An international campaign to study the deep geology of the Adriatic Sea and improve knowledge of underwater earthquakes.
The research vessel R/V Gaia Blu It left the port of Bari on May 20th for the TRACE oceanographic campaign (South Adriatic Passive Seismic Experiment), a multidisciplinary experiment dedicated to the study of the deep geological structure and seismicity of the southern portion of the Adriatic Sea and in the Exclusive Economic Zones of Italy, Croatia and Montenegro.
The main objective of the project is to fill a significant observation gap and locate underwater seismic sources more precisely, often far from land-based monitoring stations. To this end, the campaign involves the deployment of 20 seismometers on the seabed, between 800 and 1200 meters deep, which will remain installed for at least a year, recording the natural seismicity of the southern Adriatic and contributing to the study of the Earth's deep structure.
The experiment will help answer important scientific questions related to the structure of the Adriatic plate, its relationship with the European plate, and the processes that regulate earthquakes and seafloor instability.
TRACE was born from the international collaboration between theInstitute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR), theIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV),University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, la Dalhousie University, theUniversity of Zagreb and theInstitute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro. The acquisition of seismic data is co-financed by the project SAKURA, research line funded by the INGV program ROSE (Reinforcement of the Observational Systems of the Earth).
The international consortium involves other institutions including the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) andInstitut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP).
The expected results could contribute to basic research and the assessment of natural hazards, improving knowledge of offshore seismicity and active structures in the Adriatic Sea, with potential implications for the safety of coastlines and strategic infrastructure.
Useful links:
Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR)
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Photo 1 - Launching an ocean-floor seismometer from the deck of the Gaia Blu vessel.
Photo 2 - Seismometer at the surface of the water shortly before its sinking.
Photo 3 - Scientific crew aboard the Gaia Blu vessel.