
Marco MassaIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia | INGV · Milano - Pavia
Marco Massa
seismologist
About
129
Publications
33,360
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Introduction
Marco Massa, senior seismologist, currently works at INGV (Italian National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology), department of Milano. His most recent publication is 'Mapping the Seismic Bedrock of the Po Plain (Italy) through Ambient‐Vibration Monitoring'.
Additional affiliations
January 2005 - present
Education
February 2002 - April 2005
Genova University
Field of study
- seismolgy
September 1995 - October 2000
Genova University
Field of study
- geology, geophysics
Publications
Publications (129)
Mud volcanoes are found worldwide but are predominantly located in accretionary complexes within compressional tectonic settings along subduction zones, areas often marked by high seismic activity (Dimitrov, 2002). The Regional Natural Reserve of Salse di Nirano (Fiorano Modenese, Italy) hosts one of the largest mud volcano fields of Europe. Placed...
Nowadays increasingly consciousness on the interaction between tectonics and crustal fluids dynamics is lacking simultaneous monitoring of the relative key factors. Changes in water chemistry and levels, spring discharges, soil flux regimes (e.g., CO2, CH4, radon) and compositions of dissolved gases in water are well
documented in the literature (e...
The present work would like to illustrate a new concept of multiparametric stations to characterize the crustal fluids-tectonic interaction in specific geological contexts. The dynamics of crustal fluids in relation to tectonics is a complex and sometimes intricate issue. Several factors act and mutually influence themselves, so that in each tecton...
Seismic signals coupling to physical (e.g., temperature, pH, Eh, electrical conductivity, flow rate) and geochemical changes in ground and spring waters as well as variations in soil flux regimes (e.g., CO2, CH4, radon) represent a valuable tool to better understand the interaction between tectonics and crustal fluids dynamics (e.g., Italiano et al...
Nowadays increasingly consciousness on the interaction between tectonics and crustal fluids dynamics is lacking simultaneous monitoring of the relative key factors. Changes in water chemistry and levels, spring discharges, soil flux regimes (e.g., CO2, CH4, radon) and compositions of dissolved gases in water are well documented in the literature (e...
The interplay between earthquakes and aquifers mainly results in changes in water table levels and spring discharges as well as hydrogeochemical modifications. Several studies reported pre-, co-and/or post-seismic groundwater modifications either in chemical-physical parameters or in the chemistry of waters (e.g., Barberio et al., 2017; Wang & Mang...
The eruption of the volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai on Jan 15, 2022,04:14:54 UTC, was such energetic that instruments observed different physical phenomena all over the globe. In Italy, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), who is continuously operating different kinds of monitoring networks, as e.g., the Italian Seismic Netw...
In this paper, we present the work carried out to characterize the spatial variability of seismic site response related to local soil conditions in the city of Milan and its surroundings, an area with ∼3 million inhabitants and a high density of industrial facilities. The area is located at the northwestern end of the Po Plain, a large and deep sed...
We present a methodology for the selection of accelerometric time histories as input for dynamic response analyses over vast areas. The method is primarily intended for seismic microzonation studies and regional probabilistic seismic hazard assessments that account for site effects. It is also suitable for structural response analyses if one would...
Quality assessment of the data and metadata distributed by open earthquake databases is crucial in order to provide reliable information to seismology, engineering seismology, soil dynamics and earthquake engineering science and practice. The ORFEUS (Observatories and Research Facilities for European Seismology) community coordinates two major stro...
In August 2016, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Central Italy, starting a devastating seismic sequence, aggravated by other two events of magnitude 5.9 and 6.5, respectively. After the first mainshock, four Italian institutions installed a dense temporary network of 50 seismic stations in an area of 260 km2. The network was registered in the Inte...
We apply a matched-filter-technique to augment the detected events in the time between the two mainshocks of the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence (Italy), 20 (Mw6.1) and 29 (Mw6.0) May. Using well-located templates, we increase the number of detections from 1,727 to 7,616. This greater detail allows evidencing migrations of seismic events from the nucl...
In earthquake engineering, “engineering bedrock” is regarded as a stiff material (i.e., rock or rock-like geological formation) that is characterized by a shearwave velocity greater than a target value (e.g., 800 m=s; current Italian and European seismic codes). In the case of deep basins, the identification of engineering bedrock is problematic, b...
This work aims to analyse the response to ground shaking of the Norcia intermountain basin (central Italy), where a temporary seismic network (Pilz and Parolai in Norcia basin (Italy) temporary seismic network. GFZ Data Services. https://doi.org/10.14470/8u7554472182, 2009) was installed from January to May 2009, during the L’Aquila (Mw 6.1) seismi...
Since the beginning of the 1980s, when Mandelbrot observed that earthquakes occur on 'fractal' self-similar sets, many studies have investigated the dynamical mechanisms that lead to self-similarities in the earthquake process. Interpreting seismicity as a self-similar process is undoubtedly convenient to bypass the physical complexities related to...
This article describes and discusses the new site characterization scheme adopted for version 2.0 of the Italian National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) Strong Motion Database (ISMD), published online in August 2016. To date, the web portal includes more than 145,000 threecomponent accelerometric waveforms that have been generated...
In the framework of the S2 DPC-INGV 2014–2015 project (https://sites.google.com/site/ingvdpc2014progettos2/), several field surveys were designed with the aim to investigate the local seismic site response of selected Italian Accelerometric Network strong motion stations. In this study the results obtained at Sorbolo, Lesignano de’ Bagni, and Caste...
In this study, we apply an empirical scoring method to evaluate the feasibility of probabilistic seismic hazard analyses (PSHAs) at regional scale in Italy accounting for site amplification, which is taken into account through the application of a set of ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) defined for specific ground types. Precisely, this m...
In this paper we present a feasibility study for the surface seismic
monitoring of the “Sant’Alberto” gas reservoir (Po Plain, Northern
Italy). The project was commissioned to INGV in the framework
of the activities planned by the oil & gas E&P company PoValley
Energy (PVE), aiming to exploit the underground deposit.
After estimating the ambie...
Within the framework of the European collaborative research initiative AlpArray (http://www.alparray.ethz.ch), the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanolgia (INGV) deployed overall 20 broad-band seismic stations in Northern Italy and on two islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea (Capraia and Montecristo) during Fall-Winter 2015.
The temporary deploymen...
This study deals with the impact of deep-soil discontinuities on groundmotion amplification in the Po alluvial basin (northern Italy), and consequently, on long-period probabilistic seismic-hazard analysis estimates. The focus is on Castelleone, where a seismic station of the Italian National Seismic Network has been deployed since 2009. To define...
During the August-September 2016 Amatrice, Mw 6.0, seismic sequence, the real time INGV strong motion data sharing was assured by the INGV Strong Motion database (ISMD). Starting on August 24 th , the main task of the web portal was to archive, process and distribute the strong-motion waveforms recorded by the permanent and temporary INGV accelerom...
At 01:36 UTC (03:36 local time) on August 24th 2016, an earthquake Mw 6.0 struck an extensive sector of the central Apennines (coordinates: latitude 42.70° N, longitude 13.23° E, 8.0 km depth). The earthquake caused about 300 casualties and severe damage to the historical buildings and economic activity in an area located near the borders of the Um...
At 01:36 UTC (03:36 local time) on August 24th 2016, an earthquake Mw 6.0 struck an extensive sector of the central Apennines (coordinates: latitude 42.70° N, longitude 13.23° E, 8.0 km depth). The earthquake caused about 300 casualties and severe damage to the historical buildings and economic activity in an area located near the borders of the Um...
On August 24, 2016, at 01:36 UTC a MW 6.0 earthquake struck an extensive area of the Central Apennines (Italy) between the towns of Norcia and Amatrice. Due to the mainshock magnitude and the widespread damaging level of buildings in the epicentral area, the Emersito task force has been mobilized by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologi...
Nella Struttura Terremoti dell’INGV la Linea di Attività T5 “Sorveglianza sismica ed operatività post- terremoto” si occupa delle attività di sviluppo di strumenti e procedure per la valutazione in tempo reale degli effetti di terremoti e tsunami e della gestione delle emergenze sismiche. Uno dei suoi obiettivi del 2015 era la formalizzazione dei p...
This study compares 12 hazard models based on dated and recent ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) to evaluate the improvement provided by new equations on probabilistic seismic-hazard assessments in Italy. To this end, a statistical procedure is applied to score the outcomes of each hazard model at 56 different accelerometric sites that hav...
In the framework of INGV Earthquake Department organization, the Research Activity named "Sorveglianza sismica ed operatività post-terremoto" (Seismic survey and post-earthquake operativity" (T5) takes care of the development of tools and procedures for the real time evaluation of earthquake effects and the management of seismic emergency. One of m...
In their comments Bonini et al. argue that our seismotectonic interpretation of the Emilia 2012 seismic sequence does not agree with observations, and follow three lines of arguments to support their statement. These concern the structural interpretation of seismic reflection profiles, the relationship between seismogenic sources and seismicity pat...
Within the framework of the European joint research initiative AlpArray (http://www.alparray.ethz.ch/), we de- ployed overall 20 seismic broad-band stations in Northern Italy and on two islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea (Capraia and Montecristo) during Fall-Winter 2015. All the stations, connected in real-time, were installed at sites selected accordin...
In the framework of the pilot project for CO2 geo-sequestration in the depleted gas storage field of Cortemaggiore (Po Plain, northern Italy), started by the Italian company STOGIT in 2004, a surface seismic monitoring has been planned. The monitoring aims to detect possible changes, especially in microseismicity of the area, caused by the injectio...
Il progetto AlpArray (PI E. Kissling, Seismology and Geodynamics ETH) è un’iniziativa europea di collaborazione interdisciplinare sismologica e geodinamica, il cui obiettivo principale è quello di migliorare la comprensione della struttura profonda e della geodinamica delle Alpi (la catena montuosa più studiata al mondo) tramite l’acquisizione, l’a...
The impact on probabilistic ground-motion hazard of different definitions of the horizontal component of ground shaking is examined. The scope is to highlight how such a minor detail within the complex computation chain of a probabilistic seismic- hazard assessment can play a crucial role on final results. This is achieved by comparing hazard maps...
This study presents new geological and seismological data that are used to assess the seismic hazard of a sector of the Po Plain (northern Italy), a large alluvial basin hit by two strong earthquakes on May 20 (Mw 6.1) and May 29 (Mw 6.0), 2012. The proposed interpretation is based on high-quality relocation of 5,369 earthquakes (‘Emilia sequence’)...
The Montello anticline is a morphotectonic feature of the east pede-mountain of the South Alpine Chain in northern Italy, which lies ca. 40 km northwest of Venice, Italy. The purpose of this study is to characterize the present-day crustal deformation and seismotectonics of the Montello area through multi-parametric geophysical observations. We use...
The deformation front of the Northern Apennines is buried under the sediments of the Po Plain and was formed mainly during the Pliocene. The remarkably arcuate shape of the thrust front contrasts with the linear northwestern trend of the pede-Apennines, where recent deformation is documented by both geological and geodetic evidence. This study pres...
Online Material: Earthquake catalog and strong motion stations.
In Italy, strong‐motion monitoring started in the early 1970s, when the Rete Accelerometrica Nazionale (RAN, the Italian National Strong Motion Network; http://www.protezionecivile.gov.it/jcms/it/ran.wp; see Data and Resources for a complete listing of all websites listed in this arti...
This study examines the role of topographic effects on the prediction of earthquake ground motion. Ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) are mathematical models that estimate the shaking level induced by an earthquake as a function of several parameters, such as magnitude, source-to-site distance, style of faulting and ground type. However, li...
This article presents a set of Ground-Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) for Europe and the Middle East, derived from the RESORCE strong motion data bank, following a standard regression approach. The parametric GMPEs are derived for the peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity, and 5 %-damped pseudo-absolute acceleration response spectra co...
Nell’ambito delle commemorazioni per i 50 anni dalla frana del Vajont, il Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (DPC), la Regione Veneto e la Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia con il coinvolgimento delle Province Autonome di Trento e Bolzano, hanno organizzato un’esercitazione sul rischio sismico denominata “Nord-Est 2013” svoltasi dal 13 al 15...
This study focuses on the evaluation of teleseisms as estimators of long-period seismic site amplification in correspondence to large alluvial basins. Using the recordings of the 11 March 2011 M-w 9.0 Tohoku-Oki, Japan, earthquake, the site response at low frequency of the Po Plain, Italy, was investigated. The inter-distances among the analyzed si...
This article presents comparisons among the five ground-motion models described in other articles within this special issue, in terms of data selection criteria, characteristics of the models and predicted peak ground and response spectral accelerations. Comparisons are also made with predictions from the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) models to...
The paper presents an extensive review of topographic effects in seismology taking into account the knowledge of 40 yr of scientific literature. An overview of topographic effects based on experimental observations and numerical modelling is presented with the aim of highlighting meaning and causes of these phenomena as well as possible correlation...
We used strong-motion records from the 2012 May 20 and 29 Emilia-Romagna earthquakes (M-w 6.1 and 5.9, respectively) and four aftershocks with magnitudes ranging between 4.9 and 5.5 to analyse the S-wave spectral amplitude decay with distance and estimate acceleration source functions and site effects. The data set consists of six earthquakes, 44 s...
e assessment of location, magnitude and uncertainties of great historical earthquakes is a key issue for understanding the seismic potential and PSHA of a region. In the last years independent techniques using only macrosesismic data points have been developed as, for example, the approach of Bakun and Wentworth (1997) or BW. This method has been l...
We analyze the S-wave spectral amplitude decay with distance using
strong-motion records from the 20 May 2012 Emilia-Romagna earthquake
(Mw6.1) and five aftershocks with magnitudes ranging between 4.9 and
5.9. The data set consist of 6 earthquakes, 44 stations and 248 records
with hypocentral distances in the range 10 < r < 100 km. We
rotated the a...
Alle ore 02.03 UTC di domenica 20 maggio 2012, la Rete Sismica Nazionale (RSN [Amato and Mele, 2008; Delladio, 2011]) dell’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) ha registrato un evento simico di magnitudo locale 5.9 che è stato avvertito in gran parte dell’Italia centro-settentrionale; l’evento è stato localizzato sotto la valle del...
At the end of September 2011 a simulation test of rapid-response to a seismic emergency was conducted in the frame of the current agreement between the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) and the Civil Protection Agency of the Emilia Romagna, with the objective of evaluating the level of preparedness reached in the emergency
proced...
On May 20th 2012 (Sunday) an earthquake (ML 5.9) hit Northern Italy at 02:03 UTC,. The National Seismic Network [Amato and Mele, 2008; Dellad