Groundwater flow changes in response to extensional earthquakes: a case study from the 2016-17 seismic sequence in Central Italy

<p>Changes in groundwater flow in response to strong earthquakes are widely described in many tectonic environments. For example, a post-seismic discharge variation is often attributed to an increase of bulk permeability due to co-seismic fracturing and/or to a change in the role of faults in acting as conduits/barrier to groundwater flow.</p> <p>We take as an example the fractured aquifer of the Mts. Sibillini carbonate massif, in Central Italy, which were affected by a strong and prolonged extensional seismic sequence in 2016-17. The sequence was characterized by an M=6.5 event (mainshock), an M=6 event, an M=5.9 event, up to 60 M>4 events and several M>5 earthquakes. The strongest events caused rupturing of the topographic surface for a cumulative length in the order of 30 km and an important portion of aftershocks occurred at depths where groundwater is stored.</p> <p>As a response to the seismic sequence, the main NNW-directed groundwater flow was diverted to the west and a discharge deficit was observed at the foot-wall of the activated fault system with a relevant discharge increase, accompanied by geochemical variations, at the fault system hanging-wall.</p> <p>By integrating geo-structural reconstructions, seismological and ground deformation data, artificial tracer tests results and a 4-years discharge and geochemical monitoring campaign data, we show that the observed groundwater variations are due to a combination of permeability increase along the activated fault systems and hydraulic conductivity increase of the hanging-wall block due to fracturing, extension and subsidence, which determined a fast aquifers emptying. Seismicity temporarily triggered a change of the pre-existing predominant along-faults-strike NNW-SSE oriented regional flow to a west-directed flow, perpendicular to faults strike. We discuss the position of the aquifer with respect to the activated faults and how this affected the observed phenomena.</p> <p>&#160;</p> <p>REFERENCE</p> <p>Cambi, C., Mirabella, F., Petitta, M., Banzato, F., Beddini, G., Cardellini, C., ... & Valigi, D. (2022). Reaction of the carbonate Sibillini Mountains Basal aquifer (Central Italy) to the extensional 2016&#8211;2017 seismic sequence. <em>Scientific Reports</em>, <em>12</em>(1), 1-13. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26681-2</p>