We study the physics of earthquakes to advance our understanding of the physical processes that generate them. To that goal, we develop new methods to analyse seismological and geodetic data, extracting signals associated with processes that occur before large and devastating seismic events.

We complement our work on real-world data with the implementation of laboratory analogues of earthquakes, to reproduce in a controlled environment, and so better understand the conditions that lead to seismic rupture. All such efforts produce new observables related to the physics of the seismic cycle, and ultimately to the occurrence of large quakes.

We analyse new observations of real and laboratory events, within physical frameworks that can shed light on a variety of complex – and not entirely understood – processes, including slow aseismic deformation, the role of fluids, and into the rheological properties of faults. Our analysis involves the processing and mining of very large volumes of data, and the application of novel techniques such as seismic interferometry to monitor the variation of elastic parameters during the seismic cycle.

Professors coordinating and developing projects related to this research pathway: Giulio Di Toro, Jacopo Boaga, Lapo Boschi, Telemaco Tesei, Piero Poli