New Study on Seismicity in the Strait of Messina

06/10/2025

An international team of researchers has analyzed the Strait of Messina by integrating seismic data, seafloor surveys, and subsurface imaging. The study, participated by Cnr-Ismar and published in the journal Tectonophysics, offers new perspectives on the geological processes that make this area one of the most seismically active in the Mediterranean.

The results show that crustal deformation is not concentrated on a single fault, but rather along a wide corridor that includes the Ionian fault and the Capo Peloro fault, to the south and north of the Strait, respectively (see Figure 1). The most frequent earthquakes occur between 6 and 20 km in depth, while at greater depths (40-80 km) more complex movements are observed, combining extension and compression.

The study also identifies a system of small en-échelon faults, oriented NE-SW, forming an elliptical area near the epicenter of the devastating 1908 earthquake. It is precisely along these faults that some recent seismic sequences have occurred (2005, 2006, 2014, and 2016).

Analyses confirm that the prevailing dynamics in the Strait are transtensional: a combination of crustal extension and lateral movements, which helps explain the complexity of local seismicity.

These new findings provide important tools for understanding the seismic hazards of the area and for improving prevention strategies in a densely populated region historically marked by destructive earthquakes.

Per informazioni:Alina [email protected]

Vedi anche:

• T.Sgroi, G.Barberi, L.Gasperini, R.Govers, N.Nijholt, G.Lo Mauro, M.Ligi, A.Artoni, L.Torelli, A.Polonia, Structural development and seismogenesis in the Messina Straits revealed by stress/strain pattern above the edge of the Calabrian slab (Central Medit