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The interest of the scientific community about geotourism is abruptly increasing, as well as that on geoparks. According to UNESCO, geoparks should define management policies addressed to increasing the awareness of local people and tourists about Earth’s dynamics to reduce the impact of climate change and natural disasters. With this aim in mind, we tried to provide a solid scientific approach to geotourism that could be useful to the development of a geotourism strategy in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni (CVDA) Geopark, in Southern Italy. Starting from the official inventory of the CVDA Geopark, we defined the potential Education Value (EV) and potential Touristic Value (TV) of each of the 160 sites listed by applying the Brilha method. Then we selected 20 geosites and geomorphosites with high values of both the EV and TV, and we included them in two geoitineraries. The two geoitineraries move in the inner sector of the Geopark (i.e., from the Paestum archaeological area to the Vallo di Diano basin) and along a portion of the coastal stretch (i.e., from Punta Telegrafo cape to the Lambro and Mingardo rivers’ mouths). Selected sites are representative of several geoscience disciplines (e.g., geomorphology, structural geology, quaternary geology, hydrogeology), thus suggesting that the CVDA Geopark is an ideal place where dissemination of geoscience concepts may be carried out. The latter point enhances the high geotourism potential of the area. This kind of approach was not tried before in the CVDA Geopark and can be a useful example of how to promote touristic development strategies in the area.

This paper deals with the problem of cliff stability and proposes a geomorphological zonation of a cliff using a sector of the Posillipo promontory (named the Coroglio-Trentaremi sea cliff, Italy), in the Campi Flegrei coastal area, as a case study. A detailed geological and geomorphological analysis was carried out, by combining field work with analysis of detailed scale topographic maps, orthophoto, and stratigraphical data from deep boreholes. Field and borehole data, together with structural data collected in seven different stations along the cliff, allowed us to derive six geological cross-sections and to reconstruct the complex stratigraphical and structural setting of the cliff. Geomorphological analysis focused on the detection of the main geomorphological factors predisposing to cliff instability. We selected the most significant factors and divided them into two groups: factors influencing landslide intensity and factors influencing cliff instability. Then, by means of a heuristic approach, we constructed a matrix that was used to derive a map showing the geomorphological zonation of the sea cliff. This map may enable to development of a reliable scenario of cliff instability and consequent retreat, which may be useful either to plan intervention works in the most critical areas or to organize prevention plans aimed at risk mitigation.

In this paper we want to stress the role of geotourism as a means to promote environmental education and, on occasion, as a way to increase the touristic interest of an area. Geoparks are certainly the territory where geotourism can be best exploited. We propose a geoitinerary to discover the amazing, but poorly known, Middle Bussento Karst System, with the blind valley of the Bussento River, in the southeast of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Geopark. This is the only example, in Southern Italy, of a stream sinking underground and it is the second longest subsurface river path in Italy, making this a core area of the Geopark. We combined field surveys and literature data to create a geoitinerary that can be useful in helping to promote this site. This geoitinerary is applicable to both simple generic visitors and geo-tourists and has an educational purpose, especially in explaining the significance and the fragility of karst areas in terms of environmental protection. Moreover, it may represent a sort of stimulus for the growth of touristic activity in this inner area of the Geopark.

To unravel how and where coseismic and interseismic deformation impacts the spatial and temporal patterns of rock uplift of the Lurestan sector of the Zagros Mountains, we performed an investigation of the large‐scale features of topography and river network coupled with 2‐D finite element modeling. Geomorphological analysis and constraints from parameters such as elevation, local relief, normalized channel steepness index (ksn), river longitudinal profiles, and transformed river profiles (chi plots) were used to unravel the time‐space distribution of vertical motions. Whereas the much longer timescale over which topography grows and/or rivers respond to tectonic or climatic perturbations with respect to even multiple seismic cycles, the outputs of the finite element model yield fundamental information on the source of the late part of the spatiotemporal evolution of surface uplift recorded by the geomorphology. Model outputs shed new light into the processes controlling relief evolution in an actively growing mountain belt underlain by a major blind thrust. The outputs illustrate how coseismic slip controls localized uplift of a prominent topographic feature—the Mountain Front Flexure—located above the main upper crustal ramp of the principal basement thrust fault of the region, while continuous displacement along the deeper, aseismic portion of the same basement fault controls generalized uplift of the whole crustal block located farther to the NE, in the interior of the orogen.

The map is aimed at illustrating the relationships between landscape evolution and human occupation in the Isernia basin since the Middle Pleistocene. We carried out a detail scale geological–geomorphological investigation integrated with archaeological data. Overall data suggest enhanced landscape modification related to the long-term evolution of the Isernia basin. Moreover, during the Middle Pleistocene an alluvial plain environment was present, as testified also by the famous Lower Palaeolithic site of Isernia La Pineta dated to ca. 600 ky. From 600 ky onwards, extensional tectonics and related valley incision reshaped the Isernia basin, with the formation of terraced surfaces and the deposition of a travertine plateau. Archaeological findings from the Lower Palaeolithic up to the Chalcolithic Age testify to pre- and protohistoric settlements on these surfaces. In historical times, Romans settled on the Isernia terrace ridge taking advantage of the outcropping travertines to support wall foundations and to extract construction material.

Naples and its surroundings are a very young landscape, originated from 40 ka in response to strong and explosive volcanic processes, which created the Campi Flegrei, one of the largest volcanic fields of the world. Despite the repeated and continuous volcanic activity, this territory was selected for human settlements since Neolithic times and hosted some of the most important Greek and Roman towns in the Mediterranean area (e.g., Cuma, Parthenope, Neapolis, Baia and Puteoli). Geoarcheological data and historical chronicles testify to human coexistence with eruptions, bradyseismic ground motions, coastline changes, floods and landslides. With the aim of describing the geomorphological evolution of this area to a wide audience, including also non-experts, we constructed a synthetic geomorphological map of the area and sketches that synthesise the main stages of the geomorphological evolution of the historical centre of Naples and the coastal belt of the Gulf of Pozzuoli during the last millennia.

This Special Issue wants to outline the role of Geoheritage and Geotourism as potential touristic resources of a region. The term “Geoheritage” refers to a peculiar type of natural resources represented by sites of special geological significance, rarity or beauty that are representative of a region and of its geological history, events and processes. These sites are also known as “geosites” and, as well as archaeological, architectonic and historical ones, they can be considered as part of the cultural estate of a country. “Geotourism” is an emerging type of sustainable tourism, which concentrates on geosites, furnishing to visitors knowledge, environmental education and amusement. In this meaning, Geotourism may be very useful for geological Sciences divulgation and may furnish additional opportunities for the development of rural areas, generally not included among the main touristic attractions. The collected papers focused on these main topics with different methods and approaches and can be grouped as follows: (i) papers dealing with geosites promotion and valorisation in protected areas; (ii) papers dealing with geosites promotion and valorisation in non-protected areas; (iii) papers dealing with geosites promotion by exhibition, remote sensing analysis and apps; (iv) papers investigating geotourism and geoheritage from the tourists’ perspective.

The actively extending axial zone of the southern Apennine mountain belt of Italy is characterized by a substantial flow of non- volcanic gas to the surface. In this study, we have analyzed the correlation between the active tectonic framework of the Matese Ridge area and the high gas emissions found to the southwest, which includes large amounts of CO2 (up to 99 vol%), CH4 (up to 0.55 vol%), and He (up to 52 ppmv). We measured CO2 and CH4 fluxes of up to 34000 g d-1 and 2000 g d-1, respectively, from zones of focused degassing (gas vents and associated strong diffuse emission). This anomalously high flux of CO2 (advective plus diffusive) indicates that the study area has one of the largest non- volcanic natural emissions of CO2 ever measured on Earth. The isotope composition of C in CO2 and CH4 shows there is a dominant crustal contribution of emissions (as opposed to a source from the mantle), indicating that thermometamorphism of the buried Apulian Platform carbonates is probably the main cause of CO2 production. This process has likely been enhanced by Quaternary magmatism, which provides an additional local source of heat triggering decarbonation of Apulian Platform limestones and dolostones at depth. The advective flux is concentrated at gas vents located along active fault segments located at the western tip of a major crustal structure, the South Matese fault zone. We believe that the very high gas emission in the Matese Ridge area is the result of both the presence of a dense network of active fault strands, which provides efficient pathways for fluid flow toward the surface, and the dramatically reduced thickness of the clay-rich mélange zone acting elsewhere in the south- ern Apennines as a top seal overlying the buried Apulian Platform carbonates.

Defining the origin of ground deformation, which can be a very challenging task, may be approached through several investigative techniques. Ground deformation can originate in response to both natural (e.g., tectonics) and anthropic (e.g., groundwater pumping) contributions. These may either act simultaneously or be somewhat correlated in space and time. For example, the location of structurally controlled basins may be the locus of enhanced human-induced subsidence. In this paper, we investigate the natural and anthropic contributions to ground deformation in the urbanized area of the inner Sarno plain, in the Southern Apennines. We used a multidisciplinary approach based on the collection and analysis of a combination of geomorphological, stratigraphical, structural, hydrogeological, GPS, and DInSAR datasets. Geomorphological, stratigraphical, and structural data suggested the occurrence of a graben-like depocenter, the Sarno basin, bounded by faults with evidence of activity in the last 39 ka. Geodetic data indicated that the Sarno basin also experienced ground deformation (mostly subsidence) in the last 30 years, with a possible anthropogenic contribution due to groundwater pumping. Hydrogeological data suggested that a significant portion of the subsidence detected by geodetic data can be ascribed to groundwater pumping from the alluvial plain aquifer, rather than to a re-activation of faults in the last 30 years. Our interpretation suggested that a positive feedback exists between fault activity and the location of area affected by human-induced subsidence. In fact, fault activity caused the accumulation of poorly consolidated deposits within the Sarno basin, which enhanced groundwater-induced subsidence. The multidisciplinary approach used here was proven to be successful within the study area and could therefore be an effective tool for investigating ground deformation in other urbanized areas worldwide.

A multidisciplinary methodology, integrating stratigraphic, geomorphological and structural data, combined with GIS-aided analysis and PS-InSAR interferomettic data, was applied to characterize the relationships between ground deformations and the stratigraphic and the morphostructural setting of the Venafro intermontane basin. This basin is a morphostructural depression related to NW-SE and NE-SW oriented high angle normal faults bordering and crossing it. In particular, a well-known active fault crossing the plain is the Aquae Juliae Fault, whose recent activity is evidenced by archeoseismological data. The approach applied here reveals new evidence of possible faulting, acting during the Lower to Upper Pleistocene, which has driven the morphotectonic and the environmental evolution of the basin. In particular, the tectonic setting emerging from this study highlights the influence of the NW-SE oriented extensional phase during the late Lower Pleistocene- early Middle Pleistocene, in the generation of NE-SW trending, SE dipping, high-angle faults and NW-SE trending, high-angle transtensive faults. This phase has been followed by a NE-SW extensional one, responsible for the formation of NW-SE trending, both NW and SE dipping, high-angle normal faults, and the reactivation of the oldest NE-SW oriented structures. These NW-SE trending normal faults include the Aquae Juliae Fault and a new one, unknown until now, crossing the plain between the Venafro village and the Colle Cupone Mt. (hereinafter named the Venafro-Colle Cupone Fault, VCCF). This fault has controlled deposition of the youngest sedimentary units (late Middle Pleistocene to late Upper Pleistocene) suggesting its recent activity and it is well constrained by PSInSAR data, as testified by the increase of the subsidence rate in the hanging wall block. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The proclivity of river networks to progressively carve mountain surfaces and preserve markers of landscape adjustments has made analyses of fluvial systems fundamental for understanding the topographic development of orogens. However, the transient nature of uplift and erosion has posed a challenge for inferring the roles that tectonics and/or climate have played on generating topographic relief. The Mt. Alpi region in the southern Apennines has a heterogeneous distribution of elevated topography, erosionally-resistant lithology and uplift, making the area optimal for conducting topographic and river analyses to better understand the landscape development of a transient orogen. Stream length-gradient, normalized channel steepness, stream convexity and first-order channel gradient indices from 10 m digital elevation data from the region exhibit stream profile inconsistencies along the current drainage divide and a dominance of high values subparallel but inboard of the primary chain axis irrespective of known transient landscape factors, suggesting that the current river network may be in a state of transition. The location of these stream profile anomalies both near the modern drainage divide and subparallel to an isolated swath of high topography away from catchment boundaries is thought to be the topographic expression of an imminent drainage divide migration driven primarily by the ~ northeast-vergent extension of the western chain axis.

Coastal areas are very dynamic environments where natural and man-induced modifications often interact. This is the case of the Graeco-Roman town of Elea-Velia, along the Cilento coast of southern Italy. The town was founded in the 6th century BCE on a hilly promontory bounded by two profound gulfs and assumed a prominent role in maritime commercial routes in the Graeco-Roman period. It declined in the Late Antiquity and was abandoned in the Middle Ages also due to serious landscape changes. In this study, the integration of geomorphology, borehole stratigraphy and analysis of archaeo-stratigraphical trenches was used to detail the relationship between geological and archaeological evidence. The huge amount of collected data allowed providing chronological constraints to the landscape modification occurred before and after the town foundation. The main environmental changes consisted in enhanced coastal progradation and alluvial fan deposition that mainly affected the lower quarters of the town. The results of this study suggest that alluvial flooding was one of the main causes of the Elea-Velia decline and subsequent abandonment. The increasing disruption of slope stability was driven by the neglect in the management of the hillslopes behind the town during periods of social-economic crisis, but a concomitant climate forcing cannot be excluded. To the final abandonment also contributed the declining of harbour activities and the consequent decreased relevance of Elea-Velia as a maritime centre.

Seismically induced ground effects characterize moderate to high magnitude seismic events, whereas they are not so common during seismic sequences of low to moderate magnitude. A low to moderate magnitude seismic sequence with a M w = 5.16 ± 0.07 main event occurred from December 2013 to February 2014 in the Matese ridge area, in the southern Apennines mountain chain. In the epicentral area of the M w = 5.16 main event, which happened on December 29th 2013 in the southeastern part of the Matese ridge, field surveys combined with information from local people and reports allowed the recognition of several earthquake-induced ground effects. Such ground effects include landslides, hydrological variations in local springs, gas flux, and a flame that was observed around the main shock epicentre. A coseismic rupture was identified in the SW fault scarp of a small-sized intermontane basin (Mt. Airola basin). To detect the nature of the coseismic rupture, detail scale geological and geomorphological investigations, combined with geoelectrical and soil gas prospections, were carried out. Such a multidisciplinary study, besides allowing reconstruction of the surface and subsurface architecture of the Mt. Airola basin, and suggesting the occurrence of an active fault at the SW boundary of such basin, points to the gravitational nature of the coseismic ground rupture. Based on typology and spatial distribution of the ground effects, an intensity I = VII−VIII is estimated for the M w = 5.16 earthquake according to the ESI-07 scale, which affected an area of at least 90 km2.

Sinkholes are widely found in Italy in both carbonate slopes and alluvial plain settings. Since they may occur catastrophically, without showing premonitory signs and resulting in severe economic losses and casualties, they constitute a significant risk in many areas, and even pose a threat to human life. In this paper, we carried out a detailed multidisciplinary study of the Fossa San Vito sinkhole (southern Italy) that is a particular type of cover collapse sinkhole. The latter is a sub-circular, closed depression, with a diameter of 200 m and with inner walls up to 25 m high, located in the piedmont area placed along the inner border of the Sarno River alluvial plain. The study entailed morphological and stratigraphic analysis by means of field surveys, including nine trenches, four boreholes, and the reinterpretation of stratigraphical data from the literature. In addition, hydrogeological and soil gas analysis were carried out to investigate the possible role of deep-water uprising. The study attempted to identify the genetic mechanism and include the reconstruction of a detailed subsurface stratigraphic model, showing that the infilling of the depression is about 45 m thick and consists of well-laminated, silty-clay lacustrine sediments interbedded with tephra layers. C-14 dating of fossil wood found at the base of the lacustrine deposits constrains the age of the collapse at 5483 cal. years B.P. The collapse of the topographic surface involved a volume of about 400,000 cubic metres and originated at depth >80 m. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Latin colony of Aesernia was the seat of an important road junction for communications, especially to the south with Bovianum and Beneventum, to the north with Aufidena and the Sangro Valley and to the west with Venafrum and the Liri River Valley. While some archaeological contexts of this colony are documented by very detailed studies, others still require an overall analysis and a systematic study. Particularly, there is the lack of an organic and complete reading of the known data and a concrete need to acquire new data on still unexplored areas.The present paper illustrates the results of the integrated geo-archaeological research carried out at Isernia and based on the analysis of historical sources, archaeological surveys, geologic, geomorphological and topographic investigations and geophysical prospections. All data were stored in a Geographic Information System that allowed for spatial analyses and the production of thematic maps. The purpose of the research was to help fill the many knowledge gaps in the history of Aesernia and to add new data by using a multiple system of analysis. The integrated geo-archaeological approach allowed drawing up a new archaeological map that gives an updated view of the rich archaeological heritage of Isernia.

A signifi cant uncertainty exists in the defi - nition of both surface pattern and subsurface continuity (i.e., coupling vs. decoupling) of active normal faults in the Apennines. In this study, we investigated the epicentral area of the MS = 6.9, 1980 Irpinia earthquake— one of the most destructive historical earthquakes in Italy—based on detailed topography analyses, morphostratigraphic and structural data, and new age constraints from Quaternary deposits. The active tectonic behavior of the study area is controlled by a series of subparallel, mainly WNW-ESE– to NW-SE–trending, dominantly extensional faults spanning over the southern Apennines axial belt. A large part of the active fault strands is characterized by a subdued topographic expression, as a result of the young age of extensional faulting initiation, and of relatively low mean slip rates. In addition, as already known from long historical seismicity records elsewhere, long-lasting quiescence might alternate with clusters of closely spaced, strong earthquakes. The long-term morphostratigraphic record confi rms that long-lasting quiescence may punctuate fault activity, with major implications for seismic hazard assessment. The relatively smallsized cumulative fault throws estimated by surface evidence contrast with subsurface information provided by crustal-scale cross sections and seismological evidence, which both suggest the occurrence at depth of largedisplacement, mature fault zones capable of nucleating large earthquakes. Furthermore, although the surface distribution of active fault strands overlaps the belt affected by present-day low-magnitude seismicity and by large historical earthquakes, a mismatch in the attitude and kinematics of shallow versus deep faults is unraveled by a comparison of surface geological versus seismological data sets. This feature suggests a decoupling between surface and deep fault zones, and that outcropping fault planes cannot always be straightforwardly traced down to hypocentral depths, particularly in fold-andthrust belts characterized by strong rheological contrasts. On the other hand, stress inversion from outcropping active faults and from earthquake focal mechanisms indicates a general consistency of the stress fi eld, thus suggesting that a homogeneous late Quaternary extensional regime produces complex reactivation of the inherited, articulated fault network affecting different structural levels of the southern Apennines