First evidence for Late Pleistocene to Holocene earthquake surface faulting in the Eastern Monferrato Arc (Northern Italy): Geology, pedostratigraphy and structural study of the Pecetto di Valenza site

The results of this paleoseismic analysis reinforce the conclusion of previous Authors that the Monferrato Arc should be viewed as a seismic gap, characterized by strong earthquakes (Mmax ∼6.5) with long recurrence interval (in the order of several thousands years). This evidence has relevant implications for seismic hazard assessment, which must be checked with further trench investigations along the mapped Quaternary thrust faults affecting the western part of the Po Plain.