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ABSTRACTThe Fiumarella di Corleto drainage basin is an emblematic sector of the southern Apennine thrust belt in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy), which is strongly affected by landslides. Landslides both affect the urban area and the facilities related to hydrocarbon exploitation, such as the pipelines and oil wells connected with the oil centre located just outside the eastern border of the study area. Based on a detailed field survey, supported by stereoscopic analysis, a landslide inventory map has been realized, which also reports the associated processes and landforms. The relationships between the different types of landslides and the various predisposing factors like outcropping lithologies, slopes steepness, slope exposition and land use have been also investigated. The acquired data relate to a geologically complex area of the southern Apennines subject to recent uplift and represent a fundamental contribution useful for the correct management of the territory.

The Southern Apennines consist of a Cenozoic to Quaternary fold and thrust belt characterized by a complex structural architecture. In the axial portion of the chain, corresponding to the Agri Valley, folds and faults with multiple styles formed during the progressive emplacement of various tectonic units, derived from different paleodomains. In the available geological maps, the geometry of these tectonic structures is often hindered by scarce cartographic detail due to the use of basic stratigraphic subdivisions. Therefore, at the aim to better define these structures and contextually update the outcropping stratigraphic units, we realized a detailed geological map, which take into consideration not only the formation as basic stratigraphic units, but also finer subdivisions such as members or beds. Using this approach, we improved the stratigraphy of the area, we recognized new geological units and, eventually, we reconstructed the structural setting, and the tectonic evolution of the Agri Valley in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brindisi di Montagna Scalo Landslide in Southern Italy is an active complex mass movement, which affects the left slope of the Basento River. In the last few decades, this landslide has been continuously monitored, as it directly threatened some of the most important communication routes in the Basilicata Region. Nevertheless, little progresses have been made to prevent further landslide advancement, and continuous maintenance is required. With the aims of better understanding, the main factors controlling the evolution of this landslide, and suggesting the most appropriate countermeasures, a multidisciplinary study, based on the integration of direct and indirect techniques, was carried out. Direct techniques included multi-temporal geomorphological analysis of the slope, alongside geological and structural field observations. Indirect techniques consisted of electrical resistivity tomography acquisition. The combined analyses of the geological and geophysical data showed that Quaternary tectonic processes played a fundamental role as a predisposing factor, whereas seasonal rainfall, and the perpetual undercutting by erosional processes caused by the Basento River at the toe of the landslide are the main triggering mechanisms. The Brindisi di Montagna Scalo Landslide represents an outstanding case-study, concerning the interaction between a flow-like complex landslide and essential linear infrastructure, such as motorways and railways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass transport deposits (MTDs), created by gravity-driven deformation of unlithified sediments, and tectonic mélanges produced by contractional deformation are characterized by a similar chaotic appearance. It follows that distinguishing structures formed by soft-sediment deformation during mass transport from those produced by contractional tectonics can be problematic. In fact, deformation occurring along detachment levels may completely obliterate the original sedimentary fabric. Although a number of advances have been made during recent decades, field criteria for discriminating structures within MTDs that are overprinted by later regional contraction are not readily applicable to all the exposed examples. We address some of these general issues through a detailed case study of the Monte Facito Formation in Italy. This Triassic unit was formed during the Africa–Europe continental separation and, since the Miocene, has been involved in contractional deformation during the construction of the Apennines. The Monte Facito Formation consists of a series of stratigraphically coherent units, separated by chaotic and often deformed intervals, whose origin has been previously attributed to either tectonic or sedimentary processes. An example is provided by a characteristic pebbly mudstone (or 'paraconglomerate') which has been interpreted as either a Triassic gravity-flow deposit, or alternatively, as a product of shearing along regional contractional detachments during the Miocene. This detailed field-based study allows us to recognize structures related to the depositional processes that created these chaotic intervals, and which can therefore be interpreted as MTDs. We also discriminate structures connected to later contractional tectonics that locally produced intense reworking of the MTDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A mineralogical and geochemical study of clay lithologies and a biostratigraphic analysis of the carbonates from the deep-sea Lagonegro Basin (Southern Apennines—Italy) have been carried out to deduce in general the provenance of clay sediments and their paleoenvironmental conditions and particular to recognize the signature of the Paleocene–Eocene climatic global warming. The analysed succession comprising a wide stratigraphic interval of the Sannio Unit, spanning between Albian to the upper Oligocene–lower Miocene, is exposed near Accettura and Stigliano villages. Eighteen clay samples were analysed by XRD, XRF, SEM, TG-DTA. Their age was framed by biostratigraphic analyses carried out on carbonate sediments. Mineral assemblage of the clay sediments includes quartz, carbonates (calcite and dolomite), feldspars (plagioclase and k-feldspars), hematite, randomly illite/smectite mixed layers with a low illite percentage, kaolinite, discrete illite–muscovite, chlorite, palygorskite and sepiolite. The low illite percentage in randomly illite/smectite mixed layers indicates low diagenetic conditions for the studied successions. These features are unique for the Cretaceous–Tertiary successions of the Lagonegro domain and are particularly significant for the preservation of the native mineralogical assemblage useful to determine the provenance and paleoenvironmental conditions of the clayey sediments. Palygorskite and sepiolite are concentrated in the upper Paleocene–middle Eocene stratigraphic interval and particularly in the upper part of the early Eocene—lower part of the middle Eocene (biozone of Blow P 9–12). Clay sediments rich in palygorskite and sepiolite show a higher P2O5 amount and a lower kaolinite percentage, compatible with warm and arid climatic conditions typical of the global warming event well recorded in the southern tethyan margin. Likely palygorskite and sepiolite formed in lagoonal environment in nearby carbonate platform margins and then they were transported into the Lagonegro Basin as indicated by the well developed habitus of palygorskite. During the Paleogene the Lagonegro Basin and the nearby carbonate platforms represented a key sector the southern paleodomains of the Tethys. The discovery of these minerals gives a contribution to the reconstruction paleoenvironmental conditions of the Tethian paleo-margin during the early–middle Eocene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]