Boll. Soc. Geol. It., Volume speciale n. 1 (2002), 263-272, 7 ff.

Seismic image of the compressional and extensional structures

in the Gubbio area (Umbrian-Pre Apennines)
CRISTINA PAUSELLI (*), ROSITA MARCHESI (*) & MASSIMILIANO R. BARCHI (*)

ABSTRACT
This paper is about the results obtained from the analysis of
four commercial seismic profiles located in a zone of the Umbrian
Pre-Apennines comprised between the structure of Gubbio and the
Val Tiberina basin. The aim of the research has been to reconstrust
the deep setting of the main compressive and extensional structures
in the area.
The good resolution of the seismic profiles allowed the easy
localization of the seismic markers and isochronous and isobath
maps of the main seismic markers have been produced.
The Carbonate sequence appears to be interested by two main
compressive structures: the Gubbio anticline and the Mt. Subasio
anticline whose northern continuity can be traced in sub-surface
until a depth of about 3-4 km. This data processing have shown that
the Tops of Bisciaro, Marne a Fucoidi, Triassic evaporites are involved in these folds, whereas the Top of basement shows a disharmonic pattern: this character underlines the presence of a detachment within the evaporites.
The geometry of the Alto Tiberina fault (ATF), an extensional
shear zone put in evidence by the CROP03 profile, and of the ATF
antithetic, WSW dipping, normal Gubbio fault (GuF) has been characterized. The GuF cuts the internal limb of the Gubbio anticline,
with a strike of N120, a dip direction toward SW. The seismic data
show that the deeper part of fault plane joints the frontal thrust that
generates the anticline, representing phenomena of inversion tectonics.
A good relationship between the geometry of the GuF obtained
from this work and the seismicity, has been found.

KEY WORD: Extensional and compressional tectonics,

Umbrian pre-Apennines, Seismic reflection profiles.

RIASSUNTO
Immagine sismica delle strutture compressive e distensive
nellarea di Gubbio (Pre-Appennino Umbro).
Lintegrazione delle informazioni provenienti dalle indagini
sismiche con i dati geologici di superficie e con quelli provenienti
dai sondaggi profondi, ha notevolmente migliorato la definizione
delle strutture geologiche presenti nellAppennino, come ha dimostrato il progetto CROP03 (PIALLI et alii, 1998).
In questo lavoro si sono utilizzate le informazioni provenienti
da quattro sezioni di sismica a riflessione, messe a disposizione da
Eni/Agip Division, che interessano una porzione, di circa 30 km2, del
Pre Appennino Umbro in una zona compresa tra la struttura di
Gubbio ed il Bacino Tiberino. La buona qualit delle linee sismiche
utilizzate, ha permesso la facile individuazione dei riflettori marker
pi significativi che, insieme ai dati geologici di superficie e ai dati
provenienti da perforazioni effettuate in questa zona, ha consentito
la descrizione efficace delle principali strutture compressive e distensive presenti nel sottosuolo.
Per ricostruire landamento in profondit delle strutture, evidenziate nei profili sismici, si proceduto alla costruzione delle

(*) Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Piazza dellUniversit,

06100 Perugia. E-mail geof@unipg.it

carte delle isocrone dei vari riflettori marker e delle carte delle isobate relative al riflettore della faglia di Gubbio.
I principali risultati ottenuti da tale elaborazione di dati, si possono raggruppare in quattro punti principali:
In tutte le sezioni, la successione torbiditica della Marnoso
Arenacea appare interessata da strutture compressive a piccola lunghezza donda che non coinvolgono la sottostante successione carbonatica.
Le strutture compressive principali rilevate che coinvolgono la
successione umbra sono lAnticlinale di Gubbio e lAnticlinale del
Monte Subasio.
I risultati ottenuti in questo lavoro hanno messo in evidenza
come entrambe le strutture si propaghino in profondit. Le carte
delle isocrone delle varie formazioni evidenziano per i riflettori del
Bisciaro, delle Marne a Fucoidi e del Top evaporiti andamenti analoghi, mentre le isocrone del Top basamento sono completamente
diverse. Questo risultato suggerisce la presenza di un livello di scollamento posizionato allinterno delle evaporiti Triassiche.
Le strutture estensionali principali esaminate sono: la faglia
Alto Tiberina e la faglia di Gubbio.
La faglia Alto Tiberina, che borda ad ovest il bacino dellalta
Valle del Tevere, pu essere tracciata sulle linee sismiche con continuit fino ad una profondit di circa 8 km. Il piano di faglia presenta una direzione circa 140 N, unimmersione verso ENE ed
uninclinazione variabile. Lanalisi delle linee a disposizione ha evidenziato inoltre una traiettoria a gradini del piano di faglia. Questa faglia, di significato crostale, presenta un rigetto complessivo di
5 km.
Le linee sismiche consentono anche di precisare la geometria
dei depositi che riempiono il Bacino dellAlta Val Tiberina. I depositi mostrano un andamento asimmetrico con depocentro spostato
verso Ovest, con una profondit massima di circa 1700 m.
La faglia di Gubbio taglia il fianco interno dellAnticlinale di
Gubbio, immerge verso SW ed ha un rigetto complessivo di circa
1 km. La faglia ha una direzione 120 N e uninclinazione che varia
tra 50 e 70. Dalle sezioni sismiche studiate si evince come la faglia
in profondit riattivi un preesistente piano di sovrascorrimento,
invertendone il movimento.
Di notevole interesse stato inoltre analizzare il rapporto esistente fra la struttura distensiva di Gubbio e la sismicit. Esiste,
infatti, unevidente correlazione tra la distribuzione degli ipocentri
della crisi sismica di Gubbio del 1984 e le geometrie della faglia di
Gubbio ricavata. In particolare la sismicit appare in relazione al
segmento meridionale della faglia di Gubbio. Gli ipocentri sono
localizzati tra 3.5 e 7 km di profondit, in una fascia che corrisponde
a quella compresa tra lemersione della faglia in superficie e la sua
intersezione con la faglia Alto Tiberina.

TERMINI CHIAVE: Tettonica compressiva ed estensionale,

pre-Appenino Umbro, Sismica a riflessione.

INTRODUCTION

The integration between information coming from

seismic soundings, surface geology data and from deep
wells has remarkably improved the definition of the geological structures in the Northern Apennines, as well
demonstrated by the CROP03 project (PIALLI et alii,

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1998). In particular, in the structural province of the

Umbrian pre-Apennines, (sensu DEIANA & PIALLI, 1994),
lying between the Val Tiberina basin and the main ridge
of the Umbria-Marche Apennines (fig. 1), the available
network of seismic reflection profiles, NNW-SSE and
WSW-ENE trending, has allowed a good characterization
of the geometry of the main compressional and extensional geological structures in the area (BARCHI et alii,
1998; BARCHI et alii, 1999). In this paper we improve the
definition of these structures, analyzing a set of transversal (WSW-ENE) commercial seismic profiles across the
upper Val Tiberina basin, in a region comprised between
Citt di Castello and Perugia, and the adjacent UmbriaMarche Apennines. The trace of the seismic profiles analyzed is reported in fig. 1. This research has been carried
out within a project of the Structural Geology group of
Perugia aimed at the definition of the potentially seismogenic structures of the Umbria region.
The Umbrian Pre-Apennines, from a lithological point
of view, are characterized by the outcropping of the Miocene turbidites of the Marnoso Arenacea Fm., which represents the uppermost unit of a litho-structural sequence,
also including, from top to bottom, the Meso-Cenozoic
carbonatic multilayer, the Triassic evaporites and a Permian-Triassic phyllitic basement. The stratigraphy of the
region is schematically reported in fig. 2: for more detailed description see CENTAMORE et alii, 1986; CIARAPICA et
alii, 1987; CRESTA et alii, 1989. This area, like the entire
Northern Apennines, has been interested by two principal
tectonic phases migrating from west to east: a compressional event followed by an extensional one (ELTER et alii,
1975; LAVECCHIA et alii, 1987; LAVECCHIA et alii, 1994).
The compressional phase, acting since the Middle
Miocene, gave rise to the Umbria-Marche Apennines fold
and thrust belt, which has been interpreted as a typical
thin-skinned structure (BALDACCI et alii, 1967; BALLY et
alii, 1986). Others authors suggested the involvement of
the basement in the main thrust sheets, following a thickskinned model of deformation (LAVECCHIA, 1985; LAVECCHIA et alii, 1987). This latter interpretation has been
developed by BARCHI et alii, 1998, describing the structural style of the Umbria-Marche belt as determined by the
presence of multiple detachments located at different
structural levels that gave rise to a complex pattern of
contractional structures. The main detachments are located at the top of carbonates, within the evaporites and
within the Phyllitic basement: each of these levels gave
rise to the formation of different structures, having different wavelengths: the shallower the detachment the shorter the wavelength of the structures. The hierarchic
arrangement of the compressional structures results,
thus, in, from top to bottom (BARCHI et alii, 1998): 1)
Shallow Embricates mainly involving the turbidites,
achieving a complex pattern of short wavelength, asymmetric folds, embricate fans, duplexes and backthrusts
(MENICHETTI & PIALLI, 1986; DE FEYTER, 1989; RIDOLFI
et alii, 1995); 2) Umbria-Marche Folds (the two major
compressional structures present in the area, i.e., the
Gubbio-Mt. Subasio anticlines along whose culmination
the carbonates crop out) involving carbonates and evaporites; 3) Basement Wedge involving evaporites and the
basement rocks.
Intense extensional deformation, following the compressional phase, affected the Umbrian pre-Apennines
during the Pliocene-Quaternary giving rise to continental

basins with a NNW-SSE trending (N150 20) bordered

by normal faults. The most important among them is the
Val Tiberina basin, related to the presence of an important east-dipping normal fault called the Alto Tiberina
fault (hereinafter ATF). It crops out at the western side of
the Val Tiberina basin and dips toward east until a depth
of about -5s TWT (~12 km) beneath the western ridge of
the Umbria-Marche Apennines. The extensional character
and the geometry of this fault has been recently derived
by an integration of geological, geophysical and seismological data (BONCIO et alii, 1998; BARCHI et alii, 1999;
BONCIO et alii, 2000; COLLETTINI et alii, 2000) underlining
its seismo-tectonic role in the region.
Other intermountain basins are present to the east of
the Val Tiberina basin disrupting the preexisting compressional structures. The most important among them
are the Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino, Colfiorito, Norcia, Cascia
and Castelluccio basins, bordered by SW dipping normal
faults interpreted as active faults, based on seismological
and geomorphologic data (BARCHI et alii, 2000).
The Gubbio area is particularly interesting because it
offers a catalogue of the different tectonic environments
that have interested the Umbrian Pre-Apennines. Its
structural setting and stratigraphy has been studied in
detail by many Authors (MENICHETTI & MINELLI, 1991
and references therein). It consists of a NE verging rootless anticline whose axis strikes N130 and which overthrusts a syncline of Upper Miocene Marnoso Arenacea,
separating the Gubbio anticline from the Umbria Marche
Apennines. The local stratigraphy has been obtained by
the outcrops located at the core of the Gubbio anticline
(Bottaccione Gorge and the Contessa Valley, LUTERBACHER & PREMOLI SILVA, 1962; ALVAREZ et alii, 1977)
and by a borehole (Gubbio 1) in the NW part of the structure (fig. 1). Many compressional structures interest the
external limb of the anticline: the age of these features
spans from Late Tortonian to Messinian and, probably, to
Early Pliocene (DE FEYTER et alii, 1990). The anticline is
also affected in the SW limb by the normal fault that originated the Gubbio basin during the Plio-Pleistocene time
(MENICHETTI & MINELLI, 1991).
In order to define the compressional and extensional
structures in the Umbrian-pre Apennines, we interpreted a
set of transversal (WSW-ENE) commercial seismic profiles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEISMIC REFLECTION PROFILES

The profiles analyzed are located in the sector of the

Umbrian-pre Apennines, comprised between the Val Tiberina basin and the western side of the Umbria-Marche
Apennines (fig. 1). The good general resolution of the
seismic reflections has easily allowed the individuation of
a relatively homogeneous sequence of seismic markers.
These markers, whose geological interpretation has been
calibrated on surface geology (existing maps and field
control) and on the data from a deep borehole drilled
between Umbertide and Gubbio (Monte Civitello 1), have
been related, from top to bottom, to:
the bottom of the Miocene turbidites (Bisciaro Fm.)
a marly Fm. embedded in the carbonate sequence
(Marne a Fucoidi Fm.)
the top of the evaporites
the top of the phyllitic basement

SEISMIC IMAGE OF THE COMPRESSIONAL AND EXTENSIONAL STRUCTURES IN THE GUBBIO AREA

Fig. 1 - Schematic map of the study area.

Localizzazione dellarea di studio.

265

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C. PAUSELLI ET ALII

mic markers point out an inversion in the throw, from

extensional at the surface (top carbonates and Marne a
Fucoidi reflectors) to compressional at depth, as evidenced by the Top of the evaporites.
The profile also puts in evidence that the Marnoso
Arenacea Fm. is interested by short wavelength folds,
whereas the underlying carbonate sequence is not involved in this shallow deformation.
Along the profile, the ATF is underlined by some aligned oblique reflections and by sharp interruption of the
seismic markers in the hanging wall. Its trajectory, dipping toward ENE,can be traced with continuity on the
seismic line until to depth of about 7 km. The good quality of the profile has also shown some significant details
of the internal geometry of the continental deposits infilling the Val Tiberina basin. The shape of the basin is
asymmetric, with the progressive eastward onlap of the
strata, and the thickening of the sequence from east to
west: the thickness of the sediment reaches 1.4 s (TWT),
about 1500 m.
PROFILE D (fig. 4a-b)

Fig. 2 - Schematic stratigraphy of the Umbria-Marche Apennines.

The mean values of the seismic interval velocities that have been
used for depth conversions of the seismic profiles are also reported
(after BARCHI et alii, 1998).
Stratigrafia dellAppennino Umbro-Marchigiano. Sono riportati i
valori medi delle velocit sismiche di intervallo usate per la conversione in profondit (da BARCHI et alii, 1998).

The bottom of the continental deposits can be also

recognized in the seismic profiles, infilling the Val Tiberina and Gubbio basins.
In order to define the correct geometry of the main
compressional and extensional structures, the interpreted
seismic profiles have been depth converted, using the
data of interval velocities available in the literature (fig. 2),
and Geosec software.
In this paper we present two profiles (A and D in fig. 1)
representative of the structural setting of the study area.
PROFILE A (fig. 3a-b)
The northernmost profile extends from SW to NE,
from the town of Umbertide to Pian di Serra, north of the
town of Gubbio, crossing the Val Tiberina basin and the
northern termination of the Gubbio anticline (fig. 1).
The seismic profile clearly shows the geometry of the
Gubbio anticline (fig. 3a-b). Its backlimb is bordered by a
normal fault (the Gubbio fault, hereinafter GuF), dipping
westwards, that reaches the ATF at 2 s (TWT), about 5 km
in depth.
The forelimb is bordered by a thrust fault that generates the anticline: the GuF joins the thrust at about 1.5 s
(TWT), about 3 km, representing a probable phenomenon
of inversion tectonics. Along the GuF fault plane the seis-

The seismic profile D starts about 7 km north of Perugia, crosses the southernmost part of the Gubbio basin
and reaches the westernmost part of the Umbria Marche
Apennines to the north of Gualdo Tadino (Fossato di
Vico) (fig. 1).
Immediately to the east of the Val Tiberina basin an
anticline is clearly recognizable that represents the northern ending of the Mt. Subasio anticline, involving the carbonate sequence (fig. 4). Its outern limb is bordered by a
thrust fault that joins the ATF at depth of about 1.8 s (4.5
km). The crest of the anticline is buried under the turbidites at a depth of approximately 600 ms (TWT), correspondent to approximately 1000 m, and its southern limb
dips toward east until a depth of about 3-4 km (fig. 4b).
The Gubbio anticline is crossed at its southern ending, and appears much less pronounced compared to the
other section, maintaining however, its fundamental
structural characteristics. The disharmonic pattern of
deformation between the Marnoso Arenacea Fm. and the
underlying carbonatic formations is also shown.
Here, the ATF has an emphasized staircase trajectory,
with a rather abrupt connection between the section with
a high angle attitude, delimiting the Val Tiberina basin,
and the section to low angle, dipping towards the structure of Gubbio. After an initial steep attitude, down to a
depth of about 1.6 s (about 4 km), it evolves into a flat
shear zone and finally into gently east-dipping segment in
the lowermost part.
The upward concavity of the seismic reflectors, underlines the internal geometry of the continental deposits
infilling the Val Tiberina basin: the thickness is about 900
ms (TWT), corresponding to approximately 1000 m. A
splay of the fault border the Val Tiberina basin on the west.

DATA PROCESSING AND DISCUSSION

Isochronous maps of the Top Fucoidi, Top evaporites

and Top basement (fig. 5) have been produced in order to
verify the consistency of the proposed interpretation of
the seismic profiles and to obtain a map view of the subsurface structures at different structural levels. We choice

SEISMIC IMAGE OF THE COMPRESSIONAL AND EXTENSIONAL STRUCTURES IN THE GUBBIO AREA

267

Fig. 3 - a) Line drawing of the seismic profile A; b) depth converted profile. The location of the profile is reported in fig. 1.
a) Schema dei riflettori del profilo sismico A; b) profilo convertito in profondit. La localizzazione del profilo riportata in fig. 1.

these markers because their lateral continuity, the uniformity of the facies and thickness and the possibility of calibration offered by several wells, makes them key reflectors representative of the geometry of the geological
structures in the area. The maps were drawn utilizing the
data coming from two other seismic profiles, E and F
(PAOLACCI, 1998), in order to improve the areal distribution of the data (see the trace of the profiles in fig. 1). The
maps (fig. 5) were constructed picking in regular spatial
intervals the depth in double times (TWT) of the markers
(the crosses reported in fig. 5). The intersections between
faults and reflectors are also sampled. The data obtained
were interpolated with common contouring techniques.
In the making of these maps, the markers were considered continuous, and, for this reason, although the
maps are a good tool for improving the regional trend of
the main geological structures of the area, they do not
indicate the thrust of the Gubbio anticline. For this reason, in order to reconstruct the geometry of the thrust
fault, an isochronous map was drawn of the Top of

Fucoidi, that represents the best key-reflector for the

structural interpretation of the carbonate units (fig. 6).
This map was obtained by separating the data on the seismic marker found in the hanging wall of the thrust from
the data on the marker in the foot wall (fig. 6). In fig. 6
the intersection between the fault plane and the Top of
Fucoidi of the hangingwall is also shown.
The isobath map of the GuF was also constructed: in
fig. 7, the intersections of the fault plane with both the
topography and the ATF are shown.
This data processing, together with the analysis of the
seismic profiles, have allowed the characterization of the
main geological structures in the area and the results
obtained will be discussed in following.
COMPRESSIONAL

STRUCTURES

A common characteristic in all the seismic profiles, is

the different attitude between the shallow seismic reflectors (above the Bisciaro Fm.) and the reflectors in the

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C. PAUSELLI ET ALII

Fig. 4 - a) Line drawing of the seismic profile D; b) depth converted profile. The location of the profile is reported in fig. 1.
a) Schema dei riflettori del profilo sismico D; b) profilo convertito in profondit. La localizzazione del profilo riportata in fig. 1.

lower part of the profiles. In fact, whereas the former are

characterized by steep and bent reflectors and compressive deformations with short wavelengths, the latter are
smooth and continuous. This different attitude underlines
the disharmonic deformation of the turbidites compared
to the underlying carbonates and evaporites: thus, the
Marnoso Arenacea Fm. is interested by short wavelength
folds, whereas the underlying carbonate sequence is not
involved in this shallow deformation. This structural disharmony and the overall flat attitude of the carbonate
multilayer is clearly shown in fig. 3.
The main compressive structures involving the carbonate sequence are the Gubbio and the Mt. Subasio anticlines, whose geometries are clearly visible in respectively
fig. 3 and fig. 4. They consist of NE-verging anticlines
striking about N130, as shown by isochronous maps (fig.
5). The back limb of the Gubbio anticline is bordered by
a normal fault (GuF), which is an antithetic of the ATF,
and inverts a previously formed thrust fault: in fact, the
GuF joins the thrust fault, which generates the anticline,
at about 3 km in depth.

The figure 6 shows that the axis strike of the anticline

shows a slight eastward convexity, following the same
bending of the thrust north of Gubbio. The westward
shift of the axis strike of the anticline in correspondence
with the Gubbio town, is probably apparent and connected to the lack of data in this sector. The recently analysis of an available set of seismic profiles in the sector
south of the Gubbio town (MIRABELLA et alii, 2000) will
improve the definition of this structure. The thrust generating the anticline shows a strike of approximately N130
and a SW dip direction (fig. 6).
The Mt. Subasio anticline is shown at its northern termination: for this reason its crest is buried under the turbidities to a depth of approximately 1000 m, as shown in
fig. 4. The thrust fault bordering its forelimb, joins the
ATF at depth of about 1.8 s (4.5 km).
It is interesting to note that the isochronous maps
(fig. 5) clearly show that the whole carbonatic sequence
and at least the upper part of the evaporites are involved
in these structures, whereas the Top of the basement
shows a different disharmonic pattern (compare the fig.

SEISMIC IMAGE OF THE COMPRESSIONAL AND EXTENSIONAL STRUCTURES IN THE GUBBIO AREA

269

5a-5b with the fig. 5c). This characteristic points out the
presence of a detachment within the evaporites, which
are traditionally considered as the main decollement of
the Umbria-Marche fold and thrust belt (BALDACCI et alii,
1967; BALLY et alii, 1986). Considering the four profiles,
going from north to south, a gradual transfer of the compressive deformations was found. In fact, the shortening
of the Gubbio anticline is gradually transferred to Mt.
Subasio, in an inner position, depicting an n echelon
pattern (fig. 5).
EXTENSIONAL

STRUCTURES

The profiles analyzed show a good definition of the

main extensional structures in the area, i.e. the Alto Tiberina fault (ATF) and the Gubbio fault (GuF).
The seismic expression of the ATF is marked by a
strong alignment of reflections and is confirmed by the
sharp interruption, at its hanging wall, of the seismic
sequence so far described. It outcrops at the western bor-

Fig. 5 - Isochronous maps (seconds TWT) of the: a) Top Fucoidi;

b) Top evaporites; c) Top basement. The time depth of the reflector
has been picked along the seismic profiles. Crosses indicate the
measure points used for contouring. Dashed lines indicate the axis
of the antliclines.
Mappe delle isocrone (secondi TWT) del: a) Top Fucoidi; b) Top
evaporiti; c) Top basamento. La profondit in tempi dei riflettori
stata ricavata dai profili sismici. Le croci indicano i punti di misura
utilizzati per il countouring. Le linee tratteggiate indicano gli assi delle
anticlinali.

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C. PAUSELLI ET ALII

Fig. 6 - Isochronous map (seconds TWT) of the Top Fucoidi of the

hangingwall and footwall of the thrust fault generating the Gubbio
anticline. In this map the measure points of the thrust hangingwall
have been contoured separately from those of the footwall. The thick
black line indicates the intersections of the thrust plane with the Top
Fucoidi of the hangingwall. Crosses indicate the measure points
used for contouring.
Mappa delle isocrone (secondi TWT) del Top Fucoidi, campionato al
tetto e al letto del thrust generante lanticlinale di Gubbio. In questa
mappa i punti di misura del tetto del thrust sono stati campionati
separatamente da quelli del letto. La linea nera spessa indica lintersezione tra il piano di faglia del thrust e il Top Fucoidi campionato al
tetto. Le croci indicano i punti di misura utilizzati per il countouring.

der of the Val Tiberina basin and dips toward ENE, with
a strike of N150, and it can be traced with continuity on
the seismic profiles to a depth of 8 km. The seismic profiles underline the staircase trajectory of the fault, whose
geometry has been described in detail (BONCIO et alii,
1998; BARCHI et alii, 1999; BONCIO et alii, 2000; COLLETTINI et alii, 2000): after an initial steep attitude, to a depth
of about 1.6 s (TWT), it evolves into a flat shear zone at
a depth of 2 s (TWT) and, finally, into a gently east-dipping segment in the lower part.
The geometry of the Val Tiberina basin is also characterized by the good quality of the seismic profiles. The
basin shows an asymmetrical shape infilled by continental, fluvial and lacustrine deposits of Upper Pliocene (?)
to Quaternary age (AMBROSETTI et alii, 1978; AMBROSETTI
et alii, 1995; CATTUTO et alii, 1995) with the progressive
eastward onlap of the strata and the thickening of the
sequence from east to west. Considering the four profiles,
a complex variation of the thickness of the Val Tiberina
basin has been observed going from north to south: it is
about 1500 ms (TWT), corresponding to approximately
1500 m, in the northernmost profile (A); the thickness
remains more or less constant in the two central profiles
(B and C), reaching a depth of about 50 ms (500 m); and
it then reaches 900 ms (TWT) corresponding to 1000 m,
in the southernmost profile (D).

Fig. 7 - Isobath map (meter) of the Gubbio normal fault. The distribution of the hypocenters of the 1984 Gubbio earthquake (HAESSLER
et alii, 1988) is also reported. The thick black line indicates the trace
at surface of the Gubbio normal fault. Dashed line indicates the
intersection of the Gubbio normal fault with the Alto Tiberina Fault.
Crosses indicate the measure points used for contouring.
Mappa delle isobate della faglia diretta di Gubbio. con riportata la
distribuzione della sismicit legata alla crisi sismica del 1984 (HAESSLER et alii, 1988). La linea nera spessa indica la traccia in superficie
della faglia normale di Gubbio. La linea tratteggiata indica lintersezione tra la faglia normale di Gubbio e la Faglia Altotiberina. Le croci
indicano i punti di misura utilizzati per il countouring.

The GuF cuts the internal limb of the Gubbio Anticline, with a strike of N120 and a dip direction toward
SW. The inclination of the fault is variable from 50 to
70. The seismic data show that the deeper part of the
fault plane joins the frontal thrust that generates the anticline, representing a phenomenon of inversion tectonics.
The total displacement of the normal fault, as detectable
by the position of the Marne a Fucoidi reflector, can be
estimated as being more than 1500 m.
The intersection between the ATF and GuF south of
Gubbio is located at a depth of about 6 km in the southernmost sector, reaching 4.5 km toward the north, and
then reaching a depth of 5 km near the town of Umbertide (fig. 7). (The relationships between the ATF, GuF and
the seismicity have also been described by BONCIO &
LAVECCHIA, 2000).

SEISMIC IMAGE OF THE COMPRESSIONAL AND EXTENSIONAL STRUCTURES IN THE GUBBIO AREA

The isobath map of the GuF satisfactorily describes

the regional attitude of the fault, showing a steep trajectory a shallow depth (about 40), emphasized by the
thickening of the curves, evolving into a flat shear zone
(less than 20) up to its intersection with the Alto Tiberina fault (fig. 7). The trace of the GuF drawn by the official maps (Foglio Gubbio), has been given on the map,
showing a good correspondence with the locating of the
fault at the surface indicated by the seismic profile (0 isobath). In the southernmost sector of the area studied,
where the fault displaces the Marnoso-Arenacea turbidites, a slight discrepancy (about 1 km, eastward) is
obtained (fig. 7). The poor correlation found south of
Gubbio between the tip line and the intersection with the
topography of the GuF obtained from this data processing could be explained by two different hypotheses. The
first is the lack of data in this sector, as above underlined;
the second is the unclear location of the tip line in the
field, being an intraformational fault.
The locating of the GuF at the surface shows a left
bending in correspondence with the Gubbio town: the
segment NW of the town of Gubbio appears shifted
toward the west. The isobath map (fig. 7) shows that this
geometry is maintained even in the deepest part of the
fault and, thus, it is probable that the GuF is characterized by two different segments. Showing the distribution
of the hypocenters of the 1984 Gubbio earthquake
(HAESSLER et alii, 1988) on the isobath map (fig. 7), a
good correlation can be observed between the geometry
obtained and the seismicity. The hypocenters are in fact
located from 3.5 to 7 km in depth, involving the region
comprised between the Gubbio fault plane and its intersection with the ATF. The distribution of the hypocenters
also suggests that only the southern sector of the fault
was activated during the 1984 earthquake.
The seismic profiles do not allow an easy reconstruction of the geometry of the Gubbio basin: the thickness of
the continental deposits is about 500 m, a value in accordance with that hypothesized by MENICHETTI, 1992.

CONCLUSIONS

1) The good quality of the seismic profiles made it

easy to localize the main seismic markers, whose interpretation has defined a good tool in constraining the
geometry of the main compressional and extensional
structures in the area.
2) The interpretation of the seismic profiles demonstrates the presence of at least three major detachments
levels, confirming the hierarchic arrangement of the compressional structures observed by BARCHI et alii, 1998.
From the top, the first detachment is located at an
intra-turbidites level or at the top of the carbonates. In
fact, the seismic profiles have shown that the compressive
deformations involving the Marnoso-Arenacea Fm. do not
propagate to the underlying carbonate sequence. The different behavior of the deformation could be due to the
different mechanical properties of the litho-structural
units forming the Umbria-Marche sequence. In fact, the
sequence of the turbidites exhibits ductile behavior under
compressive deformation, with the nucleation of short
wavelength folds, whereas the carbonates, and at least the
upper part of the evaporites, respond to the compressive
deformation generating anticlines. These anticlines, in

271

the area studied, are the structures of Gubbio and of Mt.

Subasio, having wavelengths of about 5-10 km. Looking
at the isochronous maps, the basement is not involved in
these structures, suggesting the presence of a second
important decollement level within the evaporites.
The top of the Phyllites, traditionally regarded as the
basement, is involved in thrust sheets. This data confirms
the only direct geological control on the presence of these
structures of the S. Donato 1 well, where a repetition of
the evaporites and Phyllites on the border between Western Umbria and the Umbria pre-Apennines was drilled.
3) The geometry of the Gubbio normal fault and its
relation with the ATF have been defined. A good correlation was found between the GuF geometry obtained and
the seismicity. In fact the distribution of the hypocenters
of the 1984 Gubbio earthquake are located from 3.5 to 7
km in depth, involving a region comprised between the
Gubbio fault plane and its intersection with the ATF. A
possible segmentation of the GuF in two different segments has been supposed. The 1984 earthquakes appears
to be in relation with the southernmost segment of the
fault, whose continuity is about 15 km. This dimension is
comparable with the magnitude of the recent and historical seismicity of the region.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are deeply grateful to ENI-AGIP Division for their
permission to study the seismic profiles, without which this study
wouldnt have been possible. The authors are also grateful to Prof.
Giusy Lavecchia and Dr. Sergio Rogredi for improving the manuscript with valuable suggestions and to Dr. Saverio Merlini for the
discussion during the seismic interpretation.
This study was supported by the CNR-GNDT 1998 (resp. M. Barchi) and Ateneo 1998 (resp. C. Federico) grants.

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Manoscritto pervenuto il 20 dicembre 2000; testo approvato per la stampa il 6 Agosto 2001; ultime bozze restituite il 14 Gennaio 2002.