Active thrusting and folding south of Mt. Etna (eastern Sicily)

Geological and morphological analysis, compared with seismological and geodetic data, suggest that a compressive regime currently occurs at crustal depth in the western sector of Mt. Etna, accommodated by shallow thrusting and folding at the front of the chain, south of the volcanic edifice. In particular, a large WSW-ENE trending anticline, interpreted as detachment fold, is growing west of Catania (the Catania anticline). Our analysis confirms that the NNW-SSE direction of the axis of compression obtained by seismological data is consistent with that suggested by geological and geodetic data. Besides the activity related to the volcanic feeding system, the seismic pattern under Mt. Etna edifice can be certainly related to the regional dynamics. The compressive stress is converted into elastic accumulation and then in earthquakes along the ramps to the rear of the chain, whereas on the frontal flat it is accommodated by aseismic ductile deformation along an incipient detachment within the clayish foredeep deposits.