Evoluzione morfostrutturale pleistocenico-olocenica del Golfo di Policastro e movimenti di massa profondi

Pleistocene-Holocene Morphostructural Evolution of the Policastro Bay (Thyrrenian Sea) and Deep-Seated Gravitational Deformations

Abstract

Geological researches have been realised in the Policastro Bay through the survey of both the emerged and submerged sectors, the analysis of 3.5 kHz seismic profiles and the sampling of the bottom and the subbottom. The Policastro Bay is limited by emerged fault scarps controlling the coastal morphology, and by submerged fault scarps representing the margins of the deep basin, connected with the continental shelf. The Policastro Bay margins represent the emerged portion of an important structural depression generated during Pleistocene and well delimited also in its submerged part by the morphostructures identifying the Sapri Basin, which represent the base level for the gravitative processes. The Sapri Basin margins are formed by mainly carbonatic rocks characterized by duplex-type structures generated and evolved during the mio-plioccne and the pleistocene phases; among the carbonatic blocks clayey rocks are often interbedded. At the top of the emerged slopes as well as along the continental shelf break some morphostructures (trenches) connected with deep-seated gravitational deformations slope have been recognized.