296 research outputs found
The NW sector of the Sicily Channel: geometry and evolution of inverted structural lineaments
The 3-D trend of anticline axial planes, fault planes and surfaces has been reconstructed in the offshore area between
the Egadi Islands and the Sciacca High from the interpretation of multichannel seismic reflection profiles and well data
(available from the VIDEPI project database). In particular, isopach maps generated for the five seismic units of age
between Cretaceous and Quaternary allowed highlighting the space-time migration of the tectonic processes. The
western portion of the studied area covers the submerged prolongation of the inner sector of the Sicilian-Maghrebian
chain, limited in the NW and in the SE by two tectonic lineaments running along the western and eastern margins of the
Adventure Bank: the Maghrebian Thrust Front and Adventure Thrust Front, respectively (see Argnani et al., 1986). The
eastern portion is characterized by transpressive zones orientated NNE-SSW identifying the Separation Belt that partly
corresponds to the foreland area which contains the Gela Nappe Thrust.
Age constraints indicate that contraction related to the Sicilian-Maghrebian fold and thrust belt migrated
progressively towards the southeast. The emplacement of the western front is attributable to the Middle-Upper Miocene
while that of the eastern front is Plio-Pleistocene. Within this tectonic framework, two tectonic basins were identified on
the basis of the different trend, age and evolution. The Adventure foredeep exhibits the maximum thickness of 500 m in
correspondence of the Adventure Plateau. Here, the younger Gela foredeep displays minor depth showing a thickness
increase towards the Gela Nappe and the Pantelleria graben.
Positive inversion structures form by the Plio-Pleistocene compressional reactivation of preexisting structures
limiting the Saccense and Trapanese domains were recognized the offshore sector between Mazara and Sciacca.
Moreover, a correlation between the Campobello di Mazara-Castelvetrano alignment as proposed by Barreca et al.,
2013, Ferranti et al., this meeting, and the tectonic units recognized in their offshore prolongation has been recognized.
Therefore, we propose that in this area contractional tectonics is still active (see also Pepe et al., this meeting), and
occurs on high-angle, NW-dipping crustal ramps (Monaco et al., 1996)
The transition between the Marsili oceanic crust and the W Calabria rifted margin: rifting and drifting in the upper plate of the Ionian subduction zone
The western Calabria continental margin forms the
transition between the Late Pliocene to Recent Marsili
spreading center and continental Calabria. Integrating highpenetration
and -resolution upper crustal seismic images with
seafloor morphology, ODP well data and
geological/geophysical constraints we provide a detailed
reconstruction of the architecture of the distal portion of the W
Calabria rifted margin and of the adjacent Marsili âoceanicâ
domain (Fig. 1) and develop a scheme for the Pliocene to
present rifting and drifting of the upper plate of the Ionian
subduction zone. Our seismic data document the presence of
stretched and thinned continental crust, less than 10 Km thick
into the eastern sector of the Marsili abyssal plain previously
considered as floored by a three-layer oceanic crust.
Thinning of the crust is associated with a numbers of 2-4
km wide tilted blocks composed of an acoustic basement and
pre- and syn-rift sediments.
Stretching factors between 1.1 and 1.42 (ca. 40% extension)
has been obtained assuming a domino-like style of
deformation. With few exceptions, the infill completely
smoothes out pre-existing topography and explain the flat sea
floor in the area surrounding the Marsili volcano. Extensional
tectonics began in the Late (?) Pliocene â Early (?) Pleistocene
times and ended at ca. 0.5 Ma resulting in the formation of ca.
70 km of âoceanicâ domain with an average spreading rate
between ca. 5.1 and 5.9 cm/yr. The appearance of vescicular
basalts in the Marsili basin was not associated with the end of
extension. The post-extensional sedimentary package has fairly
constant thicknesses of ca. 350 along the entire Marsili abyssal
plain. The Marsili volcano grows close to the western
termination of the stretched and thinned W Calabria continental
crust, in an asymmetric position with respect to the < 2 Ma
Marsili Basin itself
Large deep-seated gravitational slide off Ischia volcanic island, Eastern Tyrrhenian sea (Italy)
Ischia island develops at the edge of the shelf area and represents the sub-aerial section of a larger, E-W trending
volcanic ridge including others submerged or buried volcanic edifices. In the past decade the islandâs offshore
has been the object of extensive hydrographic and marine geophysical surveys that have shown the structural
complexity of the undersea sections and have overall shown the importance of gravity failures in islandâs evolution.
In this paper we report a previously unreported deep-seated slump structure and associated surficial mass wasting
phenomena which occur off Ischia south-western flank. Recently acquired hydrological and geophysical data lead
to identify the morphological features and the internal organization of the failed sediments which spread along
the continental slope. The extent of this deep-seated deformations and the deep structural levels involved lead to
investigate on the influence played by volcanic processes and regional tectonics on slope failure.
The Ischia southern slope was explored through a multibeam survey and a single-channel seismic survey.
Acquisition was carried out from aboard the R/V Urania at depths between 400 and 1200 m. The bathymetric data
were collected using a hull mounted Reson 8160 multibeam sonar. Resolution resulted in a 20x20 m implemented
with 50x50 gridded size provided by a previously collected data. Seismic survey consisted of 6 seismic lines run
along the slope spaced 1 km between them and 5 cross lines. The acoustic source used was a 1Kjoule high-energy
power supply system with a multi-tips (400) sparker array, fired at 2s time interval.
The collected data show that a wide submerged area of 350 km2, between 400 to 1200 m depths is undergoing
slow-moving deformation and associated secondary mass wasting phenomena. Morphological features include
trenches, counterscarps, bulging and both extensional and contractional features while internal deformations show
typical landward dipping reflectors with strong evidence of synsedimentary faulting and asymmetric anticlines.
Deformation processes operate at various scales generating folds with wavelength ranging from hundreds meters to kilometers. Extensional and rotational rupture surfaces sole out at various low-angle detachment planes located
at depths from few hundreds meters to 1 kilometer in subsurface
Large deep-seated slump structure off Ischia volcanic island, Eastern Tyrrhenian sea (Italy)
Ischia island is located over the Campania sector of Eastern
Tyrrhenian margin and represents the sub-aerial section of a
larger, E-W trending volcanic ridge including others submerged
or buried volcanic edifices. The island itself result from the
coalescence of a multitude of small to medium scale eruptions
leading to the emplacement of domes, lava flow and pyroclastic
deposits and ignimbrites (VEZZOLI et al., 1988) ranging from
alkali basalts to trachytes. The oldest basement dates back to 150
ky and crops out along the perimeter of the island especially to
the south. Latest eruption occurred in 1302 A.D. and together
with strong hydrothermal activity, ground uplift and seismic
shaking indicates the presence of a still active magmatic reservoir
at depth. Most recent (Holocene) magmatic activity with local
volcanic eruptions has clustered in the eastern islandâs sector the
while central sector is dominated by the Mt. Epomeo, consisting
of an ignimbritic tuff (Green tuff Auct.) uplifted of 600-700 m in
the past 33ka.
In the past decade the islandâs offshore has been the object of
extensive hydrographic and marine geophysical surveys that have
shown the structural complexity of the undersea sections and
have overall shown the importance of gravity failures in islandâs
evolution. In particular a 1.5-3 km3 debris avalanche due to a
subaerial and/or submarine flank collapse was emplaced along
the steep and unbuttressed islandâs flank during pre-historical or
even historical times (CHIOCCI & DE ALTERIIS, 2006; de Alteriis
et al., 2010) whereas three other similar deposits of comparable
volumes were found over the continental shelf to the west and to
the north (VIOLANTE et al, 2004; DE ALTERIIS & VIOLANTE,
2009).
Here we report a previously unrecognized deep-seated slump
structure and associated surficial mass wasting phenomena which
occur off Ischia south-western flank. Recently acquired
hydrological and geophysical data lead to identify the
morphological features and the internal organization of the failed
sediments which spread along the continental slope. The extent
of this deep-seated deformations and the deep structural levels
involved lead to investigate on the influence played by volcanic
processes on slope failure.
DATA AND METHODS
Our dataset was acquired during the geophysical cruise
PECOS 2010 carried out on R/V Urania (Consiglio Nazionale
delle Ricerche, CNR, Italy) between December 22th 2010 and
January 2nd 2011 in the frame of a project leaded by Istituto per
lâAmbiente Marino Costiero, (IAMC-CNR), Naples-Italy with
the collaboration of Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del
Mare (Palermo University), Palermo-Italy regarding coastal and
offshore slope instability in the Bay of Napoli.
The Ischia southern slope was explored through a multibeam
survey and a single-channel seismic survey. Acquisition was
carried out between 400 and 1200 m. The bathymetric data were
collected using a hull mounted Reson 8160 multibeam sonar.
Resolution resulted in a 20x20 m implemented with 50x50
gridded size provided by a previously collected data. The seismic
survey consisted of 6 dip-lines NNE-SSW run along the slope
and 5 cross lines parallel to the slope totalling 170 km. Average
spacing between diplines was slightly less than 1 km while
spacing between crosslines was variable from 1.2 to 2.5 km.
NNE-SSW and WNW-ESE directions. The acoustic source used
was a 1Kjoule high-energy power supply system with a multitips
(400) sparker array, fired at 2s time interval.
RESULTS
The collected data show that a wide submerged area of 350
km2, between 400 to 1200 m depths is undergoing slow-moving
deformation and associated secondary mass wasting phenomena.
Morphological features include trenches, counterscarps, bulging
and both extensional and contractional features while internal
deformations show typical landward dipping reflectors with
strong evidence of synsedimentary faulting and asymmetric
anticlines.
Deformation processes operate at various scales generating
folds with wavelength ranging from hundreds meters to
kilometers. Extensional and rotational rupture surfaces sole out at
various low-angle detachment planes located at depths from few
hundred meters to 1 kilometer in subsurface.
The internal organization of the failing mass shows different
pattern of deformation that allows the identification of three main units: 1) a basal unit consisting of a very broad, asymmetric
slump fold with a wavelength of about 5 km and amplitude of
some 100 m. The fold axis is not vertical and the three
dimensional interpretation indicates that the structure is not
cylindrical. The fold strictly correlates with a morphological
bulge seen on bathymetry at about 20 km south of Ischia Island.
2) A wedge shaped intermediate unit characterized by
discontinuous and folded reflectors, locally showing basal
detachment planes and compressional features. 3) A surficial
slump unit affecting the upper and middle slope characterized by
a basal decollément surface and normal growth faults that sole
out at depths ranging from 70 to 40 m in subsurface. It is still
unclear whether the landslide process can be favored by the
volcano-tectonic evolution and rapid vertical accretion of Ischia
volcano or is solely due to possibly volcanic spreading of the
Ischia Island.
REFERENCES
CHIOCCI, F. L. & DE ALTERIIS, G. (2006) - The Ischia debris
avalanche. First, clear submarine evidence in the
Mediterranean of a volcanic island pre-historic collapse.
Terra Nova, 18, 202â209.
DE ALTERIIS, G., INSINGA D. ET AL. (2010) - Age of submarine
debris avalanches and tephrostratigraphy offshore Ischia
Island, Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy. Marine Geology 278 (2010) 1â
18.
DE ALTERIIS, G. & VIOLANTE, C. (2009) - Catastrophic
landslides off Ischia volcanic island (Italy) during prehistory.
In: C. Violante, (ed.) Geohazard in Rocky Coastal Areas.
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 322, 73â
104.
VEZZOLI, L. (1988) Island of Ischia. Quaderni de âLa Ricerca
Scientificaâ Progetto finalizzato âGeodinamicaâ, CNR
Monografie finali, 10.
VIOLANTE, C., BUDILLON, F., ET AL. (2004) - Submerged
hummocky topographies and relations with landslides on the
northwestern flank of Ischia island, southern Italy. In:
âOccurrence and mechanisms of flow-like landslides in
natural slopes and earthfillsâ, Sorrento, 14â16 May 2003.
AGI, 2, 309â315
Architecture and Pliocene to Recent evolution of the offshore prolongation of the Granitola - Castelvetrano Thrust System (Sicily Channel)
High-resolution, seismic profiles were recorded in the offshore of Mazara - Punta Granitola with the purpose of
reconstructing the architecture and Pliocene to Recent evolution of the south-west prolongation of the Granitola-
Castelvetrano Thrust System, identified as an active structure possibly related to destructive historical earthquakes
(Barreca et al., 2014; Ferranti et al., this meeting).
A number of seismic units were identified. The oldest one is interpreted as representative of the Lower Pliocene
pelagic deposits known in the region as Trubi. Lower-middle Pleistocene calcarenites are widespread along the
continental shelf (CS) between Mazara del Vallo while their top rapidly deepens moving southeast-ward Capo
Granitola. In this area, lower-middle Pleistocene calcarenites are unconformably overlain by the late Pleistocene-
Holocene deposits. These latter are thin or absent NW of Punta Granitola along the CS, at water depth less than ~30 m,
suggesting that this sector experienced uplift during the Quaternary.
Small scale, NW- and SE-displacing reverse faults are observed along the CS where they cut the lower-middle
Pleistocene calcarenites and offset the seafloor. South-eastwards, south-east-verging, reverse faults affect lower-middle
Pleistocene calcarenites as well as the late Pleistocene-Holocene layers, suggesting that fault displacement acted during
the post-LGM.
Growth folding of Upper Pleistocene-Holocene deposits and thrust faults, predominantly dipping to the NW,
affecting Pliocene rocks are observed in the immediate offshore Capo Granitola.
The integration of the new data with those obtained from multi-channel profiles suggests that the active folds and
thrusts are the uppermost expression of steep crustal ramps (Monaco et al., 1996; Lavecchia et al., 2007; Meccariello et
al., this meeting) which upthrust the Saccense platform at depth
The submerged structure and stratal architecture of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) caldera, offshore the Campi Flegrei, (Eastern Tyrrhenian Margin): new insights from high resolution seismics and gravity core data
The Campi Flegrei is an active volcanic area defined by a
quasi-circular depression that covers some 200 km2 of the coastal
zone of SW Italy, a large part of which develops off the Naples
(Pozzuoli) Bay (Fig. 1). The area has been active at least since 60
ka BP ( Pappalardo et al., 1999), and is structurally dominated by a
caldera, 6 km in diameter, associated with the eruption of the
Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT), a 40 km3 Dense Rock Equivalent
(DRE) ignimbrite (Scarpati et al., 1993) dated at ca 15 ka BP
(Deino et al., 2004), that covered the district now occupied by the
city of Naples, the Campi Flegrei and a large area of the
continental shelf off the Pozzuoli Bay.
The volcanological evolution of the NYT caldera as been long
described on the basis of outcrop and subsurface studies onland
(Rosi & Sbrana, 1987; Orsi et al., 1996, 2004 and references
therein; Di Vito et al., 1999; Perrotta et al., 2006; Fedele et al.,
2011), but its offshore morphology, detailed structure and recent
stratigraphic setting are still poorly understood.
In this study we integrate geological and geophysical data of
different resolution/penetration obtained from high-resolution
reflection seismic profiles (Sparker and Chirp source) with gravity
core and swath bathymetry to better constrain the shallow
structure, stratigraphic architecture and latest Quaternary to
Holocene evolution of the submerged sector of the NYT caldera
off the Pozzuoli Bay.
Our data clearly image, for the first time, the offshore geometry
of the NYT caldera ring-fault zone, as well as the style and timing
of volcano-tectonic deformation associated with the late stage
evolution of the NYT inner caldera resurgence. Our interpretation
suggests that since 15 ka the offshore sector of NYT inner caldera
underwent significant deformation and uplift (with minor
subsidence episodes) that occurred at almost the same rate as the
post-glacial sea-level rise. Particularly, the inner Pozzuoli Bay
started to deform soon after 15 ka BP, when sea-level rise was
initially faster than uplift. This caused a general increase of the
accommodation space that was progressively filled up by
volcaniclastic sediments. Since ca. 8 ka BP, along with the mid
Holocene decrease in the rate of the sea-level rise, the early NYT
resurgent structure was then uplifted up to the sea-level or even to
partial subaerial exposure. From ca. 8 to 5 ka BP two distinct
layers of volcaniclastic resediments, mostly represented by gravity
flow deposits, formed throughout the Bay. A significant post-
Roman (post 2 ka BP) subsidence phase of ca 10 m is then
recorded offshore Pozzuoli by the drowning of the infralittoral
prograding wedge below the present-day fair-weather wave base.
REFERENCES
Deino AL, Orsi G, de Vita S, Piochi M (2004) The age of the Neapolitan Yellow
Tuff caldera-forming eruption (Campi Flegrei calderaâItaly) assessed by
40Ar/39Ar dating method. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 133, 157â170.
Di Vito M., Isaia R., Orsi G., Southon J., de Vita S., DâAntonio M., Pappalardo
L., Piochi M., 1999. Volcanism and deformation since 12,000 years at the
Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy), J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 91 (2-4), 221-246.
Fedele L., Insinga D.D., Calvert A.T., Morra V., Perrotta A., Scarpati C., 2011.
40Ar/39Ar dating of tuff vents in the Campi Flegrei caldera (southern Italy):
toward a new chronostratigraphic reconstruction of the Holocene volcanic
activity. Bull. Volcanol. 73, 1323-1336.
Orsi G, de Vita S, Di Vito M, 1996. The restless, resurgent Campi Flegrei nested
caldera (Italy): constraints on its evolution and configuration. J. Volcanol.
Geotherm. Res. 74, 179â214.
Orsi G., Di Vito M.A. Isaia R., 2004. Volcanic hazard assessment at the restless
Campi Flegrei caldera. Bull. Volcanol. 66, 514â530.
Pappalardo L., Civetta L., DâAntonio M., Deino A., Di Vito M., Orsi G.,
Carandente A., de Vita S., Isaia R. & Piochi M., 1999. Chemical and Srisotopical
evolution of the Phlegrean magmatic system before the Campanian
Ignimbrite and the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff eruptions J. Volcanol. Geotherm.
Res. 91, 141-166.
Perrotta A., Scarpati C., Luongo G., Morra V., 2006. The Campi Flegrei caldera
boundary in the city of Naples. In: De Vivo B (ed) Volcanism in the
Campania Plain: Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei and Ignimbrites. Elsevier,
Amsterdam, pp 85â96 (in the series Developments in Volcanology, 9)
Scarpati C., Cole P., & Perrotta A., 1993. The Neapolitan Yellow Tuff- A large
volume multiphase eruption from Campi Flegrei, Southern Italy. Bull.
Volcan. 55, 343-35
Measuring magnitude and rate of vertical movements in the offshore Capo Vaticano (W Calabria) using lowstand coastal prisms and wavebuilt terraces
The magnitude and rate of vertical movements have been
measured in the offshore Capo Vaticano (western Calabria) for
the Late Pleistocene - Holocene on the basis of the depth of
submerged coastal prism and associated wave-built terrace
formed during the sea-level lowstand of the Last Glacial
Maximum (LGM). Uplifted and submerged terraces have
proved to be valuable recorders of vertical motion in many
locations around the world (e.g. DICKINSON, 2001; WEBSTER et
alii, 2004) as the depth of their tops appear to be controlled by
the sea-level. In the eastern Tyrrhenian margins, depending on
the hydraulic energy conditions (i.e. waves and wind-induced
currents), the average water depth of terraced surface of
lowstand coastal prisms was probably 15-20 m (CHIOCCI &
ORLANDO, 1996).
A series of LGM lowstand coastal prisms and associated
wave-built terraces were identified on a new set of very highresolution
reflection seismic profiles acquired along the
continental shelf and upper slope of the western Calabria
continental margin. Data processing included time-depth
conversion and the interpretation of the resulting seismic lines
was performed using a GIS-based software package.
Seismic interpretation highlight that along the offshore
Capo Vaticano the slope-breaks associated with wave-built
terraced formed during the LGM deepens from ~130 m (cluster
A) to ~170 m (cluster B) below sea level (bsl) as one moves
from southwest to the northeast, over a distance of ~21 km
(Fig. 1). Farther to the north, along the western flank of the
Calabrian Arc, an average depth for the slope-breaks of ~165 m
is measured. Removal of the non tectonic component of vertical changes
using an ice-volume equivalent eustatic sea-level compilation
(LAMBECK et alii, 2011) indicates ~15 (± 5) m of uplift and
~25 (± 5) m of subsidence during the post-LGM for the
southern and northern sectors offshore Capo Vaticano,
respectively. The resulting average uplift and subsidence rates
(both regional and local components) for the last 20 (± 2) k.y.
are 0.75 (±0.325) mm/y and 1.25 (±0.375) mm/y, respectively.
The integration of the new data with those available in the
literature (e.g. TORTORICI et alii, 2003; CUCCI & TERTULLIANI,
2010; FERRANTI et alii, 2011) may provide information on
fault kinematics and constraints on slip rates of tectonic
structures that are relevant for earthquake hazard analysis of
western Calabrian margin.
REFERENCES
CHIOCCI, F. L. & ORLANDO L. (1996) - Lowstand terraces on
Tyrrhenian Sea steep continental scope. Marine Geology,
134, 127-143.
CUCCI, L. & TERTULLIANI A. (2010) - The Capo Vaticano
(Calabria) coastal terraces and the 1905 M7 earthquake:
the geomorphological signature of regional uplift and
coseismic slip in southern Italy. Terra Nova, 22, 378â389.
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3121.2010.00961.x
DICKINSON, W.R. (2001)- Paleoshoreline record of relative
Holocene sea levels on Pacific islands. Earth-Science
Reviews, 55, p. 191â234. doi: 10.1016/S0012-8252
(01)00063-0.
FERRANTI L., SCICCHITANO G., SPAMPINATO C. R., ANTONIOLI
F., MONACO C. (2011) - Holocene coastal uplift at Capo
Vaticano, Calabria: implications for differential
deformation rates. Riassunti VIII Forum FIST Geoitalia
2011, 19-23 Settembre 2011, Torino. Epitome, 4, 153.
LAMBECK, K., F. ANTONIOLI, M. ANZIDEI, L. FERRANTI, G.
LEONI, G. SCICCHITANO & S. SILENZI (2011) - Sea level
change along the Italian coast during the Holocene and
projections for the future. Quaternary International, 232,
250-257.
WEBSTER, J.M., WALLACE, L., SILVER, E., APPLEGATE, B.,
POTTS, D., BRAGA, J.C., RIKER-COLEMAN, K. & GALLUP, C.
(2004) - Drowned carbonate platforms in the Huon Gulf,
Papua New Guinea. Geochemistry Geophysics
Geosystems, 5, p. Q11008, doi: 10.1029/2004GC000726.
TORTORICI, G., BIANCA, M., DE GUIDI, G., MONACO, C. &
TORTORICI, L. (2003) - Fault activity and marine terracing
in the Capo Vaticano area (southern Calabria) during the
Middle-Late Quaternary. Quatern. Int., 101â102, 269â27
Plio-Quaternary tectonic evolution offshore the Capo Vaticano Promontory
We reconstruct the Plio-Quaternary tectono-stratigraphic evolution in the offshore Capo Vaticano (W Calabria,
Italy) by integrating data obtained from single- and multi-channel reflection seismic profiles and a reprocessed version
of the CROP M2A/III line.
NW-trending, high-angle normal faults, dipping ~70° to the south-west formed along the continental slope
connecting the south-west continental shelf of the Capo Vaticano Promontory to the Gioia Tauro Basin (Pepe et al.,
2014). Faults generally have small displacements up to 40 m and are sealed by Pleistocene deposits.
West of the Capo Vaticano promontory and in the Gioia Basin, a SE-dipping, normal fault system, more than 32 km
long, is recognized. Faults affect lower (?) Pleistocene and are sealed by probably post-0.7 Ma deposits. These faults are
here tentatively interpreted as the antithetic faults of major, Late Pliocene to Quaternary, NW-dipping, normal faults,
which form the currently active tectonic belt along the Calabrian Arc (e.g. Monaco and Tortorici, 2000; Faccenna et al.,
2011).
In the Santa Eufemia Gulf, reverse faults affecting Plio-Quaternary and older sedimentary successions are observed.
Faults also offset the seafloor thus indicating their recent activity. A normal fault system has been also inferred on the
basis of the present day depth variations of the edges of submerged depositional terraces and associated abrasion
platforms, along which a vertical displacement of ~21 m during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene has been inferred.
The information derived in offshore the Capo Vaticano Promontory represents an important step towards an
accurate 3-D kinematic description of the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the western (Tyrrhenian) side of the
Calabrian Arc orogenic wedge during the Plio-Quaternary
Architettura stratigrafica ed evoluzione del Golfo di Pozzuoli negli ultimi 15 ka:una nuova prospettiva sulla caldera del Tufo Giallo Napoletano,Campi Flegrei, margine tirrenico orientale.
I Campi Flegrei rappresentano un distretto vulcanico attivo che si sviluppa al confine tra il settore emerso
e sommerso del margine continentale campano. Il distretto vulcanico occupa una superficie di circa 200 km2,
Ăš strutturalmente dominato da una caldera di collasso del diametro di circa 8 km formatasi in seguito
allâeruzione del Tufo Giallo Napoletano (TGN), un deposito ignimbritico del volume di 30-50 km3 Dense
Rock Equivalent, datato a 15 ka B.P. circa, ed Ăš attivo da almeno 78 ka B.P circa.
Lâobiettivo di questo lavoro Ăš di ricostruire lâarchitettura stratigrafica e lâevoluzione vulcanotettonica
tardo-Quaternaria del sistema caldera di collasso - faglia anulare - risorgenza intra-calderica del settore
sommerso della caldera del TGN. A tal fine Ăš stata analizzata una fitta maglia di profili sismici a riflessione
monocanale di alta (Sparker) ed altissima (Subbottom Chirp) risoluzione. I dati sismici sono stati
successivamente integrati sia con quelli ottenuti dallâanalisi di carotaggi a gravitĂ e batimetrici multibeam
che con quelli disponibili in letteratura e, nellâinsieme, analizzati in ambiente GIS.
I nuovi dati indicano che il settore interno dellâarea collassata a seguito dellâeruzione del TGN evolve
inizialmente in condizioni di mare basso. Lâarea intra-calderica viene successivamente interessata dalla
formazione di una struttura antiforme (risorgenza intra-calderica) il cui tasso di sollevamento Ăš stato
comparabile con lâinnalzamento eustatico nellâintervallo Pleistocene superiore â Olocene [Lambeck et al.,
2011]. A circa 10 ka B.P. il settore centrale della struttura risorgente raggiunge lâesposizione subaerea
(terrazzo morfologico de âLa Starzaâ).
La calibrazione dei profili sismici Chirp con markers tefro-stratigrafici riconosciuti in un carotaggio e
datati al 1538 A.D., 79 A.D. indica lâinstaurarsi di un periodo di subsidenza in epoca post-Romana, registrato
dallâannegamento di 10-25 m del cuneo di progradazione infralittorale rispetto alle profonditĂ di equilibrio
funzionale attualmente segnalate in area Mediterranea. Lâinterpretazione sismostratigrafica rivela, inoltre, la
presenza di fluidi che risalgono attraverso la zona di faglia anulare che delimita la caldera del TGN.
Bibliografia
Lambeck, K., Antonioli, F., Anzidei, M., Ferranti, L., Leoni, G., Scicchitano, G., Silenzi, S., (2011). Sea
level change along the Italian coast during the holocene and projections for the future. Quaternary
International, 232, 250-257
Ampiezza e tassi dei movimenti verticali a Capo Vaticano (Calabria occidentale,Italia) negli ultimi 20 mila anni determinati sulla base di cunei progradanti epiattaforme di abrasione.
Ampiezza e tassi dei movimenti tettonici verticali sono stati quantificati nel settore offshore di Capo
Vaticano (Calabria occidentale), nellâintervallo Pleistocene superiore â Olocene, sulla base delle profonditĂ
del ciglio dei cunei progradanti infralitorali e delle piattaforme di abrasione formatesi durante lâultimo
massimo glaciale (LGM). I cunei progradanti sono stati riconosciuti in profili sismici a riflessione ad alta
risoluzione Sparker. I dati sismici sono stati acquisiti lungo la piattaforma e la scarpata continentale
superiore, durante le crociere oceanografiche Marisk 2010 e 2012 organizzate dallâIAMC del CNR di
Napoli, il DISTEM dellâUniversitĂ di Palermo e il Dip. di Scienze della Terra dellâUniversitĂ di Napoli.
La deformazione tettonica verticale del promontorio di Capo Vaticano e del suo prolungamento offshore
Ăš caratterizzata da una marcata asimmetria, con profonditĂ dei cigli dei cunei infralitorali che si
approfondisce progressivamente procedendo verso NE. La rimozione della componente non tettonica dei
movimenti verticali, ottenuta utilizzando dati sulle variazioni glacio-eustatiche del tardo Quaternario
[Lambeck et al., 2011], indica nellâarea in esame ~11 (± 5) m di sollevamento e di ~25 (± 5) m di
subsidenza, nellâintervallo post-LGM, muovendoci da sud-ovest verso nord-est, su una distanza di ~22 km. Il
valore medio del tasso di sollevamento e di subsidenza (considerando la componente sia regionale sia locale)
per gli ultimi 20.350 (± 1,35) anni sono pari a 0,52 (± 0,28) mm/anno e di 1,23 (± 0,32) mm/anno,
rispettivamente.
I valori dellâampiezza e il pattern dei movimenti verticali ottenuti attraverso lâanalisi dei cunei
progradanti infralitorali sono comparabili, sebbene a tassi parzialmente differenti, sia con quelli determinati
attraverso marker geomorfologici tardo Olocenici [Spampinato et al., 2012] che con i tassi di sollevamento a
lungo termine calcolati sulla base delle posizioni dei terrazzi marini formatisi a 80 a 215 mila anni [Cucci &
Tertulliani, 2010]. Lâintegrazione dei nuovi dati con quelli disponibili in letteratura indica che il
basculamento del promontorio di Capo Vaticano Ăš episodico ed Ăš avvenuto principalmente tra 215 e 125
mila anni e nel post-LGM
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