Stratigraphical and sedimentological relationships of the Bolognano Formation (Oligocene–Miocene, Majella Mountain, Central Apennines, Italy) revealed by geological mapping and 3D visualizations

The characterization and comprehension of buried reservoirs receive remarkable benefits from detailed studies of outcropping analogues which help to define the architecture of the buried sedimentary units and their petrophysical features. In particular, modern 3D techniques of geological data analysis can better constrain the geological mapping process and reveal the geometry of the sedimentary units with complex lateral and vertical relationships. By means of the 3D Move software, we define the sedimentological and stratigraphical relationships between lithostratigraphic units of the Bolognano Formation, outcropping in the northernmost sector of the Majella Mountain (Central Apennines, Italy). The study area belongs to the Apulian carbonate platform and the Majella Mountain represents the northward outcropping portion of its margin. The sedimentary succession of the Majella Mountain consists of Upper Jurassic to upper Miocene limestone and dolostone deposits. In the investigated area, outcropping deposits mainly belong to the Oligo-Miocene Bolognano Formation characterized by five lithofacies associations and representing a carbonate ramp developed in a warm subtropical depositional environment within the oliaophotic to aphotic zone. The Bolognano Fm. represents, due to its specific hydraulic properties (e.g. porosity and permeability), an outcropping analogue of worldwide common reservoirs (i.e. porous calcarenite deposits of a carbonate ramp formed by benthic foraminifers such as lepidocyclinids, nummulitids, red algae, corals). In the study area, several geological units of the Bolognano Fm. are characterized by abundant hydrocarbon (bitumen) occurrences infilled within the high-porosity of the cross-bedded calcarenites ascribed to the Chattian and Burdigalian interval. The geological field mapping of the area and the visualization of the geological data in a 3D environment show that the unit formed by mid-ramp calcarenites (Lepidocyclina calcarenites 2 unit, Chattian-Burdigalian) increases in thickness towards the NE (basinward) direction as a consequence of sediment shedding from inner ramp. Our study illustrates how the geological mapping and the visualization and analysis of geological data in a 3D environment of the northernmost sector of the Majella Mountain confirms depositional models of the Bolognano Formation and represents a valid tool for the characterization of the lateral stratigraphic relationships within this formation, and hence of its potential hydrocarbon occurrences

RETRACE-3D PROJECT, a multidisciplinary approach for the construction of a 3D crustal model: first results and seismotectonic implications

The RETRACE-3D (centRal italy EarThquakes integRAted Crustal modEl) Project has been launched with the ambitious goal to build, as first result, a new, robust, 3D geological model of broad consensus of the area struck by the 2016-2018 Central Italy seismic sequencePublishedBologna3T. Sorgente sismica4T. Sismicità dell'Itali

The Bortoluzzi Mud Volcano (Ionian Sea, Italy) and its potential for tracking the seismic cycle of active faults

The Ionian Sea in southern Italy is at the center of active interaction and convergence between the Eurasian and African–Adriatic plates in the Mediterranean. This area is seismically active with instrumentally and/or historically recorded Mw > 7:0 earthquakes, and it is affected by recently discovered long strike-slip faults across the active Calabrian accretionary wedge. Many mud volcanoes occur on top of the wedge. A recently discovered one (called the Bortoluzzi Mud Volcano or BMV) was surveyed during the Seismofaults 2017 cruise (May 2017). Bathymetric backscatter surveys, seismic reflection profiles, geochemical and earthquake data, and a gravity core are used here to geologically, geochemically, and geophysically characterize this structure. The BMV is a circular feature ' 22m high and ' 1100m in diameter with steep slopes (up to a dip of 22 ). It sits atop the Calabrian accretionary wedge and a system of flowerlike oblique-slip faults that are probably seismically active as demonstrated by earthquake hypocentral and focal data. Geochemistry of water samples from the seawater column on top of the BMV shows a significant contamination of the bottom waters from saline (evaporite-type) CH4-dominated crustalderived fluids similar to the fluids collected from a mud volcano located on the Calabria mainland over the same accretionary wedge. These results attest to the occurrence of open crustal pathways for fluids through the BMV down to at least the Messinian evaporites at about 3000 m. This evidence is also substantiated by helium isotope ratios and by comparison and contrast with different geochemical data from three seawater columns located over other active faults in the Ionian Sea area. One conclusion is that the BMV may be useful for tracking the seismic cycle of active faults through geochemical monitoring. Due to the widespread diffusion of mud volcanoes in seismically active settings, this study contributes to indicating a future path for the use of mud volcanoes in the monitoring and mitigation of natural hazards.Published1-233SR TERREMOTI - Attività dei CentriJCR Journa

Data integration and conceptual modelling of the Larderello geothermal area, Italy

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From shallow to very shallow image of the highly active Kefalonia - Zakynthos fault system

4 pages, 2 figuresIn May 2022 and June 2023 two oceanographic cruises were carried out around the Ionian Islands with the aim of defining the real geometry of the strike-slip fault system of Kefalonia and of the reverse faults present south of Zakynthos. The acquired multidisciplinary and multiresolution data will also allow to understand the dynamics of the area offshore the Peoloponnese peninsula, the deformation of the surface sediments at the transition of the two systems, i.e. from reverse fault system to strike-slip fault system, and the relationship between the recorded seismicity and mapped fault activity. To date, the analysis of the processed data has allowed us to define the tectonic and morphological complexity of the fault system affecting the investigated area. [...]Thanks to the CNR for supporting the cruise with time ship, IONIANS 2022 project. Interpretation of seismic profile has been done using the Kindgom IHS Markit. Poseidon project has been supported by Eurofleet+ SEA02_13_POSEIDONPeer reviewe

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Characterization of fold-related fractures in the carbonate rocks of the Cingoli anticline, northern Apennines, Italy

Thrust fault-related folds in carbonate rocks are characterized by deformation accommodated by different structures, such as joints, faults, pressure solution seams, and deformation bands. Defining the development of fracture systems related to the folding process is significant both for theoretical and practical purposes. Fracture systems are useful constrains in order to understand the kinematical evolution of the fold. Furthermore, understanding the relationships between folding and fracturing provides a noteworthy contribution for reconstructing the geodynamic and the structural evolution of the studied area. Moreover, as fold-related fractures influence fluid flow through rocks, fracture systems are relevant for energy production (geothermal studies, methane and CO2 , storage and hydrocarbon exploration), environmental and social issues (pollutant distribution, aquifer characterization). The PhD project shows results of a study carried out in a multilayer carbonate anticline characterized by different mechanical properties. The aim of this study is to understand the factors which influence the fracture formation and to define their temporal sequence during the folding process. The studied are is located in the Cingoli anticline (Northern Apennines), which is characterized by a pelagic multilayer characterized by sequences with different mechanical stratigraphies. A multi-scale analysis has been made in several outcrops located in different structural positions. This project shows that the conceptual sketches proposed in literature and the strain distribution models outline well the geometrical orientation of most of the set of fractures observed in the Cingoli anticline. On the other hand, the present work suggests the relevance of the mechanical stratigraphy in particular controlling the type of fractures formed (e.g. pressure solution seams, joints or shear fractures) and their subsequent evolution. Through a multi-scale analysis, and on the basis of the temporal relationship between fracture sets and their orientation respect layering, I also suggest a conceptual model for fracture systems formation.Le anticlinali carbonatiche presentano un’intensa fratturazione indotta dalla deformazione durante il piegamento. Caratterizzare e comprendere lo sviluppo dei sistemi di fratture collegati al processo plicativo risulta essere di notevole interesse sia da un punto di vista scientifico che applicativo. I sistemi di fratture forniscono un contributo fondamentale per la comprensione dell’evoluzione cinematica della pieghe, inoltre, la comprensione delle relazioni tra sistemi di fratture e pieghe può contribuire a definire l'evoluzione strutturale dell'area di studio. Da un punto di vista applicativo è ormai noto come i sistemi di fratture incidono enormemente sulla circolazione dei fluidi. Di conseguenza la loro definizione trova un'applicazione importante nel settore energetico (flussi geotermici, stoccaggio gas e CO2, esplorazione petrolifera), ambientale (dispersione di inquinanti nel sottosuolo), e sociale (caratterizzazione degli acquiferi ecc.). La tesi di Dottorato presenta uno studio sull’analisi e la caratterizzazione di sistemi di fratture in un’anticlinale carbonatica caratterizzata da un multistrato con diverse caratteristiche meccaniche. Il progetto di Dottorato si pone l’obiettivo di comprendere i fattori che maggiormente influenzano le proprietà dei sistemi di fratture e di definire la loro evoluzione nel tempo. A tal fine è stata analizzata l’anticlinale di Cingoli (Appennino settentrionale) che espone una serie di interessanti affioramenti in calcari pelagici. Attraverso analisi a diverse scale di osservazione sono stati quindi caratterizzati i sistemi di fratture in affioramenti posizionati lungo tutta l’anticlinale e in diverse posizioni strutturali. Nel lavoro è stato osservato e discusso come la posizione strutturale e soprattutto la stratigrafia meccanica influiscono sulla formazione dei sistemi di fratture. In particolare è stato osservato come i modelli proposti in letteratura sintetizzano e schematizzano bene l’assetto geometrico di alcune fratture osservate a Cingoli. In questo lavoro, però, si è evidenziato come la stratigrafia meccanica ha un ruolo decisivo soprattutto per quanto riguarda la tipologia meccanica di fratture

First reported occurrence of deformation bands in a platform limestone, the Jurassic Calcare Massiccio Fm., northern Apennines, Italy

Two sets of thrust compactive shear bands and one set of dip\u2013slip compactive shear bands with, in places, associated slip surfaces have been recognized for the first time in a peculiar high-porosity grainstones of the Calcare Massiccio Fm., a Lower Jurassic platform limestone deformed during the development of the late Messinian Cingoli anticline of northern Apennines, Italy. The deformation bands have been studied by field mapping, thin section image analysis, back scatter SEM imaging, and pressure pulse decay minipermeametry. The deformation micro-mechanism in the compactive shear bands is controlled by plastic smearing and grain size reduction of soft micrite peloids with rare grain crushing and even rarer pressure solution. Plastic smearing is characteristic of the micrite peloids and is different from mechanisms occurring in other known carbonate deformation bands where the grains are bioclastic fragments and sparite ooids. The syntectonic diagenetic episode that brought to cement precipitation in the high-porosity grainstones of the Calcare Massiccio caused the loss of porosity and a change in deformation style from strain localization accommodated by banding to classical faulting along slip surfaces accompanied by thick zones of gouge and breccia. The permeability reduction from the host rock normal to the slip surfaces with associated compactive shear bands is, on average, an order of magnitude, which is less than what measured across deformation bands in other porous carbonates. We speculate that the diagenetic history provides a conceivable hypothesis to explain the high porosity in a Mesozoic platform carbonate at the time of orogenic compression (late Messinian), so that deformation bands, hitherto unknown in this type of rock, could develop