Integrated understanding of SEISmicity, using innovative MethOdologies of Fracture mechanics along with EARthquake and non extensive statistical physics – Application to the geodynamic system of the HELLenic ARC

Framework:

“THALES: Reinforcement of the interdisciplinary and/or inter-institutional research and innovation with the possibility of attracting high standard researchers from abroad through the implementation of basic and applied excellence research”
Operational Program “Education and Lifelong Learning” of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)

Starting date: 01-01-2012

End date: 31-12-2015

Budget: 600,000€

T.E.I. Budget: 85,000€

 

Project partners:

  • The Geophysics and Seismology Laboratory of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of the Technological Educational Institute of Crete in collaboration with the Department of Earth Science University College London
  • Exploration Geophysics Laboratory – Department of Geophysics – Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
  • Laboratory of Electrical Characterization of Materials and Electronic Devices – Department of Electronics of The Technological Educational Institute of Athens
  • Institute of Geodynamics, National Observatory of Athens

 

Description:

Understanding of earthquake physics, from rock fracture to earthquake fault scale, will enhance the quality of life both of European citizens and of vulnerable populations worldwide. The proposal will progressed along parallel and interlinked avenues. On the experimental one will generate unique, well constrained, laboratory data on acoustic emissions (AE) and pressure stimulated currents (PSC) under simulated in-situ conditions (stress-temperature) along with a pool of data from the operation of an integrated GPS and seismological network in the front of the Hellenic Arc. On the theoretical branch will develop new innovative techniques based on modern semi-markovian statistical seismology, modern thermodynamic, superstatistics and generalized (cross-over) non extensive statistical physics [NESP] principles, along with innovative DSP methods (wavelets, neural networks) for both the analysis of laboratory results and seismicity The latter techniques will be supported from the application of existing robust seismological methodologies as accelerated –decelerated seismicity, ETAS modelling, change of seismicity rates and time dependent stress transfer.
The aim of the proposal is the study of fundamental questions arising on the geodynamic behavior of the system as it is developing through seismicity, in a similar way, as with the physics of fracture.  The fundamental questions that will addressed summarized as follows:

  • How does seismicity -or acoustic emissions (AE) and pressure-stimulated currents (PSCs) in rocks- depends on its elementary constituents, i.e. the earthquakes (fractures)?
  • How does laboratory observations of fracture or creeping are related with the geodynamic deformation and which phenomena could be considered that follow?

The rock physics approach to understanding these geophysical processes is based on the premise that the macroscale behavior of rocks is governed by microscale interactions. Rocks deformed under an applied stress elastically, plastically, by fracturing and brittle flow and frictional sliding on a fault. The magnitude and direction of the applied stress, the rate and duration of loading, ambient pressure and temperature, the presence of fluids and previous deformation history all control the overall mechanical response.

 

Research Group:

  • Dimos Triantis, Professor, Team Coordinator
  • Zacharias Agioutantis, Professor
  • Cimon Anastasiadis, Professor
  • Ilias Stavrakas, Associate Professor
  • Alex Alexandridis, Assistant Professor
  • George Hloupis, Lecturer
  • Konstadinos Ninos, PhD Candidate