea. A detailed geochemical and isotopic characterization of 87 groundwaters (and dissolved gases) circulating in the PUP was carried out to (i) unravel the geochemical processes controlling the water circulation, (ii) investigate the interplay between deep originated fluids and shallow aquifers, (iii) evaluate the reliability of specific geochemical parameters as tracers for seismic activity, and (iv) select the most suitable sampling sites to deploy a monitoring network to highlight possible compositional changes related to the regional and local tectonic activity. The geochemical dataset includes waters showing five different hydrochemical compositional facies: (i) calcium bicarbonate with low Total Dissolved Solids (TDS); (ii) calcium bicarbonate with relatively high concentrations of sulfate (>200 mg/L); (iii) sodium bicarbonate with pH > 8.8; (iv) calcium sulfate; (v) sodium chlorine. Two distinct groups of dissolved gases can be recognized: (a) N2-dominated gases with N2/Ar ratios similar to those of Air-Saturated Water (ASW); (b) CO2- and CH4-rich gases associated with high TDS and springs rich in S-bearing reduced species. The isotopic values of δ13C-CO2 and δ13C-CH4 suggest a predominant biogenic origin for both species with a negligible contribution from deep-seated fluids. The Ca-HCO3(SO4), Ca(Na)-SO4(Cl), and Na-HCO3 waters, being likely related to deep hydrological pathways, are the best candidates to be included in the monitoring network in the Pesaro-Urbino province. This will be of paramount importance in addressing the challenge of unravelling fluid geochemical precursors of earthquakes, thus increasing and improving seismic surveillance practices and hazard mitigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Active Tectonic, Geological Hazard and Seismic Sustainability)
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