Comparison between nonparametric and parametric estimate of the conditional intensity function of a seismic space-time point process

A seismic gap can be defined as a segment of an active geologic fault that has not produced seismic events for an unusually long time; gaps are often considered susceptible to future strong earthquakes occurrence and therefore their identification may be useful for predictive purposes. In this paper we try to identify gaps in an area of South Tyrrhenian Sea by comparing the observed seismicity, estimated by nonparametric method, and the theoretical one, described by a particular space-time point process (ETAS model).