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This paper investigates the possibility to detect the short-time evolution of the slow-moving Vomice earth flow, located in the northeastern sector of the Calabria region (South Italy), by combining the information obtained from two different drone flights, carried out in February 2019 and June 2022, with field surveys. The obtained results consisted of delimiting all landslide bodies constituting the Vomice earth flow, detecting landslide types and the state of activity, as well as identifying spatial and volumetric changes. The obtained results showed that depletion and transition zones of the Vomice earth flow are active, while the accumulation zone appears prevalently dormant. Particularly, in the analyzed period, the depletion zone was characterized by local collapses of the main scarps where several slides evolving in earth flows caused more than 20 m of retrogressive fail upslope. The maximum elevation changes observed in these zones were about ±5 m. The volume of the material mobilized by mass movements was about 114.2 × 103 m3, whereas the volume of the accumulated material was approximately 92.7 × 103 m3. The transition zone was affected by several slow earthflows that re-mobilized the displaced material located in the middle portion of the landslide and reached the accumulation zone. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated the practicality and feasibility of using UAV tools for detecting the short-time evolution of a large landslide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including water-rock interaction in soil formation; chemical characteristics of percolating waters feeding groundwater reservoirs, and the underlying bedrock; and geochemical modeling of soil processes.

This paper presents a detailed map (Main Map) showing geology, tectonics, weathering intensity and spatial distribution of landslides in the San Pietro in Guarano study area (about 7.5 km2), located in the north-western sector of Calabria (southern Italy). In this area, deeply weathered high-grade metamorphic rocks and different types/categories of mass movements are widespread. The Main Map, at 1:5000 scale, results from the combination of information gathered via analysis and interpretation of aerial photographs at different times and scales, multi-temporal geostructural and geomorphological surveys, field investigations and mapping of weathering grade in outcrop - through observation of geologically distinctive characteristics and qualitative and semi-quantitative engineering geological tests - integrated by means of the analysis of both weathering profiles on cutslopes and boreholes logs. The Main Map can represent a useful tool for authorities in charge of land-use planning and can profitably concur to typify landslides and to assess quantitative landslide risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a mass movement inventory map at 1:5000 scale of the Verbicaro area (about 13 km2) located in the Calabria region (southern Italy). The Main Map results from the visual interpretation of aerial photographs, multi-temporal geomorphological field surveys, and field investigations of damage suffered by buildings. Some 53% of the study area is affected by a total of 252 landslides, comprising different types, state of activity, and size. The mapped landslides, mainly complex type, involve low-grade metamorphic rocks; among these, 15% are active and slow-move on pre-existing sliding surfaces. Moreover, out of 492 surveyed buildings, 347 are located on landslide-affected areas and experienced damages covering a broad range of severity levels. The Main Map can represent a useful tool for authorities in charge of land-use planning and urban management and can be used to pursue landslide risk analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a detailed mass movement inventory map of the Licetto River basin, an intermountain catchment of 50 km2formed during the Quaternary in response to extensional tectonics dissecting fold-and-thrust belts of the Calabrian Coastal Range (Southern Italy). The map (Main Map) is the result of both an integration between geological and morphological data derived from the visual analysis of aerial photographs at different times and scales, and the collection of new data obtained from multi-temporal field surveys. The study area is affected by a total of 824 mass movements, frequently made by superimposed bodies of different types, states of activity and sizes, including some kilometre-scale Deep-Seated Gravitational Slope. The majority of the mapped landslides, mainly of slide type, involve low-grade metamorphic rocks which also show the exclusive presence of deep-seated gravitational slope deformations. Analysis of the inventory map revealed that 40% of the mapped landslides, often attributable to very slow-moving landslides, can be considered active. The Main Map represents a useful tool for territorial planning and engineering – geological and environmental purposes in this complex geo-structural area, providing a useful contribution for quantitative landslide risk analyses and the design of appropriate risk-mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper illustrates the methodology and techniques for the compilation of a thematic (engineering) geological map based on detailed mapping of the weathering grade of crystalline rocks occurring in a portion of the Sila Massif close to the San Giovanni in Fiore Village (Calabria, Italy). The map (1:5000 scale), covering an area of about 20 km2, was compiled combining new geological and structural data with the results of a weathering grade field survey. The methodology, used to distinguish and map the weathering grade classes, was performed using qualitative criteria, semi-quantitative tests, and petrographic analysis of weathered rock samples. The Main Map, presented in this paper, aims to provide a useful tool for land-use planning, for geological hazard assessment and engineering perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the activities conducted for the development of a thematic map of shallow landslides (and other landforms) resulting from by consecutive rainfall events during the fall-winter seasons of 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 in the Catanzaro Strait (Central Calabria, South Italy). The methodology is based on the interpretation of Google Earth high-resolution satellite images (post-event images are dated 19th March 2010), followed by processing and management of the collected data through a geographic information system. The inventory covers a wide area (692 km2) and includes 3483 shallow landslides and many other geomorphological features (zones of incipient shallow landslides and areas affected by soil erosion) related to the 2008–2010 rainfall events. The map produced may provide useful data to define shallow landslide events, develop landscape evolution models and characterise active geomorphic processes. Furthermore, the map may also be used as a basic tool to produce landslide or erosion susceptibility maps, which can be used for land-use planning strategies and landslide hazard analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates the compilation of an engineering geological map based on structural architecture and weathering grade of crystalline rocks occurring in the central-western portions of the Mucone River basin (Sila Massif, Calabria, Italy). The map, drawn at 1:10,000 scale and covering an area of about 100 km2, was compiled by combining new geological and structural data with the results of a weathering-grade field survey. Five weathering classes, each characterized by comparable mechanical behaviour, have been mapped, from the class VI (residual and colluvial soils) to class II (slightly weathered rock). Both qualitative and semi-quantitative criteria (e.g. rock colour, discolouration processes, samples broken by hand and hammer, sound of the rock when it is struck by a geological hammer, Schmidt Hammer tests) were used to distinguish and map weathering-grade classes at outcrop scale. The thematic map presented in this paper aims to provide a useful tool for land planning policy, for the evaluation of geological and geotechnical hazard and for environmental and engineering perspectives of land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: On 15 February 2010, as a result of intense and long-lasting rainfalls, a large landslide affected a wide area near the town of Maierato (Calabria, Italy). The studies conducted – including (i) aerial photo interpretation, (ii) geological and geomorphological field investigations, (iii) interpretations of lithology and stratigraphy from borehole data, and (iv) observation of videos filmed during the main diastrophic phases of the landslide and of antecedent Google Street View® images – allowed researchers to reconstruct the geological and tectonic setting of the slope and the internal structure of the landslide with the estimation of the depth of the sliding surface, the triggering mechanisms and its evolution. The analysis of the prelandslide event setting demonstrates that this mass movement is the reactivation of a preexisting landslide of alleged seismic origin, remaining at an incipient stage. The Maierato landslide occurred on a gentle slope made of late Miocene to Plio-Pleistocene clastic and evaporitic sedimentary rocks. The main basal failure surface that developed on the hemipelagic marls has a maximum depth of 50m. The volume of the landslide is ~5million cubic meters. The type of landslide movement is a complex one, consisting of a very rapid slide of rock and earth and of flow of debris and earth. The landslide clearly shows three major types of failure mechanisms: the first type is described as a rapidly moving rotational slide where back-tilted blocks of sediment are preserved; the second type includes a very rapidly moving translational slide of large rock blocks; the third type includes sudden, extremely rapid flow-slides where the slide material is disaggregated while flowing downward along a gentle slope. The slide is a compound one, with a retrogressive evolution and transformation into earth and debris flow during the failure. After the triggering of the landslide, and as a result of the relevant displacement, an important portion of the lower evaporitic unit (Calcare di Base Formation), close to the failure surface, collapsed, thereby undergoing a quick change of its mechanical behavior that became similar to that of a viscous fluid. During the landslide evolution, large rocky blocks consisting of Miocene evaporitic limestones, Pliocene silty clays, and sands were rafted, without severe disturbance, on the destructurated and fluidized limestone. The intense destructuration and the presence of water transformed the limestone (in the lower parts of the unit) into a viscous material that was squeezed out of the landslide mass through the jags between the several rafted rocky blocks and along the natural levees of flow tongue. This event is a rather frequent combination of mass movements made complicated and spectacular by the fluidization of the weak limestone that imparted great dynamics to the movements. Such fluidization is an infrequent phenomenon especially in this geological context. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• An extensive and inactive inland dune field has been identified in southern Italy. • Dune sands are coarse-grained, moderately sorted, positively skewed and mesokurtic. • Quartz and minor feldspars dominate sand petrographic composition. • Typical wind-generated features of sand grains were displayed by SEM analyses. • The dune field was active during the period going from 28 ka to VI-IV century B.C. Geomorphological investigations coupled with sedimentological, petrographical, and SEM analyses allowed to identify, for the first time, a paleo-fixed and inland aeolian dune field in the Gioia Tauro Plain, on the Tyrrhenian side of southern Calabria (southern Italy). The aeolian landforms, extended over an area of 43 km2, are characterized by smoothed and elongated NW-SE trending vegetation-fixed linear dunes, varying in height from a few meters up to 20 m. Forty sand samples were collected from dunes to perform laboratory analyses. Grain size analyses showed that samples are composed of unimodal coarse-grained sands (Mz = 0.820 φ), moderately sorted (σ = 0.862), positively skewed (Sk1 = 0.173) and mesokurtic (KG = 1.115). Petrographic analyses highlighted a composition dominated by quartz and minor feldspars. Modal data, and especially the high F/Q ratio and the Rg:Rs:Rm triangular plot, suggest a plutoniclastic supply from the Aspromonte Massif crystalline source rocks. SEM analyses of sand grains clearly displayed the presence of typical wind-generated features mainly represented by rounded form with low relief, bulbous edges, and dish-shaped depressions. These results combined with morphological analyses showed that these aeolian deposits fall into the category of sand sheets. Furthermore, geological and geoarchaeological data evidenced that dune field was formed in the time interval between ~28 ka and the VI - IV century B.C. The dune filed formation has been interrupted presumably by the combined effect of Holocene tectonics, along the Gioia Tauro-San Ferdinando normal fault, and the lowering of sea level, during the Last Glacial period, originating a natural barrier to windblown sand particles. The findings of the paper will help in understanding both inland aeolian products in southern Europe associated to the second colder phase of the Last Glacial period in the Mediterranean area and the complex patterns of spatial and temporal distribution, as well as the control factors determining preservation of the aeolian sediments throughout the rock record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mountainous landscapes, where strongly deformed pelitic sediments outcrop, earthflows can dominate denudation processes and landscape evolution. This paper investigated geological and geomorphological features and space-time evolution over a 65-year time span (1954–2019) of a large earthflow, representative of wide sectors of the Apennine chain of southern Italy. The landslide, with a maximum length of 1.85 × 103 m, affects an area of 4.21 × 105 m2 and exhibits two source zones: a narrow and elongated transport zone and a lobate accumulation zone. Spatial and temporal morphological changes of the earthflow were assessed, comparing multi-source and multi-temporal data (aerial photographs, Google Earth satellite images, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) system data). Geomorphic changes, quantified using Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) of differences, highlighted an extensive lowering of the topographic surface in the source area and a significant uplift at the landslide toe. Moreover, the multi-temporal analysis showed a high increase of landslide surface (more than 66%) during the last 65 years. The volumetric analyses showed that different sectors of the earthflow were active at different times, with different rates of topographic change. Overall, the used approach highlighted the great potentiality of the integration of multi-source and multi-temporal data for the diachronic reconstruction of morphological landslide evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An interdisciplinary research of weathering profiles was performed. • Weathered profiles are complex and reach a thickness of 70 m. • Physical changes coupled to chemical variations are described in detail. • The XRD patterns show high content of clay minerals (mixed-layer minerals). • The more weathered samples show higher CIA, CIW, PIA and CIW' values. The paper focuses on the weathering processes affecting gneissic rocks of the western Sila Grande Massif (Calabria, Italy) through the development of an interdisciplinary research based on field studies and investigations, minero-petrographical analyses and geochemical modeling. Both physical and chemical weathering affect gneissic rocks of the study area, where the combination of tectonic and past climatic conditions played an important key role in the development of complex and deep weathering profiles. Field surveys and cut slope analyses highlight articulated and complex geometric relationships between various classes of weathering (i.e., out-of-sequence weathering horizons giving rise to a partial, or even complete inversion of the "normal" weathering profile). The weathering profile has turned out particularly intense, as classes IV, V and VI are widespread. Among the class VI, the colluvial soils are prominent in comparison whit the residual soils. Borehole logs, that confirm the intensity and complexity of weathering profiles in deep, allow to estimate the presence of weathered rocks to be at least 70 m in thicknesses. The main mineralogical modifications linked to weathering processes concern the partial transformation of biotite and the partial destruction of feldspars (mainly plagioclases), associated with the neoformation of secondary mineralogical phases (clay minerals and Fe-oxides). Neoformed clay minerals (such as sericite, illite and mixed layer phases) and ferruginous products replaced feldspars and biotite during the most advanced weathering stage. Results of XRD analyses and geochemical modelling provide a good indication on the secondary mineral assemblage due to the increase of the weathering intensity (form class III to class VI) that reflects the different contributions of chemical elements provided by dissolution of silicate minerals into the surrounding groundwater system. The chemical composition of the studied rock samples and the oxides variations suggest a removal of some alkali (Na and K) and alkaline earth (Ca and Mg) into solution as a consequence of weathering reactions. The chemical analysis and the weathering indices (CIA, PIA, CIW and CIW') show a marked alteration process, with ferromagnesian minerals and feldspars probably dissolved and leached into the surrounding groundwater system. The CO2-controlled dissolution of plagioclase appears to be the most important reaction during chemical weathering. The progressive dissolution results then dominated by biotite, followed by a minor amounts K-feldspar, chlorite and garnet; whereas the sillimanite shows a neglectable amounts. The secondary solid phases observed during the geochemical modeling (illite, followed by vermiculite, ferrihydrite and saponite) are similar to those found in this natural system. The proposed approach could be used to characterize weathered crystalline rocks and related weathering profiles in similar geological setting, and the obtained results represent a key point for the evaluation of the control exerted by weathering on landscape evolution under current environmental settings in terms of sediment generation, soil erosion rates, and mass movements, and for the mechanical characterization of weathering profiles for engineering geological purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In February 2010 a large landslide affected the Maierato municipality (Calabria, Italy). The landslide, mainly caused by a period of prolonged and intense rainfalls, produced a mass displacement of about 5 million m³ and several damages to farmlands, houses and infrastructures. In the aftermath several conventional monitoring actions were carried out. In the current post emergency phase, the monitoring was resumed by carrying out unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) flights in order to describe the recent behavior of the landslide and to assess residual risk. Thanks to the potentialities of the structure from motion algorithms and the availability of post emergency reconnaissance photos and a previous 3D dataset, the three-dimensional evolution of the area was computed. Moreover, an experimental multispectral flight was carried out and its results supported the interpretation of local phenomena. The dataset allowed to quantify the elevation losses and raises in several peculiar sectors of the landslide. The obtained results confirm that the UAV monitoring and the structure from motion approach can effectively contribute to manage residual risk in the medium and long term within an integrated geotechnical monitoring network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the preliminary results of an integrated geomorphological study carried out in a 1.6 ha catchment area located on the eastern side of the Crati River valley (northern Calabria, South Italy) have been presented. An orthophoto and shaded relief map of the study catchment, obtained by 288 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images, integrated with field geomorphological surveys have been used to produce a detailed map of landslides and water erosion phenomena. The study area is characterized by active morphodynamic processes that result in the occurrence of water erosion phenomena and several landslides. In particular, 29 slides and 37 earth slides that evolve into earth flows have been recognized. Spatial and temporal development of geomorphic processes (erosion/depletion and sedimentation/accumulation) have affected the catchment area in the last seven years. Indeed, the comparison between light detection and ranging digital terrain models (LiDAR-DTM) of 2012 and UAV-DTM of 2019 showed depletion values between −0.01 and −5.76 m, with a mean value of −0.96 m; whereas for the accumulation the mean value is 0.94 m, with a maximum thickness of the deposited material of about 2.98 m. The results obtained highlight the usefulness of the methodology to provide detailed information on geomorphic processes and related short-term landscape development in a small drainage basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Propofol has been shown to produce a predictable and easily attainable level of sedation in postcardiac, head-injured, general trauma patients. The commencement of hemodiafiltration itself has not been shown to significantly influence the requirement for propofol. We report on a patient who underwent binephrectomy complicated by sepsis-induced adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)., Design: Case report., Setting: Largest nonteaching hospital in Southern Italy., Patients/subjects: An 18-year-old male underwent a surgical procedure for splenectomy and right nephrectomy for severe abdominal trauma. On the 10th postoperative day, the patient was admitted into our intensive care unit (ICU) for acute respiratory and renal failure due to ARDS and left renal infarction., Interventions: Continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration was carried out through a double-lumen cannula. Sedation was initially achieved with propofol up to standard doses into a nonfemoral venous site. Because the optimal level of sedation was not achieved, the initial propofol infusion rate was increase to 3.5 mg/kg, and then an intravenous bolus of morphine (.01 mg/kg) was administered twice daily., Results: The administration of morphine was fundamental to achieving an optimal level of sedation. ARDS resolved and, 10 days later, the patient was transferred to the surgical unit, then discharged home after 14 days., Conclusion: Hemodiafiltration was found to influence the clinical requirement for propofol. The optimal level of sedation is achieved with the addition of morphine.