Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pattern Informatics and the Soup-of-Groups Model of Earthquakes: A Case Study of Italian Seismicity

  • Published:
Pure and Applied Geophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An improved pattern informatics (PI) method, inspired by the soup-of-groups model, is developed in this study. This improved method reveals its potential in reducing the noise that, when the classical PI is applied, can yield misleading conclusions about the existence of “hotspots” in the vicinity of the epicenter of a strong earthquake. The application of this new method to Italian seismicity from 1985 to 2018 properly reveals “hotspots” around the two strongest earthquakes that occurred in 2009 (L’Aquila earthquake) and 2016 (Norcia earthquake), suggesting its utility in studies devoted to earthquake prediction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amato, A., Badiali, L., Cattaneo, M., Delladio, A., Doumaz, F., & Mele, F. (2006). The real-time earthquake monitoring system in Italy. Géosciences, 4, 70–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohorquez, J. C., Gourley, S., Dixon, A. R., Spagat, M., & Johnson, N. F. (2009). Common ecology quantifies human insurgency. Nature, 462(7275), 911–914.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, L.-Y., Chen, C.-C., Wu, Y.-H., Lin, T.-W., Chang, C.-H., & Kan, C.-W. (2016). A strategy of routine pattern informatics operation applied to Taiwan. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 173, 235–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C.-C., Rundle, J. B., Holliday, J. R., Nanjo, K. Z., Turcotte, D. L., Li, S.-C., et al. (2005). The 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquake as a typical example of seismic activation and quiescence. Geophysical Research Letters, 32(22), L22315. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL023991.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C.-C., & Wu, Y.-X. (2006). An improved region-time-length algorithm applied to the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan earthquake. Geophysical Journal International, 166, 1144–1147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheong, S. A., Tan, T. L., Chen, C.-C., Chang, W.-L., Liu, Z., Chew, L. Y., et al. (2014). Short-term forecasting of Taiwanese earthquakes using a universal model of fusion–fission processes. Scientific Reports, 4, 3624.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, N. F., Ashkenazi, J., Zhao, Z., & Quiroga, L. (2011). Equivalent dynamical complexity in a many-body quantum and collective human system. AIP Advances, 1, 012114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, A., Kao, H., Rogers, G., & Courtier, N. (2009). Correlation of tremor activity with tidal stress in the northern Cascadia subduction zone. Journal of Geophysical Research, 114, B00A08. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JB006038.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, K.-F., Chan, C.-H., & Stein, R. S. (2005). Response of seismicity to Coulomb stress triggers and shadows of the 1999 Mw = 7.6 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquake. Journal of Geophysical Research, 110, B05S19. https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JB003389.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rundle, J. B., Klein, W., Turcotte, D. L., & Malamud, B. D. (2000). Precursory seismic activation and critical-point phenomena. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 157, 2165–2182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rundle, J. B., Turcotte, D. L., Shcherbakov, R., Klein, W., & Sammis, C. (2003). Statistical physics approach to understanding the multiscale dynamics of earthquake fault systems. Reviews of Geophysics, 41(4), 1019.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tiampo, K. F., Rundle, J. B., McGinnis, S., Gross, S. J., & Klein, W. (2002). Mean-field threshold systems and phase dynamics: An application to earthquake fault systems. Europhysics Letters, 60(3), 481–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tiampo, K. F., & Shcherbakov, R. (2012). Seismicity-based earthquake forecasting techniques: Ten years of progress. Tectonophysics, 522–523, 89–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wen, Y. Y., Chen, C.-C., Wu, Y. H., Chan, C. H., Wang, Y. J., & Yeh, Y. L. (2016). Spatiotemporal investigation of seismicity and Coulomb stress variations prior to the 2010 ML 6.4 Jiashian, Taiwan Earthquake. Geophysical Research Letters, 43, 8451–8457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, Y. H., Chen, C.-C., & Rundle, J. B. (2008a). Precursory seismic activation of the Pingtung (Taiwan) offshore doublet earthquakes on 26 December 2006: A pattern informatics analysis. Terrestrial, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 19, 743–749.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, Y.-M., Chen, C.-C., Zhao, L., & Chang, C.-H. (2008b). Seismicity characteristics before the 2003 Chenkung, Taiwan, earthquake. Tectonophysics, 457, 177–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the National Research Council of Italy and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan in the framework of the Bilateral Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between Italy and Taiwan 2017–2019. Comments from reviewers, Dr. V. G. Kossobokov and three anonymous, greatly improved readability of the paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Geophysics, National Central University, Jhongli, Taoyuan, 32001, Taiwan, ROC

    Ling-Yun Chang, Chien-Chih Chen & Hsien-Chi Li

  2. Earthquake-Disaster and Risk Evaluation and Management (E-DREaM) Center, National Central University, Jhongli, Taoyuan, 32001, Taiwan, ROC

    Chien-Chih Chen

  3. National Research Council, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis, 85050, Tito, PZ, Italy

    Luciano Telesca

  4. Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Republic of Singapore

    S. A. Cheong

Authors
  1. Ling-Yun Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chien-Chih Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Luciano Telesca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hsien-Chi Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. S. A. Cheong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luciano Telesca.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chang, LY., Chen, CC., Telesca, L. et al. Pattern Informatics and the Soup-of-Groups Model of Earthquakes: A Case Study of Italian Seismicity. Pure Appl. Geophys. 177, 4089–4096 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-020-02509-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-020-02509-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation