Azimuthal transects of stream orientations: An advanced in understanding the regional morphotectonic setting of eastern Abruzzo (Central Italy)

The recently proposed azimuthal transects method was applied to the drainage network of the eastern Abruzzo area, in order to confirm the location and identify the kinematics of regional fault zones, supposed to characterise the boundaries between different morphotectonic sectors previously recognised in the area. This methodology consists of applying the azimuthal analysis of low order (younger) stream orientations along transects crossing inferred faults. Its usefulness in morphotectonic investigations is linked to the possibility of identify statistical progressive rotations of channels induced by strike-slip displacements, especially where the classical structural analysis is unlikely to be performed because of lacking pervasive deformations within outcropping rocks. At the boundaries between the three different morphotectonic sectors formerly mentioned, strike-slip offsets were identified along E-W oriented fault zones, whose presence is also suggested by some macroscopic geomorphological evidence, such as the deflection of several main rivers towards the E-W direction. These results are consistent with those get by structural and geophysical studies, thus allowing to infer that these shallow crust plio-quaternary deformations could be the effect of the activity of the E-W lithospheric deformation zone which, according to many Authors, would divide the Adriatic plate into two different portions

The use of the Stream Length-Gradient index in morphotectonic analysis of small catchments: A case study from Central Italy

The aim of this work is to test an integrated quantitative geomorphic approach based on Stream Length-Gradient Index (SL Index) analysis within the small catchment of the Tarugo River in the Northern Marchean Apennines (Central Italy). The Tarugo River basin, 92 km2 wide, strikes SW-NE across the Marchean Ridge and the western sector of Marchean Piedmont. The area is characterized by a series of NW-SE trending, NE verging thrust folds affecting the Meso-Cenozoic bedrock that pass upward from dominantly carbonate to dominantly terrigenous rocks. The area investigated has been affected since the Pliocene by extensional tectonics, accompanying a regional uplift decreasing in rate north-eastwards. In this work the SL Index analysis has been integrated with the spatial analysis of the Amplitude of relief (Ar) and compared to geological and geomorphological field data. Results of this work indicate that the SL Index is a valid tool to detect the long wavelength structural effect on topography as well as the incipient local response to regional processes (i.e. regional uplift) that is often undetectable by other morphotectonic parameters. In contrast, the SL Index analysis seems not be a valid tool for discriminating the local lithological influence from the tectonic one. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Ein neuer quantitativer Biomarker aus der prätherapeutischen MRT zur Voraussage des Überlebens nach stereotaktischer Radiotherapie einer singulären Hirnmetastase

Hirnmetastasen sind die häufigsten intrakraniellen malignen Raumforderungen. Obwohl sich mehrere Parameter für eine Prognose der Lebenszeiterwartung betroffener Patienten eignen, haben sich noch keine daraus abgeleiteten Indizes im klinischen Alltag etablieren können. Wir untersuchten daher das Potenzial eines neuartigen radiomischen Biomarkers für die Prognose des Überlebens von Patienten mit singulärer Hirnmetastase, die mit stereotaktischer Radiotherapie (SRT) behandelt wurden, indem wir das Kontrastmittelverhalten des Tumors in der prätherapeutischen Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) analysierten. Die Untersuchung beinhaltete die retrospektive Auswertung der Aufnahmen von 48 SRT-Patienten mit singulären Hirnmetastasen (27 Patienten mit nicht-kleinzelligem Bronchialkarzinom (NSCLC), 21 Patienten mit malignem Melanom). Die dreidimensionale (3D)-Segmentierung des Tumors zur Quantifizierung des Tumorvolumens und seiner Kontrastmittel (KM)-aufnehmenden Anteile wurde anhand von MRT-Bildern des Neurokraniums vorgenommen, die vor Therapiebeginn angefertigt worden waren. Zwei Kohorten wurden anhand eines Schwellenwertes von 68,61 % KM-aufnehmendem Tumorvolumen stratifiziert und die prognostische Aussagekraft der KM-Aufnahme für das Gesamtüberleben und das intrakranielle progressionsfreie Überleben (iPFS) analysiert. Wir konnten einen signifikanten Zusammenhang zwischen der Kontrastmittelaufnahme des Tumors und dem Gesamtüberleben aufzeigen: Patienten, deren Tumoren in prätherapeutischen MRT-Bildern zu großvolumiger KM-Aufnahme neigen, weisen ein verbessertes Gesamtüberleben und iPFS gegenüber Patienten auf, deren Tumoren weniger kräftig KM anreicherten. Die KM-Aufnahme des Tumors eignet sich unseren Ergebnissen zufolge als radiomischer Biomarker, der objektiv und vergleichsweise einfach erhoben werden kann und als prognostischer Index zur Abschätzung des Gesamtüberlebens bei Patienten mit singulären Hirnmetastasen genutzt werden kann.Brain metastases (BM) are the most frequent intracranial malignant tumors. Various prognostic factors facilitate the prediction of survival; however, few have become tools for clinical use. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of three-dimensional (3D) quantitative tissue enhancement in pre-treatment cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a radiomic biomarker for overall survival (OS) in patients with singular BM treated with stereotactic radiation therapy. In this retrospective study, 48 patients (27 NSCLC and 21 melanoma) with singular BM treated with SRT, were analyzed. Contrast-enhanced MRI scans of the neurocranium were used for quantitative image analyses. Segmentation-based 3D quantification was performed to measure the enhancing tumor volume. A cut-off value of 68.61 % of enhancing volume was used to stratify the cohort into two groups (≤68.61 % and > 68.61 %). Univariable and multivariable cox regressions were used to analyze the prognostic factors of OS and iPFS. The level of enhancing tumor volume achieved statistical significance in univariable and multivariable analysis for OS. Patients with high-level enhancement (>68.61 % enhancing lesion volume) survived significantly longer and showed significantly longer iPFS rates. Patients with lesions that show a higher percentage of enhancement in pre-treatment MRI demonstrated improved iPFS and OS compared to those with mainly hypo-enhancing lesions. Lesion enhancement may be a radiomic marker, useful in prognostic indices for survival prediction, in patients with singular BM

Upgrade of the CEDIT database of earthquake-induced ground effects in Italy

The database related to the Italian Catalogue of EarthquakeInduced Ground Failures (CEDIT), was recently upgraded and updated to 2017 in the frame of a work-in-progress focused on the following issues: i) reorganization of the geo-database architecture; ii) revision of the earthquake parameters from the CFTI5 e CPTI15 catalogues by INGV; ii) addition of new data on effects induced by earthquakes occurred from 2009 to 2017; iv) attribution of macroseismic intensity value to each effect site, according to the CFTI5 e CPTI15 catalogues by INGV. The revised CEDIT database aims at achieving: i) the optimization of the CEDIT catalogue in order to increase its usefulness for both Public Institutions and individual users; ii) a new architecture of the geo-database in view of a future implementation of the online catalogue which implies its usability via web-app also to support post-event detection and surveying activities. Here we illustrate the new geo-database design and discuss the statistics that can be derived from the updated database. Statistical analysis was carried out on the data recorded in the last update of CEDIT to 2017 and compared with the analysis of the previous update outline that: - the most represented ground effects are the landslides with a percentage of 55% followed by ground cracks with a percentage of 23%; - the MCS intensity (IMCS) distribution of the effect sites shows a maximum in correspondence of the IMCS class 8 even if a second frequency peak appears in the IMCS class 7 only for surface faulting effects; - the distribution of the effects according to the epicentral distance shows a decrease for all the typologies of induced ground effects with increasing epicentral distance

Geomorphic signal of active faulting at the northern edge of Lut Block. Insights on the kinematic scenario of Central Iran

Recent works documented Neogene to Quaternary dextral strike-slip tectonics along the Kuh-e-Sarhangi and Kuh-e-Faghan intraplate strike-slip faults at the northern edge of the Lut Block of Central Iran, previously thought to be dominated by sinistral strike-slip deformation. This work focuses on the evidence of Quaternary activity of one of these fault systems, in order to provide new spatio-temporal constraints on their role in the active regional kinematic scenario. Through geomorphological and structural investigation, integrated with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating of three generations of alluvial fans and fluvial terraces (at ~53, ~25 and ~6 ka), this study documents (i) the topographic inheritance of the long-term (Myr) punctuated history of fault nucleation, propagation, and exhumation along the northern edge of Lut Block; (ii) the tectonic control on drainage network evolution, pediment formation, fluvial terraces, and alluvial-fan architecture; (iii) the minimum Holocene age of Quaternary dextral strike-slip faulting; and (iv) the evidence of Late Quaternary fault-related uplift localized along the different fault strands. The documented spatial and temporal constraints on the active dextral strike-slip tectonics at the northern edge of Lut Block provided new insights on the kinematic model for active faulting in Central Iran, which has been reinterpreted in an escape tectonic scenario

Geological constraints for a conceptual evolutionary model of the slope deformations affecting Mt. Nuovo at Ischia (Italy)

ischia island was the scenario of several Holocene slope in- stability events occurred at different scales, from shallow mass movements, triggered by meteo-climatic forcing, up to massive rock slope failures such as large debris avalanches these last ones related to the volcano-tectonic dynamics of a resurgent caldera. the present study focuses on the gravitational deformation that in- volves Mt. nuovo, located in the western portion of Mt. epomeo resurgent block. a high-resolution engineering-geological model was reconstructed according to a multi-modelling approach sup- ported by field geo-structural evidences and constrained by pas- sive seismic investigations. it revealed a complex morpho-struc- tural setting and led to the identification of a multiple compound mechanism, involving a rock mass volume of about 190 million of cubic meters. the obtained geological model shows a partial structural control of the pre-existing tectonic pattern on slope deformation mechanisms, highlighting geometric and volumetric similarities between the Mt. nuovo ongoing deformation and an already oc- curred rock avalanche. the defined conceptual evolutionary mod- el allows to hypothesize the role of inner pressures constraining the shear zone initiation and propagation and making reliable a future scenario of generalized collapse. Starting from these new field and laboratory data, numerical models will be reconstructed in order to depict the evolution of the gravitational slope deformation, evaluate its sensitivity and constrain future evolutionary instability scenarios

Field trip to the Ischia resurgent caldera, a journey across an active volcano in the Gulf of Naples

Ischia is one of the most impressive examples of post-caldera resurgence in the world, with its almost 1,000 m of uplift in less than 30 ka. This three-days field trip will lead the participants through the geological and volcanological history of the island, illustrating the volcanic and related hazardous phenomena threatening about 50,000 inhabitants. Effusive and explosive eruptions, catastrophic earthquakes and huge debris-avalanches struck the island that, since Neolithic times, experienced a complex history of alternating human colonization and natural disasters. The field trip consists of three routes: 1) the circumnavigation of the island, aimed to outline its main volcanological, geomorphological and tectonic features and to observe the oldest volcanic rocks exposed, stimulating discussions about coastal evolution and the relationships between volcanism, volcano-tectonism and slope instability; 2) an onland excursion on peculiar aspects of the products related to Ischia more recent period of volcanic activity; 3) a route focusing on the Mt. Epomeo Green Tuff caldera forming eruptions (55-60 ka), encouraging a discussion on the dynamics of the intracalderic resurgence and the geomorphological evolution of the Mt. Epomeo slopes, with ongoing Mass Rock Creep (MRC) processes culminating in rockavalanche, debris-avalanche and lahar deposits

Fluvial inverse modelling for inferring the timing of Quaternary uplift in the Simbruini range (Central Apennines, Italy)

The regional topography of the Central Apennines results from convergence between the African and Eurasian plates that led to the formation of a Neogene NE-verging imbricate fold and thrust belt. During the final stages of the orogenic deformations, the whole area was affected by strong uplift and by extensional faulting oriented along the main direction of the Apennine chain. In this framework, the landscape evolution in subaerial conditions started diachronically and is testified by the relicts of clastic deposit at different height from base levels of the present drainage network. In the Simbruini range, there are no absolute dating records neither of the most ancient clastic units deposited after the Messinian thrust-top facies nor of tectonic events. Trying to fill this gap, we used geomorphometric analyses to infer the timing of the recent phases of the tectonic history of the Simbruini range. Specifically, we identified the main non-lithological knickpoints along the river longitudinal profiles, clustered their altimetric distribution and correlated them with the levels of continental clastic deposits reserved at different elevations. Furthermore, we inferred the uplift history of the range by applying the inverse modelling of the river longitudinal profiles. Assuming a block uplift model, the drainage network cutting the Simbruini range recorded on average about 2.4 Myr of tectonic history, characterized by variable base level fall rates (corresponding to uplift rates). According the average tectonic history, the highest base level fall rate of 690 m My-1 was reached at 1.65 Ma, followed by the minimum of about 370 m My-1 , reached at 0.75 Ma, and by a second rise, up to a present-day value of 660 m My-1