The Segmented Campo Felice Normal Faults: Seismic Potential Appraisal by Application of Empirical Relationships Between Rupture Length and Earthquake Magnitude in the Central Apennines, Italy

During earthquakes, fault rupture can involve multiple segments in synchronous or cascade mechanisms, leading to an increasing magnitude of the mainshock rate aftershocks. Since seismogenic portions faults are inaccessible, studying geometrical and mechanical interaction between exhumed contribute understanding multisegment earthquake scenarios at depth. We investigated a segmented active normal system Campo Felice area (central Italian Apennines), where scarps well exposed. In this area, there no instrumental-historical records intermediate-strong although paleoseismology provided evidence for ancient Mw > 5 earthquakes. Geometry kinematics studied as their physical linkage were assessed. Results field surveys geological-structural mapping, serial cross-sections, throw versus distance diagrams highlight different stages faults. The suitability three empirical equations relating length was tested comparison new equation that we developed considering last seven 5.5 earthquakes (1997–2016) from central Apennines. show produce with maximum ?5.8 6.2 single ruptures, respectively. turn, Coulomb stress change modeling shows seismic hazard increase quasi-synchronous activation together nearby