Holocene evolution of the Venice Lagoon

The Venice Lagoon is characterized by a remarkable vertical and lateral variability of deposits, mainly produced by delta, tidal channels and sand bar migration. High resolution seismic surveys and coring analysis, carried out in the frame of the Co.Ri.La. research line 3.16, produced new insight in the evolution of the Venice Lagoon through the Holocene. Based on the new data, it has been possible, for the first time, to image and map the three main phases that characterized the formation and the evolution of the lagoon. Initially, the marine ingression, between 10,000 and 6,000 years B.P., produced the submersion by the Adriatic Sea of the Pleistocene alluvial plain. During this phase, longshore drift triggered the formation of the Venice palaeo lagoon. Then, the following sea level highstand recorded the predominance of sediment supply from rivers and the progressive advance of the coastline toward the sea. Finally, the more recent phase was characterized by the predominance of erosion and sediment exportation from the lagoon, as the consequence of human interventions on river mouths and inlets since historical time. These distinct phases are associated to sedimentary deposits with different geotechnical, sedimentological and geochemical characteristics, which play different roles in the erodibility of the sea floor and in the hydrogeological regime. In this paper we present the main results from the surveys carried between 2003 and 2006 in the southern portion of the lagoon, where the Holocene deposits reaches their maximum thickness

The submerged footprint of Perito Moreno glacier

Perito Moreno is the most famous calving glacier of the South Patagonia Icefield, the largest temperate glacier system of the Southern Hemisphere. Unlike most of the glaciers in the region that have strongly retreated in recent decades, the position of Perito Moreno glacier front remained relatively unchanged in the last century. However, earliest photographic documents show that, at the end of the nineteenth century, the front was ca. 800 m behind the current position. There is no reliable information about the positions of the Perito Moreno front in earlier times. Here we show evidence of two subaqueous moraine systems both in the Canal de Los Témpanos and in the Brazo Rico, the two arms of Lago Argentino along which Perito Moreno glacier has flowed over time. These moraines, identified for the first time in the Canal de Los Témpanos from bathymetric and high-resolution seismic profiles, mark the position of the largest glacier advance, tentatively correlated with the moraines of the “Herminita advance” identified and dated onland. We interpret these bedforms as the evidence of the most pronounced advance of Perito Moreno glacier during the mid-Holocene cooling event that characterized this sector of the Southern Hemisphere. This study highlights the importance of subaqueous glacial bedforms, representing decisive records of the glacial history and palaeoclimate, which could help unveiling the origin of the different behavior of glaciers like Perito Moreno that in a warming climate are relatively stable.Fil: Lodolo, Emanuele. Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografa e di Geofsica Sperimentale ; ItaliaFil: Donda, Federica. Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografa e di Geofsica Sperimentale ; ItaliaFil: Lozano, Jorge Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Baradello, Luca. Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografa e di Geofsica Sperimentale ; ItaliaFil: Romeo, Roberto. Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografa e di Geofsica Sperimentale; ItaliaFil: Bran, Donaldo Mauricio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Tassone, Alejandro Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Pliocene Diatom Biomarkers in Sabrina Coast. EAIS Continental Marginal Dynamics

PNRA Tytan project, supported by the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), focused on the advances and retreats dynamics of the ice sheet and on variations in the glacial regime. Unit 2 focused on Diatom biomarkers and assemblages analysis on sediments of core PC03, collected during the IN2017-V01 cruise on the eastern flank of the Minang-a (or Whale) submarine Canyon. The project aims at reconstructing the depositional environment of the continental margin off the Totten Glacier and diatom data remained a key tools to constrain past ice-sheet dynamics and to forecasting future behaviour in a warming world. Preliminary dataset from diatom biostratigraphic tools allows to refer the base of the core to Pliocene while the upper part of the core records more modern EAIS dynamics, indicative of minor sedimentary evolution steps of the continental margin. Diatom assemblage analyses highlight Eocene-Oligocene reworked material and freshwater diatom inputs in Pliocene sequence, strengthening the debate about ice-sheet and paleoceanographic models, WAIS cyclic collapse and suspected Pliocene EAIS retreat into major subglacial Antarctic basins

Sabrina Coast (East Antarctica) depositional processes highlightedthrough stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental diatom analysis

The systematic survey of Antarctic margin sedimentary sequences offers, especially in poorly investigated areas,the opportunity to obtain a wide range of information on glacio-eustatic, climatic, and tectonic events. Multi-disciplinary datasets resulting from geophysical surveys and scientific coring and drilling are needed to addressquestions regarding the orbital forcing and the global response of the hydrosphere (oceans and atmosphere),cryosphere, and biosphere. The PNRA Tytan Project, embedded into the Australian project \u201cInteractions of theTotten Glacier with the Southern Ocean through multiple glacial cycles\u201d (Australian National University), aimsto understand how the Totten Glacier behaved during past Holocene and Pleistocene times of warmer climate.Insights for reconstructing the depositional and hydrodynamic environments of the continental margin off theTotten Glacier, a large outlet glacier located on the Sabrina Coast of East Antarctica, are addressed throughmicropaleontological efforts. The micropaleontological research group focused on identification of diatombiostratigraphic markers and assemblage analyses in sediment cores collected from the Sabrina Coast continentalslope during the RV Investigator mission IN2017_V01 in order to reconstruct paleoenvironments and to place ageconstraints on the sedimentary sequences.All but one of the piston cores recovered late Pleistocene sediments, documenting MIS 9 \u2013 MIS 1, withinterglacial intervals characterized by diatomaceous sediments dominated by the open water taxon Fragilariopsiskerguelensis. Glacial intervals have much lower diatom concentrations and a higher proportion of reworked forms.A single piston core, IN2017_V01_PC03, recovered a more complicated sedimentary sequence. This sequence,targeted for an older and more condensed coring location, was selected for coring based on the sub-bottomgeophysical data that indicated thinning of the upper stratigraphic section, and greater access to the underlyingsection. The results suggest a very dynamic sediment delivery system in a context of Pliocene\u2013Recent Antarcticcontinental margin. The basal section of the core is marked by Eocene-Oligocene reworked taxa while the midsection is characterized by almost barren sediments. The silty top section of the PC03 core, had diatom assem-blages similar to the other kasten and piston cores; t his sectionis characterized by modern diatom assemblagesdominated by Circum Antarctic Current and open water taxa with a variable presence of sea ice associated forms.Glacial slumping, perhaps facilitated by the presence of biogenic silica, and reworking may have removed orprevented deposition within this condensed sedimentary sequence.The presence or absence of F. kerguelensis versus F. barronii and also the presence of transitional forms betweenthese two species, confirms the much older nature of the sediments in this core as compared to the other pistoncores. In addition, Denticulopsis simonsenii much more common at the basal part of the core, may reflect ero-sional contributions from Miocene-aged sediment, while the significant contribution of F. barronii, Thalassiosiralentiginosa and Thalassiosira oliverana (var. sparsa?) versus intervals dominated by D. simonsenii may suggestdifferent sources of material

Shallow geophysics of the Asinara Island Marine Reserve Area (NW Sardinia, Italy)

We present a high-resolution swath bathymetric and backscatter map of the entire sector of the Marine Reserve Area (MRA) of the Asinara Island, along with a geological and sediment thickness map derived from the interpretation of a large set of high-resolution seismic profiles, and an airborne-derived hyperspectral image of the Asinara Island. Acquired data show that most of the eastern marine sector of the Asinara Island is characterized by quite gentle bathymetric gradients, whereas the western coastline appears to be very indented, with an articulated and rough morphology of the seafloor, which deepens sharply towards the open sea. The maps presented in this study at the 1:50.000 scale do not only provide the first, high-resolution bathymetry of the MRA of the Asinara Island but also may furnish the base for the creation of a benthic habitat map and a more comprehensive maritime spatial planning of this protected area

Very high resolution seismic surveys in the lagoon and gulf of Venice shallow waters

Within the framework of the geological mapping of the Venice area (CARG Project: Map Sheet 128 “Venezia” and Map Sheet 148-149 “Chioggia-Malamocco”) a very high resolution seismic survey (VHRS) was carried out to correlate data from hundreds of cores with the main aim to map the depth of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene unconformity (Brancolini et al., 2005; Rizzetto et al., 2005; Tosi et al., 2006a,b). Due to logistic and technical limits, the acquisition of seismic survey in the Venice Lagoon was restricted to the channels with more of 5 m water depth, most of them artificial or dredged. A new survey, with the aim to extend the VHRS surveys to the shallow water, such as the tidal flats, is in progress within the Co.Ri.La. Project framework (3.16 Subproject). The Co.Ri.La 3.16 Subproject is based on an acquisition system installed on a boat with a very shallow draught. The new survey will allow the detection and mapping of many interesting geological-geomorphologic structures, i.e. paleoriver beds, ancient lagoon channels and shoreline ridges, that are like-outcropping, and that have been only partially recognized in the previous surveys

Western Scotia Sea margins: Improved constraints on the opening of the Drake Passage

We present a revised tectonic interpretation (from ∼28 Ma to 3.2 Ma) of the western sector of the Scotia Sea, incorporating new multichannel seismic reflection profiles and magnetic anomaly identifications for the continental margin off the Tierra del Fuego Island, and available complementary data for the conjugate margin of the northwestern flank of the South Scotia Ridge. Seismic profiles show a remarkable diversity of the pair of conjugate passive margins of the western Scotia Sea in both their morphology and structural framework. The Tierra del Fuego continental margin can be related to a classic rifted passive margin, while the southwestern margin of the Scotia Sea is characterized by steep slopes mostly generated by subvertical faults that abruptly separate the continental crust of the South Scotia Ridge from the oceanic crust of the western Scotia Sea. This structural difference was caused by intense strike-slip tectonism, mostly concentrated along the modern South Scotia Ridge since the early development of the western Scotia Sea. We find evidence for a previously unrecognized magnetic anomaly 10 (∼28 Ma) at the foot of the Tierra del Fuego continental margin; the same anomaly is present at the conjugate northern flank of the South Scotia Ridge. The timing of events leading to the earliest development of the western Scotia Sea, which determined the opening of the Drake Passage is important because this gateway opening had a profound effect on global circulation and climate. The thickness and the distribution of the sedimentary cover overall in the abyssal plain off the two western Scotia Sea margins is different. This is due to the different regimes of the bottom-current flows which affected the western Scotia Sea, both in the past and in the present time.Fil: Lodolo, Emanuele. Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale; ItaliaFil: Donda, Federica. Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale; ItaliaFil: Tassone, Alejandro Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentin

PRELIMINARY STUDY OF GEOMORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES DISCOVERED IN TIDAL FLATS OF THE VENICE LAGOON BY VHR SEISMIC SURVEYS

Abstract. Available sedimentological, stratigraphic and bathymetric data, historical maps and a number of new Very High Resolution Seismic (VHRS) surveys acquired in the lagoon shallows were processed. Collected data allowed the characterization of the geomorphological setting at regional scale, whereas new VHRS data locally provided details of feature extent. In particular the new VHRS surveys pointed out, for the first time, the occurrence and, in some cases, the evolution of buried and surface morphological features found in the lagoon shallows. Riassunto. In questo studio sono stati elaborati i dati sedimentologici, stratigrafici, batimetrici e cartografici disponibili pregressi e una serie di nuovi rilievi sismici ad altissima risoluzione eseguiti sui bassi fondali lagunari. I dati raccolti hanno consentito di individuare le strutture geomorfologiche a scala regionale mentre quelli di nuova acquisizione hanno fornito una serie di dettagli locali delle stesse strutture. In particolare, i nuovi dati sismici hanno permesso di individuare per la prima volta la presenza di elementi geomorfologici nei bassifondi lagunari ed in alcuni casi di caratterizzare la loro evoluzione spazio-temporale.PublishedVenice, Italy7A. Geofisica di esplorazioneope

Holocene evolution of the Venice Lagoon

The Venice Lagoon is characterized by a remarkable vertical and lateral variability of deposits, mainly produced by delta, tidal channels and sand bar migration. High resolution seismic surveys and coring analysis, carried out in the frame of the Co.Ri.La. research line 3.16, produced new insight in the evolution of the Venice Lagoon through the Holocene. Based on the new data, it has been possible, for the first time, to image and map the three main phases that characterized the formation and the evolution of the lagoon. Initially, the marine ingression, between 10,000 and 6,000 years B.P., produced the submersion by the Adriatic Sea of the Pleistocene alluvial plain. During this phase, longshore drift triggered the formation of the Venice palaeo lagoon. Then, the following sea level highstand recorded the predominance of sediment supply from rivers and the progressive advance of the coastline toward the sea. Finally, the more recent phase was characterized by the predominance of erosion and sediment exportation from the lagoon, as the consequence of human interventions on river mouths and inlets since historical time. These distinct phases are associated to sedimentary deposits with different geotechnical, sedimentological and geochemical characteristics, which play different roles in the erodibility of the sea floor and in the hydrogeological regime. In this paper we present the main results from the surveys carried between 2003 and 2006 in the southern portion of the lagoon, where the Holocene deposits reaches their maximum thickness.PublishedVenice, Italy7A. Geofisica di esplorazioneope

PRELIMINARY STUDY OF GEOMORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES DISCOVERED IN TIDAL FLATS OF THE VENICE LAGOON BY VHR SEISMIC SURVEYS

Abstract. Available sedimentological, stratigraphic and bathymetric data, historical maps and a number of new Very High Resolution Seismic (VHRS) surveys acquired in the lagoon shallows were processed. Collected data allowed the characterization of the geomorphological setting at regional scale, whereas new VHRS data locally provided details of feature extent. In particular the new VHRS surveys pointed out, for the first time, the occurrence and, in some cases, the evolution of buried and surface morphological features found in the lagoon shallows. Riassunto. In questo studio sono stati elaborati i dati sedimentologici, stratigrafici, batimetrici e cartografici disponibili pregressi e una serie di nuovi rilievi sismici ad altissima risoluzione eseguiti sui bassi fondali lagunari. I dati raccolti hanno consentito di individuare le strutture geomorfologiche a scala regionale mentre quelli di nuova acquisizione hanno fornito una serie di dettagli locali delle stesse strutture. In particolare, i nuovi dati sismici hanno permesso di individuare per la prima volta la presenza di elementi geomorfologici nei bassifondi lagunari ed in alcuni casi di caratterizzare la loro evoluzione spazio-temporale