RETRACE-3D project: a multidisciplinary collaboration to build a crustal model for the 2016-2018 central Italy seismic sequence

The RETRACE-3D project (centRal italy EarThquakes integRAted Crustal model) focused on the revision of all the available geological and geophysical data in the area interested by the 2016-2018 seismic sequence of central Italy, with the final aim to reconstruct a reliable and consistent 3D geological model of that area. It is based on a collaboration, which was framed into a formal agreement, between Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (the Italian Civil Protection Department), Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria, and Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, and Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale. The agreement purpose was to develop a project aimed at the geological and seismotectonic characterisation of the crustal volume hosting that seismic sequence. We present and discuss the approach, methodology and results of the project. The 3D geological model of the study area is developed in detail down to a depth of about 12 km, and extended to the Moho based on available regional-scale information. The model is available on the RETRACE-3D project website (www.retrace3d.it)