COMMENTS

The Aspromonte Northeast Source is hypothesised to correspond to a 10-km portion 
of the Bagnara Calabra-Bovalino Line, a rather obvious tectonic lineament that so far 
has received very little attention. This line marks the boundary between two portions 
of the Aspromonte Range: a lower (max elevation is ~ 1,000 m), more slowly 
uplifting, NNE-trending elongated section locally known as Dossone della Melia to 
the north; and a higher (~ 2,000 m), faster growing (up to 1.5 mm/y and more), rather 
circular-shaped block known as Aspromonte s.s. (or Montalto) to the south. 
The general NNE trend of local tectonic structures makes a rather sharp right turn as 
they cross the Bagnara Calabra-Bovalino Line.

The Database hypothesises that, simply based on the macro-observations described 
above, this is an active lineament characterised by oblique (normal-right lateral) 
kinematics and mirroring the Nicotera Gioiosa Ionica Line located 25 km to the 
north. The minimum depth of faulting (3 km) is set by similarity with the adjacent 
Gioia Tauro Plain Source. The maximum depth of faulting (10 km) is constrained by 
scaling relationships of width vs. magnitude.

The 16 November 1894 earthquake struck a region straddling the southern end of the  
Gioia Tauro Plain and the northwestern slope of the Aspromonte proper. The area of 
largest damage includes a section of the coastline centred between Palmi and Gioia 
Tauro and the Aspromonte piedmont between Seminara and Oppido. Based on 
descriptions by contemporary workers (see for example Baratta, 1897), we hypothesise 
that the 1894 earthquake was in fact composed of clearly separated shocks, one located 
offshore in front of Palmi, the other located inland about 15 km to the ESE near 
Delianuova. We also assume that the second (inland) shock was somewhat larger 
than the first. The two sources are separated by a small source (Aspromonte 
Northwest) that is assumed to have ruptured in the 1783 sequence (6 February). The 
Aspromonte Northeast Source is assigned to the second inland shock. 


OPEN QUESTIONS

1) Was the 1894 really composed of two sub-events? Did the numerous foreshocks 
occur also on the Bagnara Calabra-Bovalino Line?

2) Is there any more specific evidence for active faulting along the Bagnara Calabra-
Bovalino Line?

3) What is the true geometry at depth of this source, and how is it linked with the 
Gioia Tauro Plain Source, which is assumed to be a pure normal fault?
