GPS velocities and 95% confidence ellipses in a fixed Arabian plate. The dashed blue line is a simplified representation of MRF. The dashed dark-blue lines represent the expected Arabia-Eurasia relative motion direction. Abbreviations are as follows: MRF, Main Recent Fault; MZRF, Main Zagros Reverse Fault; HZF, High Zagros Fault; KhF, Khanaqin Fault, IHF, Izeh-Hendijan Fault; KaF, Kazerun Fault. KaF divides the Zagros into Northern and Southern Zagros. Redrawn from Palano et al., 2018.
Cartoon for an eruptive event occurred at Mt. Etna. Inflating and deflating sources are reported in red and blue, respectively (IR, intermediate reservoir; DR, deep reservoir). Redrawn from Palano et al., 2017.
Vertical velocity maps for the 1992–2007 period (obtained using data from ERS and ENVISAT satellites) (a), for the 2007–2010 period (ALOS PALSAR satellite) (b) and for the 2011–2012 period (COSMO-SkyMed satellites) (c). Cumulated displacements (meters) of the Alto Guadalentín Basin from 1992 to 2012. Redrawn from Bonì et al., 2015.
Active tectonics
My research focuses on the analysis of seismically and geodetically measured strain-rates and the state of stress at diffuse plate boundaries in order to provide significant insights into the seismic hazard of the investigated regions. To this aim, I use a combination of techniques from geology, geodesy, seismology, geophysical prospecting and computer modelling.
Active Volcanoes
By using GNSS, I measure deformation in space and time over active volcanoes and provide models about these data for finding the geometry of uprising dikes and/or magma chambers in order to constraint the magmatic plumbing system of an active volcano and its changes over the time. I work also on the interaction between seismicity and volcano activity by showing how the (de)pressurization of magmatic bodies are capable of modifying the state of the stress of neighboring faults promoting their slips. I work also on episodes of time-dependent deformation (viscoelastic/after-slip relaxation and slow-slip events) related to the frictional processes occurring beneath spreading volcanoes.
Land subsidence
I am investigating a number of regions affected by subsidence as a consequence of excessive exploitation (extraction of groundwater, oil, gas, etc.) of the underground. Using techniques, such as GPS and InSAR, I map and monitor the areal extent and temporal evolution of this phenomenon on the investigated regions. By adopting simple simulations, I estimate the magnitude, location, and timing of the subsidence in order to evaluate management strategies to mitigate adverse effects from subsidence and optimizing the extraction of resources.