Abstract
ABSTRACT In this paper we present geomorphological hazard mapping of the San Vito Peninsula offshore (Sicilian margin of Tyrrhenian Sea), characterised by a very narrow continental shelf and a very dipping, tectonically active continental slope, no far from a seismogenic belt. The data set consists of morpho-bathymetric models achieved by means of multibeam survey and scattered high resolution seismic profiles. The morpho-bathymetric study highlighted some potential sites of geomorphological hazards, the most representative of which are: (i) two canyons developing from the upper slope off San Vito Cape down to the Erice basin; (ii) a dense network of small incisions across the upper slope; (iii) a very active landslide, developed onland and extending in the continental shelf close to the Scopello village. The geomorphological features that can generate submarine hazard are represented by: unstable sediment packages into canyon heads or along the upper slope; submarine canyons with regressive erosion; coastal landslides.
Highlights
Marine geo-hazards are geological conditions at the sea floor or within sub-bottom sediments that could result in dangerous or catastrophic events with attendant risks to life and/or infrastructure
A sea-land geomorphological mapping of the San Vito peninsula and its offshore has been realised in order to assess geo-hazards for this coastal-marine area
Canyons at different stages of development, some of them showing important retrogressive activity, extensive along slope erosional features, faults escarpments and landslide scars are the most relevant detected features that could present a hazard for coastal areas
Summary
Marine geo-hazards are geological conditions at the sea floor or within sub-bottom sediments that could result in dangerous or catastrophic events with attendant risks to life and/or infrastructure. Examples of such hazards include earthquakes and submarine landslides that can directly impact on coastal areas and/or offshore infrastructures or that can trigger tsunamis (International Centre for Geohazards, 2003). In addition to geomorphological features related to gravitational mass movements, as landslide scars and deposits, and headscarps and erosional flanks of canyons (Argnani et al, 2011; Canals et al, 2004; Lo Iacono et al, 2011, 2014; L’Heureux et al, 2011; Yamada et al, 2012) mud volcanoes, pockmarks (Yun et al, 1999) fault-related seafloor roughness (Larroque et al, 2011) and sediment transport bedforms (Chiocci et al, 1996; Urgeles et al, 2011) are representative of seabed instability and they can be regarded as geo-hazard indicators (Morelli et al, 2011; Nielsen & Kuijpers, 2004)
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