The western Catanzaro Trough represents a Neogene- Quaternary sedimentary basin, belonging to a well-developed arc-shaped structure located in the central Calabrian Arc (Southern Apennines; Van Dijk et al., 2000), extended from off-shore, Sant‘Eufemia Gulf basin (SE Tyrrhenian Sea) to the on-shore area, Catanzaro Basin, and confined on land from north to south by Sila and Serre Massif, respectively. The convergence between the African and European platescaused rapid southeast-ward migration of the Calabrian block above Ionian slab, driven by opposite vertical axis rotation along the WNW-ESE oriented northern and southern edges (Mattei et al., 2007), Pollino Fault Zone and Taormina Line, respectively (Langone et al., 2006). The result of the rapid trench migration is the opening of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin during Upper Miocene -Pleistocene age, and the fragmentation of Calabrian Arc into structural highs and transversal marine sedimentary basins (Tripodi et al., 2013, Tansi et al., 2007), Catanzaro Trough is one of these. The study area is influenced by different NW-SE major transcurrent faults and their antithetic lineaments that show alternating episodes of transtensional and transpressional activity. These structures belong to the larger fault system, named Lamezia-Catanzaro Fault, which partly corresponds to the sinuous NW-SE trending transcurrent fault previously recognized by Van Dijk et al. (2000). These faults, arranged in a right-hand en´echelonpattern, dissected the Oligocene-Early Miocene orogenic belt made of Alpine nappes overthrusted the Apennine Chain (Tansi et al., 2007). After this time, the detachment of Ionian slab changes the geodynamic scenario in the central Mediterranean region: Tyrrhenian back-basin shows no more extension and the Calabrian Arc undergoes a tectonic rebound (Mattei et al., 2007 and reference therein). The most evident consequence of the widespread Geo-Risks in the Mediterranean and their Mitigation 43 Quaternary uplift is the formation of marine terraces and ca. N-S elongated basins formation, bordered by several NE-SW and N-S -trending faults, mainly developed along the Tyrrhenian coastline of Calabria (Tortorici et al., 2003). The Calabria Arc presents the highest probability of occurrence of major earthquakes, in particular, the Catanzaro Trough and the neighbouring areas was affected by the most destructive historical earthquakes of whole Italy (1638, 1659 and 1905 earthquakes and, 1783 earthquakes sequence) tentatively related to different trending normal faults. Some of these earthquakes have been associated with tsunamis which caused further damages, especially, along the Tyrrhenian coast (Platanesi and Tinti 2002, Jacques et al., 2001). Combining on land geo-structural with marine geophysical data, we performed a detailed study of processes which have controlled the late Quaternary evolution of the Catanzaro Trough, providing further constraints about the seismogenetic sources in the area.
COMBINING GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL DATA: NEW INSIGHTS ABOUT WESTERN CATANZARO TROUGH (CALABRIA, SE TYRRHENIAN SEA).
MUTO, Francesco;Critelli S.;
2015-01-01
Abstract
The western Catanzaro Trough represents a Neogene- Quaternary sedimentary basin, belonging to a well-developed arc-shaped structure located in the central Calabrian Arc (Southern Apennines; Van Dijk et al., 2000), extended from off-shore, Sant‘Eufemia Gulf basin (SE Tyrrhenian Sea) to the on-shore area, Catanzaro Basin, and confined on land from north to south by Sila and Serre Massif, respectively. The convergence between the African and European platescaused rapid southeast-ward migration of the Calabrian block above Ionian slab, driven by opposite vertical axis rotation along the WNW-ESE oriented northern and southern edges (Mattei et al., 2007), Pollino Fault Zone and Taormina Line, respectively (Langone et al., 2006). The result of the rapid trench migration is the opening of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin during Upper Miocene -Pleistocene age, and the fragmentation of Calabrian Arc into structural highs and transversal marine sedimentary basins (Tripodi et al., 2013, Tansi et al., 2007), Catanzaro Trough is one of these. The study area is influenced by different NW-SE major transcurrent faults and their antithetic lineaments that show alternating episodes of transtensional and transpressional activity. These structures belong to the larger fault system, named Lamezia-Catanzaro Fault, which partly corresponds to the sinuous NW-SE trending transcurrent fault previously recognized by Van Dijk et al. (2000). These faults, arranged in a right-hand en´echelonpattern, dissected the Oligocene-Early Miocene orogenic belt made of Alpine nappes overthrusted the Apennine Chain (Tansi et al., 2007). After this time, the detachment of Ionian slab changes the geodynamic scenario in the central Mediterranean region: Tyrrhenian back-basin shows no more extension and the Calabrian Arc undergoes a tectonic rebound (Mattei et al., 2007 and reference therein). The most evident consequence of the widespread Geo-Risks in the Mediterranean and their Mitigation 43 Quaternary uplift is the formation of marine terraces and ca. N-S elongated basins formation, bordered by several NE-SW and N-S -trending faults, mainly developed along the Tyrrhenian coastline of Calabria (Tortorici et al., 2003). The Calabria Arc presents the highest probability of occurrence of major earthquakes, in particular, the Catanzaro Trough and the neighbouring areas was affected by the most destructive historical earthquakes of whole Italy (1638, 1659 and 1905 earthquakes and, 1783 earthquakes sequence) tentatively related to different trending normal faults. Some of these earthquakes have been associated with tsunamis which caused further damages, especially, along the Tyrrhenian coast (Platanesi and Tinti 2002, Jacques et al., 2001). Combining on land geo-structural with marine geophysical data, we performed a detailed study of processes which have controlled the late Quaternary evolution of the Catanzaro Trough, providing further constraints about the seismogenetic sources in the area.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
