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Anthropogenically induced subsidence in Thessaly, central Greece: new evidence from GNSS data

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Abstract

We combine almost 10 years of continuous GNSS observations at four permanent stations with groundwater and rainfall data to investigate subsidence patterns in the region of Thessaly, central Greece. Thessaly is a key area for studying anthropogenic versus tectonic subsidence in Greece because it is (a) characterized by overexploitation of groundwater reservoirs since the 1980s and (b) has a Twentieth-century history of shallow, normal-slip earthquakes with M > 6. We infer that anthropogenic subsidence continues at southeast Thessaly (Karla reservoir region) up to autumn of 2017 because the vertical time-series data of station STEF (Stefanovikio) reach a cumulative value of 55 cm and show a “ramp-flat” pattern that correlates with neighboring borehole data. The geodetic data from other three examined regions (city of Larissa, city of Karditsa and Klokotos) indicate ground stability. The GNSS stations in Karditsa (KRDI) and Larissa (LARM) show correlation with groundwater-level fluctuations but no subsidence. Station KLOK (Klokotos) shows a small subsiding trend (− 0.38 mm/yr) with no correlation to either groundwater levels or to rainfall patterns; therefore, its seasonal periodicity may reflect geodynamic (plate) motions.

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Acknowledgements

The NOANET network was funded by several EU and national research projects from the General Secretariat for Research and Technology of Greece (GSRT). The KLOK station has been set up in Greece by INGV (Marco Anzidei with Athanassios Ganas of NOA) for the extension of the CGPS networks in the Mediterranean region. The geodetic equipment of station STEF is property of the Laboratory of Higher Geodesy, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). We acknowledge useful comments by Christina Tsimi, Riccardo Caputo, Geoff Blewitt, Marco Anzidei, Efthimios Lekkas, Panagiotis Grigorakakis and Alekos Belesis. We acknowledge support of this research by the project “HELPOS - Hellenic Plate Observing System” (MIS 5002697) which is implemented under the Action “Reinforcement of the Research and Innovation Infrastructure,” funded by the Operational Programme “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” (NSRF 2014-2020) and co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund). P. Argyrakis acknowledges the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for its support. We thank George Manthos (IGME) for his help with groundwater data. We thank www.meteo.gr for making available their rainfall measurements. We thank Kostas Giannikis for his help with station KLOK maintenance. The geodetic data are available for download from the NOA GSAC facility http://194.177.194.238:8080/noanetgsac/.

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Argyrakis, P., Ganas, A., Valkaniotis, S. et al. Anthropogenically induced subsidence in Thessaly, central Greece: new evidence from GNSS data. Nat Hazards 102, 179–200 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-03917-w

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