In search of the seismogenic source of the march 23rd 2018 earthquake (Mw 3.7) near Brindisi (Puglia, Southern Italy)

Abstract

The portion of the southern Adriatic Sea, adjacent to the Murge area (Apulian Foreland, Southern Italy), is considered mainly aseismic. The recent March 23rd 2018 earthquake (Mw 3.7), occurred near Brindisi (Puglia Region), giving us occasion to reconsider data coming from different sources (instrumentally-recorded, historically-documented and palaeoseismologically-interpreted earthquakes), that suggest some moderate seismic shocks in this portion of the Adriatic Sea. The present study, based on the re-interpretation of public domain seismic profiles and exploration well logs available in the ViDEPI Project, has been focused on the recognition of faults with Quaternary activity in the epicentral area. A S-dipping fault, with a main dip-slip component of movement, is suggested to be the seismogenic source. Its geometry is consistent with the fault plane solution and the depth of the hypocenter calculated by the INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia).