CASPAR, Comprehensive collection and Analysis of Source Parameters in the eastern Adria plate Region

• Applicant: Dr. Simone Cesca
• Subject Area: Geophysics
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 560279307

The AdriaArray initiative focuses on the eastern margin of the Adriatic plate, covering a region that spans from the Eastern Alps to Western Greece, including the eastern Adriatic Sea, the Balkan coastline, and the Dinarides-Albanides-Hellenides mountain chains. This effort involves a dense network of seismic stations, established through collaboration between German universities, research institutes, and seismological surveys in Balkan and Adriatic countries. Our proposed project CASPAR, Comprehensive collection and Analysis of Source Parameters in the eastern Adria plate Region, is an initiative that will collect seismological catalogs and thereby contribute to numerous research projects within the SPP DEFORM framework, with the potential for significant advancements in understanding the region's seismicity and structural characteristics. The Adria region is of particular seismological interest due to its history of large, destructive earthquakes, such as those in Albania (2019), Croatia (1996, 2020), and Greece (1995, 2003, 2015). Seismicity in the region is diffuse and complex, showing diverse rupture processes and styles. This diversity highlights both the significant seismic hazard and the complex network of active fault structures and varying stress conditions. Consequently, collecting previous studies and seismic catalogs is crucial for enhancing the analysis, interpretation, and understanding of new data and future seismic events in the region. The region’s complex societal and political history has previously posed challenges in harmonizing seismic information across borders. At present, no unified seismic catalogs covering the entire region containing critical parameters like moment magnitude and moment tensor exist. Instead, local institutions operate small regional networks, each applying different methodologies and presenting earthquake information in varying formats. This heterogeneity hinders the ability to fully understand the seismic features of the area. This project aims to bridge that gap by compiling and harmonizing the diverse sources of information to create a uniform, openly accessible seismic catalog for the entire Adria region. Achieving this goal will involve visits to Balkan countries and close collaboration with local partners, building on recent initiatives that have already established valuable connections with regional counterparts. Through this process, the project aims to facilitate better analysis and coordination for future seismic research and risk mitigation efforts in the Adria region.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 2497: Plate Deformation and Geohazards: The Eastern Margin of the Adriatic Plate (DEFORM)
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Jörn Kummerow; Dr. Gesa M. Petersen