Abstract
Abstract. Along the coastline of the Phlegraean Fields volcanic district, near Naples (Italy), severe retreat processes affect a large part of the coastal cliffs, mainly made of fractured volcanic tuff and pyroclastic deposits. Progressive fracturing and deformation of rocks can lead to hazardous sudden slope failures on coastal cliffs. Among the triggering mechanisms, the most relevant are related to meteorological factors, such as precipitation and thermal expansion due to solar heating of rock surfaces. In this paper, we present a database of measurement time series taken over a period of ∼4 years (December 2014–October 2018) for the deformations of selected tuff blocks in the Coroglio coastal cliff. The monitoring system is implemented on five unstable tuff blocks and is formed by nine crackmeters and two tiltmeters equipped with internal thermometers. The system is coupled with a total weather station, measuring rain, temperature, wind and atmospheric pressure and operating from January 2014 up to December 2018. Measurement frequencies of 10 and 30 min have been set for meteorological and deformation sensors respectively. The aim of the measurements is to assess the magnitude and temporal pattern of rock block deformations (fracture opening and block movements) before block failure and their correlation with selected meteorological parameters. The results of a multivariate statistical analysis of the measured time series suggest a close correlation between temperature and deformation trends. The recognized cyclic, sinusoidal changes in the width (opening–closing) of fractures and tuff block rotations are ostensibly linked to multiscale (i.e., daily, seasonal and annual) temperature variations. Some trends of cumulative multi-temporal changes have also been recognized. The full databases are freely available online at: https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.896000 (Matano et al., 2018) and https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.899562 (Fortelli et al., 2019).
Highlights
Rocky coastal cliffs are located at the transition zone between subaerial and marine geomorphic systems
The Coroglio cliff shares broad characteristics with several tuff cliffs from the Phlegraean Fields coastal area affected by severe retreat processes, and elsewhere in the world
We have focused on in situ measurements of deformations affecting tuff blocks
Summary
Rocky coastal cliffs are located at the transition zone between subaerial and marine geomorphic systems They represent a very dynamic environment influenced by complex geological evolution on both regional and local scales (Emery and Kuhn, 1982; Bird, 2016; Sunamura, 1992). Future cliff recession could be more intense in the decades under the ongoing accelerating sea level rise thought likely to result from global warming (Bray and Hooke, 1997). In this context, sea cliff failures represent a serious hazard for population living in coastal settlements. Failures may affect cliff formed by carbonate rocks (e.g., Andriani and Walsh, 2007; Ferlisi et al, 2012), arenaceous-pelitic or calcareous-pelitic flysch (e.g., Budetta et al, 2000; De Vita et al, 2012), sandstones (e.g., Sciarra et al, 2015), shales (e.g., Raso et al, 2017), or volcanic rocks (e.g., Barbano et al, 2014)
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