The accurate determination of stress drop, seismic efficiency, and how source parameters scale with earthquake size is an important issue for seismic hazard assessment of induced seismicity. We propose an improved nonparametric, data‐driven strategy suitable for monitoring induced seismicity, which combines the generalized inversion technique together with genetic algorithms. In the first step of the analysis the generalized inversion technique allows for an effective correction of waveforms for attenuation and site contributions. Then, the retrieved source spectra are inverted by a nonlinear sensitivity‐driven inversion scheme that allows accurate estimation of source parameters. We therefore investigate the earthquake source characteristics of 633 induced earthquakes (M_w 2–3.8) recorded at The Geysers geothermal field (California) by a dense seismic network (i.e., 32 stations, more than 17.000 velocity records). We find a nonself‐similar behavior, empirical source spectra that require an ω^γ source model with γ > 2 to be well fit and small radiation efficiency η_SW. All these findings suggest different dynamic rupture processes for smaller and larger earthquakes and that the proportion of high‐frequency energy radiation and the amount of energy required to overcome the friction or for the creation of new fractures surface changes with earthquake size. Furthermore, we observe also two distinct families of events with peculiar source parameters that in one case suggests the reactivation of deep structures linked to the regional tectonics, while in the other supports the idea of an important role of steeply dipping faults in the fluid pressure diffusion.

Seismic tomography can be used to image the spatial variation of rock properties within complex geological media such as volcanoes. Solfatara is a volcano located within the Campi Flegrei, a still active caldera, so it is of major importance to characterize its level of activity and potential danger. In this light, a 3D tomographic high-resolution P-wave velocity image of the shallow central part of Solfatara crater is obtained using first arrival times and amultiscaleapproach. The retrieved images, integrated with the resistivity section and temperature and the CO₂flux measurements, define the following characteristics: 1. A depth-dependent P-wave velocity layer down to 14 m, with V_p < 700 m/s typical of poorly-consolidated tephra and affected by CO₂degassing; 2. An intermediate layer, deepening towards the mineralized liquid-saturated area (Fangaia), interpreted as permeable deposits saturated with condensed water; 3. A deep, confined high velocity anomaly associated with a CO₂reservoir. These features are expression of an area located between the Fangaia, water saturated and replenished from deep aquifers, and the main fumaroles, superficial relief of the deep rising CO₂flux. Therefore, the changes in the outgassing rate greatly affect the shallow hydrothermal system, which can be used as a “mirror” of fluid migration processes occurring at depth.

A non-linear, global-search, probabilistic, double-difference earthquake location technique is illustrated. The main advantages of this method are the determination of comprehensive and complete solutions through the probability density function (PDF), the use of differential arrival times as data and the possibility to use a 3-D velocity model both for absolute and double-difference locations, all of which help to obtain accurate differential locations in structurally complex geological media. The joint use of this methodology and an accurate differential time data set allowed us to carry out a high-resolution, earthquake location analysis, which helps to characterize the active fault geometries in the studied region. We investigated the recent microseismicity occurring at the Campanian-Lucanian Apennines in the crustal volume embedding the fault system that generated the 1980 M_S 6.9 earthquake in Irpinia. In order to obtain highly accurate seismicity locations, we applied the method to the P and S arrival time data set from 1312 events (M_L < 3.1) that occurred from August 2005 to April 2011 and used the 3-D P- and S-wave velocity models optimized for the area under study. Both manually refined and cross-correlation refined absolute arrival times have been used. The refined seismicity locations show that the events occur in a volume delimited by the faults activated during the 1980 M_S 6.9 Irpinia earthquake on subparallel, predominantly normal faults. We find an abrupt interruption of the seismicity across an SW–NE oriented structural discontinuity corresponding to a contact zone between different rheology rock formations (carbonate platform and basin residuals). This ‘barrier’ appears to be located in the area bounded by the fault segments activated during the first (0 s) and the second (18 s) rupture episodes of the 1980s Irpinia earthquake. We hypothesize that this geometrical barrier could have played a key role during the 1980 Irpinia event, and possibly controlled the delayed times of activation of the two rupture segments.

Seismic sequences are a powerful tool to locally infer geometrical and mechanical properties of faults and fault systems. In this study, we provided detailed location and characterization of events of the 3–7 July 2020 Irpinia sequence (southern Italy) that occurred at the northern tip of the main segment that ruptured during the 1980 Irpinia earthquake. Using an autocorrelation technique, we detected more than 340 events within the sequence, with local magnitude ranging between −0.5 and 3.0. We thus provided double difference locations, source parameter estimation, and focal mechanisms determination for the largest quality events. We found that the sequence ruptured an asperity with a size of about 800 m, along a fault structure having a strike compatible with the one of the main segments of the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, and a dip of 50–55° at depth of 10.5–12 km and 60–65° at shallower depths (7.5–9 km). Low stress drop release (average of 0.64 MPa) indicates a fluid-driven initiation mechanism of the sequence. We also evaluated the performance of the earthquake early warning systems running in real-time during the sequence, retrieving a minimum size for the blind zone in the area of about 15 km.

Several studies have monitored crustal seismic velocity changes and attempted to relate them to the stress state and physical properties in volume embedding fault systems. The aim is to provide constraints on fault system dynamics and earthquake triggering mechanisms. Here, we reconstruct the spatiotemporal (4D) seismic velocity images of volume embedding the Irpinia fault system (IFS, South Italy), which originated the 1980 M_s 6.9 multi-segmented ruptures. By inverting data from more than ten years of continuous seismicity monitoring, we retrieved time-constant velocity anomalies, whose shapes correlate well with crustal lithology, while time-changing (up to 20%) velocity anomalies are mapped in the central region. Here, the Vp-to-Vs changes at depths of 1–5 km and 8–12 km correlate well with groundwater recharge and geodetic displacement during the same time interval. This correlation provides evidence for the existence of pulsating, pore pressure changes induced by groundwater recharge processes in a deep volume (8–12 km of depth), fractured and saturated with a predominant gas phase (likely CO₂). We suggest that tomographic measurements of the Vp-to-Vs spatiotemporal changes are a suitable proxy to track the pore pressure evolution at depth in highly sensitive regions of fault systems.