A functional tool to explore the reliability of micro-earthquake focal mechanism solutions for seismotectonic purposes

Abstract. Improving the knowledge of seismogenic faults requires integration geological, seismological, and geophysical information. Among several analyses, definition earthquake focal mechanisms plays an essential role in providing information about geometry individual stress regime acting a region. Fault plane solutions can be retrieved by techniques operating specific magnitude ranges, both time frequency domain using different data. For earthquakes low magnitude, limited number available data their uncertainties compromise stability fault solutions. In this work, we propose useful methodology to evaluate how well seismic network, used monitor natural and/or induced micro-seismicity, estimates as function location, kinematics source consequently reliability defining seismotectonic models. To study consistency mechanism solutions, use Bayesian approach that jointly inverts P/S long-period spectral-level ratios P polarities infer We applied methodology, computing synthetic data, local network Campania–Lucania Apennines (southern Italy) aimed complex normal system activated during Ms 6.9, 1980 earthquake. demonstrate method is effective adapted for other case studies with double purpose. It valid tool design or test performance networks, more generally it assign absolute uncertainty fundamental studies.