Associate Professor
Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences
Via Valleggio, 11, 22100, Como
Tel: ++39-031 2386631
Fax: ++39-031 2386630
E-mail: alessandro.michetti@uninsubria.it

1. Born in Roma, Italy, on February 25th, 1961; married and father of three children.
2. August 10th, 2007-present: Chairman of the INQUA Focus Area on Paleoseismology and Active Tectonics;
3. October 1st, 2000-present: Associate Professor of Geology, Environmental Sciences Course, University of Insubria at Como;
4. 1992 NATO Fellowship in Active Tectonics and Paleoseismology, Center for Neotectonic Studies, University of Nevada, Reno, USA.
5. 1989 to 1999 Research Geologist in Natural Hazard Assessment and Paleoseismology, CNR - GNDT (National Group for Protection Against Earthquakes) at ANPA (National Agency for Environmental Protection, Roma).
6. 1986 Doctor in Geology, University "La Sapienza" of Roma, Department of Earth Sciences.

• 2007-2011, INQUA Project #0811, Project Leader;
• 2009-2011, INGV-DPC Contract, Seismological Project S1 (Task C), Research Unit UR 3.07, "Active Shortening and Evidence for Paleoseismicity along the Po Plain - Southern Alps border between Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore", PI;
• June 2010 to present: KACST, Consulting Project for the Geological Evaluation of Capable Faults in the Red Sea Coastal Region N of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
• June 2003 to present, IAEA missions as Expert in Geology, Hydrogeology, Paleoseismology and Seismotectonics for NPP siting at Cernavoda (Romania), El Dabaa (Egypt), Sinop (Turkey), Abuja (Nigeria), Minsk (Belarus), Kashiwazaki-Kariwa (Japan), Montevideo (Uruguay), Hanoi (Vietnam);
• February 2009, INQUA Workshop and Field Trip on the Dead Sea Rift “The Dead Sea Rift as a natural laboratory for earthquake behavior: prehistorical, historical and recent seismicity”, 16 to 23 February 2009, Co-Chairman;
• PRIN 2005-2007 Project on “Active compressional tectonics along the Southern Alps between Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore”, PI;
• Member of the Geological Committee of the Geological Survey of Italy, 2005-2009.
• 2008 - present, Italian Journal of Geosciences, Member of the Editorial Board.
• 2004-2010, University of Insubria – ISPRA Contract, Scientific Coordinator of the CARG Project for the Sheet 75 "Como".

Most of my research is focused on the reconstruction of the recent landscape evolution in order to define geological criteria for assessing natural hazards, in particular seismicity. This includes the integration of historical and instrumental seismicity data with observations from Quaternary, dominantly Holocene, stratigraphy, geomorphology and tectonics, to understand the styles and rates of ongoing crustal deformation, their interaction with climatically-controlled surface processes and, with that information, define the seismic potential at both local and regional scales. This research ranges from laboratory analysis of airphoto coverages and topographic imagery, to field mapping of recent landforms and deposits, to geomorphic reconstruction of slip rates and paleoearthquake histories of capable faults, also through detailed studies of trench exposures showing evidence for Holocene earthquake surface faulting. Of particular interest for my research is also the study of earthquake ground effects and their use in the macroseismic intensity scales. Recent and ongoing projects where I am involved includes:

• study of the surface faulting accompanying the April 6th, 2009, L’Aquila earthquake;
• application of the macroseismic intensity scale based on earthquake ground effects (Environmental Seismic Intensity scale, ESI 2007) to major earthquakes in the world (INQUA Project #0811; http://www.inqua.tcd.ie/);
• recent landscape evolution and seismic potential of Lake Como area and Southern Alps in Lombardia, N Italy;
• paleoseismology of capable faults in Central and Southern Apennines, Southern Alps, Sicily;
• study of ground effects of the 1995 Aqaba earthquake and evidence for paleoseismicity;
• study of ground effects of the 2004 Muzaffarabad earthquake, Pakistan and assessment of macroseismic intensity;
• subsidence and Holocene stratigraphy in the Como plain;
• Quaternary drainage network and normal fault growth in the Rieti area;
• active tectonics and fault trench investigations on the Mt. Etna volcano.

• 2008 - present, Vice-Director of the Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences;
• 2000-2010, Tutor of 8 PhD Projects in Environmental Sciences
• 2010-2011, Geology and Lithology, Environmental and Natural Sciences Graduate Course;
• 2000-2010, Holocene Morphogenesis and Stratigraphy, Environmental Science Graduate Course;
• 2002-2008, Remote sensing and air photo interpretation, Environmental Science Master Course;
• 2005-2010, Laboratory of Geology, Environmental Science Graduate Course;
• 2000-2005, Geology and Lithology, Environmental Science Graduate Course.

1. Blumetti A. M., Dramis F. & Michetti A.M. (1993) - Fault generated mountain fronts in the Central Apennines (Central Italy): geomorphological features and seismotectonic implications. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 18, 203-223.
2. Michetti A.M., Brunamonte F., Serva L. and Vittori E. (1996) - Trench investigations along the 1915 Fucino earthquake fault scarps (Abruzzo, Central Italy): geological evidence of large historical events. Journal of Geophysical Research, 101, 5921-5936.
3. Michetti A.M. and Hancock P.L. (1997) - Paleoseismology: understanding past earthquakes using Quaternary geology. Journal of Geodynamics, 24, 1-4, 3-10.
4. Michetti A.M., Ferreli L., Serva L. & Vittori E. (1997) - Geological evidence for strong historical earthquakes in an "aseismic" region: the Pollino case (Southern Italy). In: P.L. Hancock and A.M. Michetti, editors, "Paleoseismology: Understanding Past Earthquakes Using Quaternary Geology", Special Issue, Journal of Geodynamics, 24, 1-4, 67-86.
5. Azzaro R., Ferreli L., Michetti A.M., Serva L. & Vittori E. (1998), Environmental hazard of capable faults: the case of the Pernicana fault (Mt. Etna, Sicily). Natural Hazards, 18, 1-16, Kluwer Academic Publisher, Netherlands.
6. Cello G., Deiana G., Mangano P., Mazzoli S., Tondi E., Ferreli L., Maschio L., Michetti A.M., Serva L. & Vittori E. (1998), Evidence for surface faulting during the september 26, 1997, Colfiorito (Central Italy) earthquakes. Journal of Earthquake Engineering, Vol. 2, No. 2 (1998) 1-22, Imperial College Press, U.K.
7. Michetti A.M., L. Ferreli, E. Esposito, S. Porfido, A.M. Blumetti, E. Vittori, L. Serva & G.P. Roberts, 2000, Ground effects during the September 9, 1998, Mw = 5.6, Lauria earthquake and the seismic potential of the aseismic Pollino region in Southern Italy. Seismological Research Letters, 71, 31-46 (2000).
8. Vittori E., G. Deiana, E. Esposito, L. Ferreli, L. Marchegiani, G. Mastrolorenzo, A.M. Michetti, S. Porfido, L. Serva, A.L. Simonelli & E. Tondi "Ground effects and surface faulting in the September-October 1997 Umbria-Marche (Central Italy) seismic sequence", Journal of Geodynamics, 29, 535-564 (2000).
9. Azzaro R., D. Bella, L. Ferreli, A.M. Michetti, F. Santagati, L. Serva & E. Vittori, "First study of fault trench stratigraphy at Mt. Etna volcano, Southern Italy: understanding Holocene surface faulting along the Moscarello fault", Journal of Geodynamics, 29, 187-210 (2000).
10. Ferreli L., A.M. Michetti, L. Serva and E. Vittori, 2002, “Stratigraphic evidence of coseismic faulting and aseismic fault creep from exploratory trenches at Mt. Etna volcano (Sicily, Italy)”, in Ettensohn, F.R., Rast, N., and Brett, C.E., eds., “Ancient Seismites”: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 359, 49-62.
11. Roberts G.P., A.M. Michetti, P. Cowie, N.C. Morewood, and I. Papanikolaou, 2002, “Fault slip-rate variations during crustal-scale strain localisation, central Italy”, Geophysical Research Letters, 29, No. 8, doi 810.1029/2001GL013529.
12. Porfido S., E. Esposito, E. Vittori, G. Tranfaglia, A. M. Michetti, A.M. Blumetti, L. Ferreli, L. Guerrieri, L. Serva, 2002, “Areal distribution of ground effects induced by strong earthquakes in the southern Apennines (Italy)”, Surveys in Geophysics, 23, 529-562.
13. Roberts G.P., P. Cowie, I. Papanikolaou and A.M. Michetti, 2004, Fault scaling relationships, deformation rates and seismic hazards: an example from the Lazio-Abruzzo Apennines, central Italy, Journal of Structural Geology, 26 (2004), 377–398.
14. Roberts G.P. and A. M. Michetti, 2004, Spatial and temporal variations in growth rates along active normal fault Systems: an example from the Lazio-Abruzzo Apennines, central Italy, Journal of Structural Geology, 26 (2004), 339–376.
15. Michetti A.M., Audemard F and Marco S., 2005, Future trends in paleoseismology: Integrated study of the seismic landscape as a vital tool in seismic hazard analyses, In: Michetti A.M., Audemard F., Marco S. (Editors), “Paleoseismology, integrated study of the Quaternary geological record for earthquake deformation and faulting”, Special Issue, Tectonophysics, 408 (1-4), 3-21.
16. Papanikolaou I., Roberts G. and Michetti A.M., 2005, Fault scarps and deformation rates in Lazio–Abruzzo, Central Italy: comparison between geological fault slip-rate and GPS data., In: Michetti A.M., Audemard F., Marco S. (Editors), “Paleoseismology, integrated study of the Quaternary geological record for earthquake deformation and faulting”, Special Issue, Tectonophysics, 408 (1-4), 147-176.
17. Chunga K., Livio F., Michetti A.M. and Serva L., 2007, Synsedimentary deformation of Pleistocene glaciolacustrine deposits in the Albese con Cassano area (Southern Alps, Northern Italy), and possible implications for paleoseismicity. Sedimentary Geology, 196, 59-80, doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2006.08.010.
18. Guerrieri L., Tatevossian R. , Vittori E., Comerci V., Esposito E., Michetti A.M., Porfido S. and Serva L., 2007. Earthquake environmental effects (EEE) and intensity assessment: the INQUA scale project. Boll. Soc. Geol. It. - Italian Journal of Geoscience 126(2), 375-386, ISSN: 0037-8763.
19. Sileo G., Giardina F., Livio F., Michetti A.M., Mueller K. and Vittori E., 2007, Remarks on the Quaternary tectonics of the Insubria Region (Lombardia North Western Italy, and Ticino, South Eastern Swizerland). Boll. Soc. Geol. It. - Italian Journal of Geoscience 126(2), 411-425, ISSN: 0037-8763.
20. Comerci V., S. Capelletti, A.M. Michetti, S. Rossi, L. Serva and E. Vittori, 2007, Land subsidence and late glacial environmental evolution of the Como urban area (Northern Italy), Quaternary International (2007), 173-174, 67-86, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2007.06.014.
21. Abdel Aziz M.A.H, Serva L., Michetti A.M., Giardina F., Swedan A.H., Gad Elhaq G., Soliman H., 2007, Assessing intensity values for earthquakes affecting low populated areas: the case of 22 November 1995 Nuweiba earthquake. Annals of the Geological Survey of Egypt, 29, 321-334, ISSN: 1110-0435.
22. Hormes A., Ivy-Ochs S., Kubik P.W., Ferreli L., Michetti A.M., 2008, 10-Be exposure ages of a rock avalanche and a late glacial moraine in Alta Valtellina, Italian Alps. Quaternary International, 190, 136-145, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2007.06.036.
23. Livio F., A. Berlusconi, A.M. Michetti, G. Sileo, A. Zerboni, L. Trombino, M. Cremaschi, K. Mueller, E. Vittori, C. Carcano, & S. Rogledi, 2009, Active fault-related folding in the epicentral area of the December 25, 1222 (Io = IX MCS) Brescia earthquake (Northern Italy): seismotectonic implications. Tectonophysics, 476 (1-2), 320-335, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2009.03.019
24. Zahid Ali, Muhammad Qaisar, Tariq Mahmood, Muhammad Ali Shah, Talat Iqbal, Leonello Serva, Alessandro M. Michetti & Paul W. Burton, 2009, The Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, earthquake of 8 October 2005: surface faulting, environmental effects and macroseismic intensity. In Reicherter, K., Michetti, A.M. & Silva, P.G. (eds) Palaeoseismology: Historical and Prehistorical Records of Earthquake Ground Effects for Seismic Hazard Assessment. The Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 316, 155–172. DOI: 10.1144/SP316.9 0305-8719/09/ # The Geological Society of London 2009.
25. Mosquera-Machado S., C. Lalinde-Pulido, E. Salcedo-Hurtado & Alessandro M. Michetti 2009, Ground effects of the 18 October 1992, Murindo earthquake (NW Colombia), using the Environmental Seismic Intensity Scale (ESI 2007) for the assessment of intensity. In Reicherter, K., Michetti, A.M. & Silva, P.G. (eds) Palaeoseismology: Historical and Prehistorical Records of Earthquake Ground Effects for Seismic Hazard Assessment. The Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 316, 123–144. DOI: 10.1144/SP316.9 0305-8719/09/ # The Geological Society of London 2009.
26. Reicherter, K., A. M. Michetti & P. G. Silva Barroso, 2009,  Palaeoseismology: historical and prehistorical records of earthquake ground effects for seismic hazard assessment – introduction. In Reicherter, K., Michetti, A.M. & Silva, P.G. (eds) Palaeoseismology: Historical and Prehistorical Records of Earthquake Ground Effects for Seismic Hazard Assessment. The Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 316, 1-10. DOI: 10.1144/SP316.9 0305-8719/09/ # The Geological Society of London 2009.
27. Faure Walker, J.P., G.P. Roberts, P.A. Cowie, I.D. Papanikolaou, A.M. Michetti, P.R. Sammonds, & R.J. Phillips, 2009, Horizontal strain-rates and throw-rates across breached relay zones, central Italy: Implications for the preservation of throw deficits at points of normal fault linkage, Journal of Structural Geology, 31, 1145-1160, doi:10.1016/j.jsg.2009.06.01
28. Wilkinson, M., K.J.W. McCaffrey, G.P. Roberts, P. A. Cowie, R.J. Phillips, A.M. Michetti, E. Vittori, L. Guerrieri, A.M. Blumetti, A. Bubeck, A. Yates, and G. Sileo, 2010, Partitioned postseismic deformation associated with the 2009 Mw 6.3 L'Aquila earthquake surface rupture measured using a terrestrial laser scanner, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L10309, doi:10.1029/2010GL043099
29. Roberts G.P., B. Raithatha, G. Sileo, A. Pizzi, S. Pucci, J. Faure Walker, M. Wilkinson, K.J.W. McCaffrey, R.J. Phillips, A.M. Michetti, L. Guerrieri, A.M. Blumetti, E. Vittori, P. A. Cowie, P. Sammonds, P. Galli, P. Boncio, C. Bristow, and R. Walters, 2010, Shallow sub-surface structure of the 2009 April 6 Mw 6.3 L’Aquila earthquake surface rupture at Paganica, investigated with Ground Penetrating Radar, Geophysical Journal International, 24, 1-17, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04713.x.

30. Guerrieri L., Baer G., Hamiel Y., Amit R., Blumetti A.M., Comerci V., Di Manna P., Michetti A.M., Salamon A., Mushkin A., Sileo G. and Vittori E., 2010, InSAR data as a field guide for mapping minor earthquake surface ruptures: ground displacements along the Paganica Fault during the April 6th, 2009, L'Aquila earthquake, Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth, doi:10.1029/2010JB007579