Growth, interaction and seismogenic potential of coupled active normal faults (Isernia Basin, central-southern Italy)

The inception and growth of the active Carpino-Le Piane Basin Fault System (CLPBFS; central-southern Apennines, Italy) was analysed with respect to the neighbouring Isernia and Surrounding (ISFS) and Boiano Basin (BBFS) extensional Fault Systems. Ar-39-Ar-40 dating showed that the BBFS was already active 649 +/- 21 ka bp and that the ISFS was active at least 476 +/-10 ka bp, whereas the activity of the CLPBFS started certainly later than 253 +/- 22 ka bp, and very probably as recently as <28 ka bp. These ages, combined with structural data (geometry and kinematics of the fault systems), indicate that the inception and development of the CLPBFS could be strictly related to the stress changes caused by earthquakes occurring on the BBFS.