GIULIO DI TORO

(at December 8, 2018)

GUARDATE IN BASSO PER INFORMAZIONI IN ITALIANO E PER ARGOMENTI DI TESI TRIENNALE E MAGISTRALE PROPOSTE NEGLI ANNI PASSATI

            I am a Full Professor in Structural Geology at Padua University (Padua, Italy) and Associate Researcher at the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (Rome, Italy). Before studying geology, I was a professional volleyball player (1987-1995). I played for the Italian National Team (1991-1993) and in several professional clubs (Sisley Treviso, Gabeca Montichiari, Les Copains Ferrara). With these clubs, I contributed to win the European Confederation Cup (1991), the European Cup of Cups (1992) and received the award as the best Italian Young Volleyball player in 1989.

            I started to study Geology when I was 28 years old. I earned the M.S. in Geology at Padua University at the age of 32 (advisor Prof. G. Pennacchioni) and the Ph.D. in Earth Sciences at the age of 35 (advisors Prof. Pennacchioni and T. Tullis).

            The overall goal of my research is to integrate data from field geology (by investigating exhumed ancient seismic sources and natural fault products) and laboratory studies (by conducting experiments that reproduce the extreme deformation conditions along a fault during an earthquake) with seismological observations for better understanding earthquake-related physico-chemical processes. Some results of my research have been, following the work of David Goldsby and Terry Tullis, the identification of silica gel lubrication as a fault weakening mechanism that may operate during earthquakes [Di Toro et al., Nature, 2004], the quantification of frictional melt lubrication effects [Di Toro et al., Science, 2006], and the proposal of a unified view of fault dynamic friction during earthquakes [Di Toro et al., Nature, 2011]. The latter may simplify the study of earthquake physics and modeling of earthquake sources. Other results of this research are the evidence that earthquake rupture dynamics may be recorded in exhumed fault rocks [Di Toro et al., Nature, 2005]. A second result was the design and the installation in Italy, thanks to an European Research Council Grant, of SHIVA (Slow to HIgh Velocity Apparatus) currently the most powerful earthquake simulator in the world and the installation at Padua University of a rotary-shear apparatus designed by Prof. Toshihiko Shimamoto.

            These results are the result of the continuous collaboration with colleagues with different background (geologists, experimentalists, engineers, physicists and seismologists). Summarizing, some of the research results include:

(see also https://scholar.google.it/scholar?hl=it&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=%22giulio+di+toro...)

• 95 peer-reviewed papers, including three papers published in Nature and one in Science as first author;




• Di Toro, G., et al., 2011 Fault lubrication during earthquakes (Nature) received enough citations to place it in the top 1% of the academic field of Geosciences based on a highly cited threshold for the field and publication year.




• the co-editing of a monograph on Earthquake Mechanics addressed to researchers and students and published by the American Geophysical Union (2006), and of two Special Volumes on Earthquakes Physics published by the Journal of Structural Geology (2012) and Tectonophysics (2013);




• 43 invited and keynote talks (+ 24 co-authored) and 370 contributions at International Meetings and Schools;




• 67 seminars given at several institutions, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory (USA), Hiroshima Univ. (JPN), ETH (CH), Columbia University (USA), KAUST (Saudi Arabia) and Oxford University (UK);




• Speaker of the Distinguished Lectures della Società Geologica Italiana year 2015-2106 (series of seminars on Earthquake mechanics given in several Italian Universities);




• More than 200 reviews for 25 different ISI journals (including Science and Nature) and project proposals (NSF, ERC, etc.);




• member of the advisory editorial board of Geology (2014-2016) Tectonophysics (from 2012) and of the Journal of Structural Geology (2011-2012);




• organization of two international meetings (both with > 100 participants): Physico-chemical process during the seismic cycle, Padova, Italy, 2010 (with G. Pennacchioni, S. Mittempergher and F. Ferri); Meeting of Young Researchers in Earth Sciences (www.myres.org) on the Dynamics of the Lithosphere, Verbania, Italy, 2006 (with L. Montesi) and of nine sessions at geophysical international meetings (AGU & EGU);




• involvement in research projects dedicated to drilling of active faults (CRISP, Costa Rica; SAFOD, USA; J-FAST Rapid Drilling Project after the March 11 2011 Tohuku earthquake, Japan);




• 2008 Outstanding Young Scientist (Arne Richter) Award of the European Geosciences Union for the “extraordinary contributions in fault and earthquake mechanics”;




• 2010 Premio Tartufari from the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei for Geology given by the President of the Italian Republic Mr. Giorgio Napolitano for the “innovative approach (and results) relative to the study of earthquake mechanics”;




• member (socio corrispondente) of the Academia Nazionale dei Lincei for scientific merits from 2018.




• member of the Academia Europeae for scientific merits from 2013.




• member of the Accademia Galileiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti in Padova for scientific merits from 2014.




• the 1,992,000 Euro grant for the European Research Council – Starting Grant Project (2008-2013): Uncovering the Secrets of an Earthquake: Multidisciplinary Study of Physico-Chemical Processes During the Seismic Cycle (acronym USEMS);




• the 1,963,000 Euro grant for the European Research Council –Consolidator Grant Project (2014-2019): New Outlook on  seismic faults: from earthquake nucleation to arrest  (acronym NOFEAR)




• popular scientific activity by means of interviews for European TV and Radio broadcasts (BBC 2, Rai1 UNO, Rai DUE, Rai TRE, FRANCE 2, Radio Rai 1, Radio Rai 3), for scientific journals (Science), for Italian newspapers (Corriere della Sera, La Stampa, Il Messaggero, ANSA, etc.) and for scientific movies (“Die Eroberung der Alpen”, Germany; “Italian Quake Lab”, Discovery Channel, Canada);




• the several activities in mass media and scientific meetings in support of the European Research Council (including two promotional videos);




• Research Professor ("Enseignant Chercheur") at the Ecole Normale Superieure (2016-2017), Paris (France).




• the supervision of 13 Post Docs, 10 Ph.Ds. and 22 M.S. and B.S. students since 2010.




• Post-docs A. Niemeijer, S. Smith, A. Griffith, S. Mittempergher, M. Violay, F. Passelegue, S. Aretusini and M. Fondriest obtained International Awards or relevant grants during or just after my supervision.




• Ashley W. Griffith, Steven A. Smith, André R. Niemeijer, Fabio Ferri, Marie Violay, Li-Wei Kuo, Thomas Mitchell, Nicola Tisato, Elena Spagnuolo and Shane Murphy obtained permanent positions during or just after my supervision.




• My skills in leading research groups were recognized in the journal Science: (http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/203/2) and attested, according to the ERC Scientific Panel, by the success of the ERC StG project USEMS I lead.

 

SUPERVISOR OF SHORT TERM POST-GRADUATE POSITIONS

 

1.     Silvia Mittempergher (2015). Topic "Analisi geochimiche-mineralogiche-petrografiche-microstrutturali di rocce di faglia”. Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova (Padua, Italy).

 

2.     Francesca Prando (2015). Topic "Studio microstrutturale di rocce di faglia”. Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova (Padua, Italy).

 

3.     Piercarlo Giacomel (2015). Topic “Esperimenti di iniezione di fluidi pressurizzati per stoccaggio di CO₂ e instabilità di faglia”. Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova (Padua, Italy).

4.     Simone Masoch (2018). Topic "Studio di terreno, mineralogico e microstrutturale di brecce a coccarda e mineralizzazioni a calcite e dolomite in zona di faglia”. Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova (Padua, Italy).

TUTOR OF GRADUATE STUDENTS (PhD Thesis)

1. Lidia Pittarello (2005-2008). Ph.D. Thesis XX ciclo. Study of exhumed paleo-seismic faults as a gauge to estimate earthquake source parameters. Tutor Prof. Giorgio Pennacchioni; co-tutor, Giulio Di Toro.




2. Silvia Mittempergher (2009-2012) Ph.D. Thesis. XXIV ciclo. Physico-chemical processes in seismogenic faults: active and exhumed examples. Tutor Giulio Di Toro; co-tutor, Jean-Pierre Gratier (Univ. Fourier, Grenoble, France). Co-tutelle Italo-Francoise.




3. Francois Souquiere (2006-2010). Ph.D. Thesis. Mechanics of Earthquakes in the Continental Crust: insight from the structural analysis of pseudotachylytes and cataclasites. Tutor: Olivier Fabbri (Univ. Besancon, France); co-tutor, Giulio Di Toro. Co-tutelle Italo-Francoise.




4. Michele Fondriest (2011-2014). Ph.D. Thesis XXVI ciclo. Structural and mechanical properties of seismogenic fault zones in carbonates. Tutor Giulio Di Toro; co-tutor, Steven S.A. Smith.




5. Francois Passelegue (2011-2014). Ph.D. Thesis. Etude de la nucléation et de la propagation de la rupture sismique: des résultats expérimentaux aux données de terrains. Tutor Alex Schubnel (Ecole Normle Superior, Paris, France), co-tutor, Giulio Di Toro. Co-tutelle Italo-Francoise.




6. Marieke Rempe (2012-2015). Ph.D. Thesis XXVII ciclo. Frictional behavior and microstructures of calcite-bearing faults. Tutor Giulio Di Toro. Co-tutors Dr. Steven A.F. Smith and Thomas Mitchell.




7. Stefano Aretusini (2014-2017). Ph.D. Thesis XIX ciclo. Running title. Frictional processes of clay-rich gouges in megathrust and landslide decollement environments. Tutor Giulio Di Toro.




8. Matteo Demurtas (2014-2017). Ph.D, XXX ciclo. Thesis. Running Title: Seismogenic carbonate-built normal faults: structure and deformation processes. Tutor Giulio Di Toro; Co-tutors: Steven A.F. Smith and Michele Fondriest.




9. Amy Hughes (2016-). Ph.D. Thesis. Running Title: “Investigating volcanic flank instability and catastrophic sector collapse”. Tutors Yan Lavalleé. Co-tutors: Jackie Kendrick and Giulio Di Toro.




10. Silvia Cortinovis (2016- ). Ph.D. Thesis: Multiscale analysis of brittle deformation in seismogenic fault zones affecting carbonate platform rocks: case studies from the Central Apennines, Italy. Tutor Fabrizio Balsamo. Co-tutors: Fabrizio Storti and Giulio Di Toro.




11. Piercarlo Giacomel (2017-). Ph.D. Thesis. Frictional instabilities in basaltic rock reservoirs pressurized with CO2 rich fluids. Tutor Cristiano Collettini; Co-tutors: Giulio Di Toro and Elena Spagnuolo.




12. Luca Del Rio (2018-). Ph.D. Thesis. Mechanism of formation of slip surfaces in carbonate-built rocks: seismic faulting vs. Deep Seated Gravitational Slope Deformation. Tutor Giulio Di Toro; co-tutors Michele Fondriest, Michele Saroli, Stefano Gori, Emanuela Falcucci, Marco Moro.

SUPERVISOR FOR POSTDOCTORAL RESERCH FELLOWSHIPS

1. Ashley Griffith (2008-2009). Scientific Topic: Earthquake physics. Grant from National Science Foundation International Research Fellowship (USA) (Oct 2008-Dec 2009)




2. Steven Smith (2009-2013). Scientific Topic: Physico-chemical processes during the seismic cycle. Field and experimental constraints. Grant from the ERC StG.




3. André Niemeijer (2009–2010). Scientific Topic: Physico-chemical processes during the seismic cycle. Experimental constraints. Grant from the ERC StG.




4. Elena Spagnuolo (2010–). Scientific Topic: Physico-chemical processes during the seismic cycle. Experimental and theoretical constraints. Grant from the ERC StG.




5. Fabio Ferri (2008-2010). Scientific Topic: Landslide mechanics: the Vaiont case. Field and experimental constraints. Grant from Fondazione CA.RI.PA.RO.




6. Marie Violay (2011-2013) Scientific Topic: Physico-chemical processes during the seismic cycle. Experimental and theoretical constraints. Grant from the ERC StG.




7. Thomas Mitchell (2011-2013) Scientific Topic: Physico-chemical processes during the seismic cycle. Field and experimental constraints. Grant from the ERC StG.




8. Silvia Mittempergher (2012-2013). Scientific Topic: Physico-chemical processes during the seismic cycle. Field constraints. Grant from the ERC StG.




9. Michele Fondriest (2014-2015). Scientific topic. Structure and mechanics of seismic sources in carbonate-bearing rocks: insights from field, microstructural and experimental studies. Assegno Junior 2014 dell'Università di Studi di Padova.




10. Li-Wei Kuo (2014-2015). Scientific Topic: Graphitization processes during earthquakes. Post-Doctoral Research Abroad Program, National Science Council, Taiwan (July 2014-June 2015).




11. Marieke Rempe (2015). Scientific topic. Frictional behavior and microstructures of calcite-bearing faults. . Grant from the ERC StG.




12. Francois Passelegue (2015-2017). Scientific Topic: Earthquake source physics: an experimental approach.  Grant from the ERC CoG NOFEAR




13. Shane Murphy (2015-2017). Scientific topic: Modelling of seismogenic sources. Grant from the ERC CoG NOFEAR.




14. Michele Fondriest (2016-). Scientific topic. Structure and mechanics of seismic sources in carbonate-bearing rocks: insights from field, microstructural and experimental studies. Grant from University of Manchester, Manchester (UK).




15. Stefano Aretusini (2018-). Scientific topic: Experimental studies of frictional properties of water- anf fluid-rich gouges. Grant from the ERC CoG NOFEAR.




16. Christopher Harbord (2018-). Scientific topic: Experimental studies of elastic properties and attenuation of fault zones. Grant from the ERC CoG NOFEAR.




17. Rodrigo Gomila (2018-). Scientific topic: Architecture of fault zones in the continental crust: geological constraints. Grant from the ERC CoG NOFEAR.