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Seismic data of earthquakes recorded during the last 40 years in southern Calabria have been compared with geological data in order to obtain a seismotectonic picture of the area. We sought for any possible correlation between the main regional tectonic structures, the distribution of earthquake hypocentres and the focal mechanism of earthquakes with magnitude (Ml)≥3. Studies of historical and recent seismicity and analysis of geological structures allowed to define the main shear strips on a regional scale. More than 2600 earthquakes with 1.5 ≤ Ml ≤ 4.5 have been considered. The focal mechanisms of earthquakes with Ml≥3 have been compared with the kinematics of known faults and used to give insight on the current active stress field. From the analysis carried out it was possible to expand the cognitive framework regarding the activity of the main tectonic structures present in the area. This study also served to identify areas of high seismicity which do not correspond to any evidence of tectonic structures on the surface, and areas where recognized tectonic structures have not shown any seismicity during the last decades. These cases could be the subject of future investigation in order to correctly assess the seismic hazard in Calabria. This task is important in the context of seismic hazard evaluation and mitigation.

In Italy, despite large areas of the country being covered by metamorphic rocks, the hydrogeological properties of these formations are not yet well known. The productivity of metamorphic aquifers is generally lower than the more common ones such as alluvial or carbonates. However, in some Mediterranean areas such as in Calabria region the scarcity of water resources and their considerable extension (metamorphic aquifers make up 39% of the total) determines a request for further studies either on their hydrodynamic properties and their hydraulic behaviour in order to achieve their sustainable exploitation. Interest in these metamorphic aquifers becomes ever greater if climate changes are considered. The purpose of this study is to provide the geological-structural and hydrogeological modeling of a metamorphic aquifer, through the measurement of direct and indirect data and the application of a numerical model, in a large area of the Sila Piccola, in Calabria. To recognize and characterize the geometries of the aquifer in metamorphic rocks in a complex geological setting, data on springs, wells and piezometers installed in boreholes and located at various depths were collected. These surveys were implemented by geoelectric tomography profiles and by geognostic investigations. The recognition of the geometries and above all the stratigraphic relationships between the various outcropping rocks and lithological units have been accompanied by macrostructural and meso-structural analysis to better evaluate the state of fracturing of the rock mass. The characterization of hydrodynamic properties in crystalline-metamorphic aquifers, that is constituted by granite and metamorphic rocks, is extremely complex given the lateral-vertical anisotropies. Among the main fractures there is a network of secondary connections of different order and degree which determines a continuous variation of these properties at different scales and defines the modality and direction of the groundwater flow. The MODFLOW-2005 groundwater model was used to simulate the flow phenomena in the aquifer, obtaining hydraulic conductivity values of 2.7 × 10-6 m / s, corresponding to two orders of magnitude higher than that calculated with the slug-tests inside the slope. In summary, the mathematical model was able to estimate the equivalent permeability of the aquifer and the presence of a lateral recharge from a neighboring deep aquifer that materializes a significant water supply.

[Abstract The term base‐of‐scarp is proposed for those submarine deposits controlled by a fault and physically disconnected from their more proximal counterpart located on the footwall, although genetically linked to it. These systems differ from conventional fault‐controlled deltas, such as shoal‐ and Gilbert‐type, because they are entirely subaqueous and lack equilibrium morphology—a steady state in which the system grows in size without altering its shape. We present field examples of fault‐controlled deposits from the Crati Basin and the Messina Strait (southern Italy) consisting of stratigraphic clastic wedges that thin towards and onlap onto the active margin with primary inclined bedding. Beds are composed of immature coarse‐grained gravels and sand, lack structures representative of wave‐action and reflect gravity‐driven processes such as debris flow, debris fall and high‐density turbidity currents. These deposits represent the unsteady‐state phase in which the system grows reducing its slope angle leading to conditions under which the unsteady state may eventually turn into a Gilbert‐type or shoal‐water system. A diagram for fault‐controlled base‐of‐scarp (B), Gilbert (G) and shoal‐water (S) deposits is presented, including their steady‐ and unsteady states, and the conceptual conditions under which a base‐of‐scarp system might evolve into Gilbert‐type or shoal‐water systems and vice versa., Base‐of‐scarp deposits represent unsteady‐state systems showing primary inclined bedding and aggradational to progradational geometries along active fault scarps. The progressive angle decrease recognised in the younger strata promotes the architectural change of the system to either shola‐water or Gilbert‐type systems. ]

A multidisciplinary approach adopting new geological, hydro-geochemical and isotopic data has been used to assess the genesis of hot and cold waters of the Galatro and Antonimina thermal systems. In these systems, waters come from two different hydrogeological circuits, which are chiefly hosted in the Palaeozoic crystallino-methamorphic rocks of the Aspromonte Unit and the overlying Oligocene-Pleistocene sedimentary sequences. In particular, the Galatro thermal water shows Na–SO 4 composition, pH value of 7.85 ± 0.13, outlet temperature of 36.4 ± 1.8 °C, variable Eh (−266 to −42 mV) and total dissolved solids of 1,067 ± 149 mg L −1 . Conversely, the Antonimina thermal water shows Na-SO 4 (Cl) composition, total dissolved solid of 10,369 ± 1,613 mg L −1 , pH value of 7.62 ± 0.17, outlet temperature of 35 ± 0.12 °C and Eh from 25.4 to 49.2 mV. Geological and hydrogeochemical data suggest that the meteoric waters infiltrating along the Aspromonte Chain at different elevations (650 and 230 m a.s.l. for Galatro and Antonimina respectively), recharge the aquifers acquiring heat from rocks through conductive transfer reaching reservoir temperatures between 69 ± 15 °C and 101 °C for Galatro and 60 ± 19 °C for Antonimina reservoirs, as indicated by the solubility of chalcedony and quartz and Na/K geothermometers. Subsequently, the waters leaving the deep reservoirs discharge at the surface at 36.4 ± 1.8 °C and 35 ± 0.12 °C after a relatively fast upflow and limited cooling. Assuming a normal geothermal gradient (33 °C km −1 ), results allowed to locate the warm deeper reservoirs of Galatro and Antonimina at depths between 1.5 and 2.5 km and 1.5 km respectively.

In this work, we present RecoStones, a software tool developed within the SILPI project (acronym of “Sistema per l’Identificazione di Lapidei Per Immagini”) and financed by POR Calabria FESR-FSE 2014–2020. RecoStones is a smartphone app able to classify stone materials and to determine their provenance through image recognition techniques. The app was developed using a set of stone materials sampled from different Calabrian quarries with a particular historical and artistic value, and it was directly tested in situ on different local known materials belonging to monuments and buildings of the Calabrian Cultural Heritage. The testing phase confirmed that RecoStones is a useful, smart, and cheap tool which can help geologists and non-geologists, such as restorers, architects, art historians, engineers, and all the staff involved in restoration and conservation projects, to determine the typology of a stone material and its provenance. This work aims also to create the first database of the Calabrian quarries that may be expanded in the future with further Calabrian outcrops or further quarries located in other national or international contexts. Consequently, the app may be upgraded in order to recognize other stone materials, becoming a new tool of global interest.

Hydrogeochemical characterization and statistical methods were used to investigate the groundwater quality and the origin of constituents (anthropic or natural) in groundwater of the Coreca area (Calabria, South Italy). Coreca is characterized by an articulated geological setting where the three main geological complexes that distinguish the Northern Calabria Peloritan Orogen (CPO) outcrop. This complex asset affects the quality of groundwater mainly exploited for irrigation use. In particular, the presence of ultramafic rocks (e.g., serpentinite and metabasite) promotes the release of harmful elements such as Cr and Ni. In the studied area, two groups of waters were identified: Ca-HCO3 waters strongly controlled by the interaction with Ca-rich phases (e.g., limestone), and Mg-HCO3 waters related to the interaction of meteoric water with the metamorphic units. Statistical elaboration allowed to detect, in the Mg-HCO3 group, a good correlation between Cr and Ni (not observed in Ca waters) and a negative correlation between Cr, Ca and Al, in agreement with direct interaction with ultramafic rocks characterized by low concentrations of CaO and Al2O3. The concentration of major and trace elements has been compared with the Italian law limit values and the drinking water guidelines provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). Only three samples showed Mn and Ni concentration higher than the Italian law threshold. Furthermore, the assessment of groundwater quality was carried out using salinity and metal indexes. The groundwater quality assessment for irrigation allowed to classify the resource as “excellent to good” and “good to permissible”, nevertheless, a salinity problem and a magnesium hazard were found. Lastly, a metal index (MI) calculation revealed values &lt, 1 for almost all samples, pointing to good overall quality. Only a few samples showed a value extremely higher than 1, attributable to prolonged interaction with ultramafic rocks and/or localized anthropogenic pollution. From a general point of view, groundwater showed a generally good quality except for limited areas (and limited to the set of constituents analyzed) and a mild exceedance of the maximum salinity thresholds that must be monitored over time. Through a multidisciplinary approach, it was possible to ascertain the main anomalies attributable to the interaction with the hosting rocks and not (with few exceptions) to anthropic processes.

The geochemical characteristics of the Calabrian thermal waters have already been investigated in several studies which adopted a sort of ‘‘regional’’ approach. On the other hand, the recent works by Vespasiano et al., 2014 and Apollaro et al. 2019 were focused to specific thermal sites with the aim to investigate the geochemistry and to reconstruct the local geothermal conceptual model. In this study, was adopted the same ‘‘local’’ approach to investigate the geochemistry of the warm and cold-water discharges from the Cotronei and Caccuri thermal area. Bruciarello, Cotronei (Ponte Coniglio) and Repole thermal areas fall in the proximity of the western side of the Crotone Basin made up of terrains structured between the middle Miocene and Holocene, transgressive on the crystalline basement belonging to the Sila massif. The Basin, located on the Ionian side of the PCO (Peloritan Calabrian Orogen), was interpreted like a forearc basin in the inner portion of the Calabrian accretion wedge.Geochemical and hydrogeological data allow to identify the presence of (i) a deep primary geothermal endmember hosted into the crystalline basement (Cotronei system), and (ii) secondary shallow systems developed in the Miocene sedimentary successions (Bruciarello and Repole). All thermal waters have shown different composition: Na(Ca)-Cl composition for Ponte Coniglio-Cotronei (EC 3.57 ± 0.22 mS/cm), Na(Ca)-Cl(SO4) composition for Bruciarello (EC 8.17 ± 0.76 mS/cm) and Na-SO4(Cl) composition for Repole (EC 4.15 mS/cm). The water-rock interaction between primary fluids and evaporitic succession leads to the formation of the secondary Bruciarello and Repole systems. In these sites, the thermal endmember, hosted in the crystalline basement, infiltrates within Miocene evaporitic successions and undergone important compositional changes due to Anhydrite (or gypsum) and sodium Al-silicates dissolution (e.g. Albite) followed by precipitation of phases such as calcite and clay minerals (e.g. Caolinite).The silica geothermometers indicated temperatures of 55 ± 2 °C for the endmember and slightly lower temperatures for the remaining two systems. Furthermore, δ18O and δ2H values highlight a meteoric origin for all thermal systems and provide infiltration altitude of about 1650 – 1850 m a.s.l. that agree with the Sila plateau heights.Assuming a geothermal gradient of about 33°C/km, a temperature for the deep thermal reservoir of ⁓55 °C and an average atmospheric temperature of 6°C in the recharge area (Sila plateau), it can be assumed that the meteoric waters descend to depths of 1500 m, where the thermal aquifer is located. This data would confirm the location of the primary geothermal reservoir within the crystalline basement.Apollaro C., Tripodi V., Vespasiano G., De Rosa R., Dotsika E., Fuoco I., Critelli S., Muto F. 2019. Chemical, isotopic and geotectonic relations of the warm and cold waters of the Galatro and Antonimina thermal areas, southern Calabria, Italy. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 109, 469–483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.06.020Vespasiano G., Apollaro C., Muto F., Dotsika E., De Rosa R., Marini L. 2014 - Chemical and isotopic characteristics of the warm and cold waters of the Luigiane Spa near Guardia Piemontese (Calabria, Italy) in a complex faulted geological framework. Applied Geochemistry, 41, 73-88.

Temporal bone fractures are a common lesion of the base of the skull. The diagnosis and management of temporal bone fractures require a multidisciplinary approach. Variable clinical presentations may arise from such fractures, ranging from an asymptomatic course to very serious consequences. The aim of this study was to report our experience with a series of patients with temporal bone fractures and to propose a diagnostic/therapeutic algorithm. This study enrolled 141 patients, 96 (68.1%) males and 45 (31.9%) females, ranging in age from 20 to 60 (average age: 39 &plusmn, 4.1 years), with temporal bone fractures who were referred to Cardarelli Hospital between 2006 and 2018. The present paper presents a classification of temporal bone fractures and typical clinical sequelae and provides an illustration of their prognosis and treatment.

This work is aimed at reconstructing the water-rock interaction processes controlling the geochemical characteristics of the shallow or relatively shallow groundwaters of the Pollino National Park, based on the data acquired for 105 water samples from local springs. Reaction path modeling of rock dissolution was carried out in a purely stoichiometric mode for the main lithotypes cropping out in the study area, that is, limestone, Mg-limestone, dolomite, serpentinite, Al-silicate fraction of calcschist, and carbonate fraction of calcschist. Reaction path modeling was carried out in a purely stoichiometric mode, considering the rocks of interest as materials of known stoichiometry and unknown thermodynamic properties. Calculations were carried out assuming a closed system for secondary solid phases whereas an open system was assumed for gases, O2(g) and CO2(g). Comparison of the results of geochemical modeling and the analytical data acquired for the groundwaters of the Pollino National Park shows that concentrations of major solutes, SiO2, Li, Al, and Fe of the different chemical types of waters, are explained by the dissolution of pertinent lithotypes. Moreover, the detected concentrations of Al, Cl, F, NO3, and SO4 are within the threshold values recommended by WHO.

Clastic wedges deposited in deep-marine turbidite systems along the circum-Mediterranean region represent key tectonic elements that record the structural growing of the Apennine orogenic belt over the Adria margin. One of these clastic wedges is represented by the Agnone Flysch turbidite succession deposited in the Lagonegro-Molise foredeep basin in the early Messinian, for which the depositional facies and the related processes, as well as the sandstone and mudstone composition are poorly known. A combined sedimentology and sedimentary petrology study has been conducted on this turbidite succession that provides new insight to define the basin architecture and the provenance of the Agnone Flysch during late Miocene. Facies analysis suggests that this turbidite succession is constituted by depositional lobes that were emplaced in a sector of the basin showing a variable morphological confinement with frontal and lateral slope on which turbidite deposits onlapped. Consequently, this topographic context controlled the lateral and vertical distribution of turbidite facies, which record the effects of erosive processes, as well as impact, rebound and reflection processes, in turn related to the flow deceleration induced by structurally-controlled basin confinement. Detailed sandstones compositional analysis indicates a complex unroofing history that reflects structural changes in the source rock units and depositional basin physiography. By combining the sandstone composition with information deduced from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns after thermo-chemical treatments (heating and ethylene glycol treatments), it was possible to explain and predict the sedimentary evolution and geological processes affecting fine grained sediments and, thus, the relationship developed between source area and sedimentary basin. In particular, clay minerals data show that Agnone Flysch experienced an early diagenetic condition as showed by the occurrence of the I/S R0 and I/S R1 on the XRD pattern of the glycolated specimens. The sandstone composition (mainly quartzofeldspathic) shows an increase in the metamorphic rock fragments and a decrease of sedimentary lithics up-section. This compositional trend records, together with the paleocurrents data, a derivation of this material from a mountain range located in the Tyrrhenian sector and from the Calabrian arc terranes.

The Western Calabrian margin (Italy) is the most active segment of the Apennine back-arc system, formed in response to the slow Africa – Eurasia convergence. The offshore area represents the transitional region between the arc and the back-arc: it is affected by several fault systems, most of them able to trigger highly destructive earthquakes. Indeed, the Calabria and its western offshore are characterized by the highest seismic moment release of the entire Apennines, also evidenced by historical seismicity catalogue, the most accurate over the world. During last decades, scientific community invested huge resources in assessment of seismic and tsunami hazards. Furthermore, during last years several local-scale works allowed of improving knowledge of the faults geometry, magmatism, seismogenic and tsunamigenic potential along the western offshore region (Loreto et al., 2017; Brutto et al., 2016; De Ritis et al., 2019). Some active faults, belonging to NE-SW-trending normal fault systems accommodating the inner-arc collapse related to slab-decupling, are also responsible of the most destructive historical sequences, still to be adequately characterized. Using vintage SPARKER 30 Kj acquired in the seventies and recent multichannel seismic profiles together with middle resolution morpho-bathymetric data we produced a new tectonic map of the Calabria back-arc system. Further, we characterized some before-unknown faults and linked them with shallow structures, as ridges and slumps / slides. This area seemingly less populated of faults compared to the peri-Tyrrhenian margin, where several faults belong to different systems, i.e. (i) the rifting system active that allowed the opening of the Tyrrhenian Basin and (ii) the slab-decupling related normal faults system currently active. The comparison with historical and instrumental seismicity allowed us to highlight possible seismic gaps that, if considered, could strongly improve the map of seismogenic potential of the Tyrrhenian back-arc system. BibliographyBrutto, F. et al. (2016). The Neogene-Quaternary geodynamic evolution of the central Calabrian Arc: A case study from the western Catanzaro Trough basin. Journal of Geodynamics, 102, 95-114.Loreto, M. F. (2017). Reconstructed seismic and tsunami scenarios of the 1905 Calabria earthquake (SE Tyrrhenian sea) as a tool for geohazard assessment. Engineering geology, 224, 1-14.Tripodi, V. et al. (2018). Neogene-Quaternary evolution of the forearc and backarc regions between the Serre and Aspromonte Massifs, Calabria (southern Italy). Marine and Petroleum Geology, 95, 328-343.

The Latronico thermal area is located in the southern sector of the Apennines chains, in proximity to the south boundary of the Mt. Alpi. This area is a seismically active region and it is located between Val d’Agri basin and Pollino area, two of the highest seismic risk zones in Italy. It is well documented that tectonic discontinuities act as preferential channels for the uprise of deep fluids trough the continental crust towards the surface (e.g., Caracausi et al. 2013). Hence in seismically areas, these fluids can move across the volume of rocks characterized by an active field of stress and their fluids can take a memory of the occurring rock-water-gas interactions. Taking this into account, we sampled waters and dissolved gases released in the Latronico hydrothermal basin in order to define: i) water-rock interaction processes; ii) thermalism origin; iii) the geochemical model of fluid circulation in a seismic area. In details, we analysed the chemical and isotopic (C and noble gases) composition both groundwater and dissolved gases. The acquired knowledge will allow us to plan long-term geochemical monitoring useful for identification of the possible relationship between fluid circulation and regional-scale seismicity. We sampled 24 springs, of which 9 belonging to thermal set (Latronico Spa springs) and 15 to cold one. Thermal waters have an average temperature of 21°C, these are slightly alkaline (7.12 2 and He contents of 1 and 2 order of magnitude higher than cold water, respectively. The dissolved gases show an atmospheric component, being Air Saturated Water (ASW). 3He/4He ratios in the gases dissolved are 0.12 Ra ±0.2 (Ra is the He isotopic signature in the atmosphere, 1.39x10-6). Assuming that He isotopic signature in typical crustal fluids is < 0.05 Ra, the measured He data show traces of mantle-derived helium, to the mixing between atmospheric and radiogenic end-members (0.02 Ra). Coupling Total Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (TDIC) and δ13CTDIC data, 2 water sub-sets have been identified: (i) infiltrating waters, with low δ13CTDIC, and (ii) thermal waters with positive δ13CTDIC and high TDIC values, indicative of outgassing of deeply sourced CO2. This study for the first time proposes a model of fluids origin in the Latronico hydrothermal basin and the main processes that control their chemistry during their circulation through the crust. Hence, geochemical monitoring of the fluids in the region can provide if these fluids are sensitive to chemical variation due to a modification of the field of stress in the preparatory phases of an earthquake

The role of tectonics in the Neogene-Quaternary evolution of the forearc basin, between the Serre and Aspromonte Massifs, located in the southern Calabria, is widely documented in the exposed sedimentary successions. The structuration of these different basins is due to the southeastward migration of the Calabrian Terranes, which led to the subduction of the Ionian lithosphere and the spreading of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin. The area is dominantly displaced by two NW–SE and NE–SW oriented regional fault systems. These fault systems were active during the infilling of the Neogene-Quaternary basins, and represent complex tear fault systems that accommodated stress generated in the accretionary prism during the subduction of the Ionian lithosphere. Furthermore, these structures play a relevant role as part of recent seismotectonic processes, which controlled the Late Quaternary geodynamic evolution of the area.

Geochemical, geological, and hydrological data suggest, for the Cotronei-Caccuri thermal area (Northern Calabria – Southern Italy), the presence of a deep primary geothermal aquifer hosted in the crystalline basement (at Ponte Coniglio) and two secondary aquifers (at Bruciarello and Repole) developed in the Miocene sedimentary succession. Despite the spatial proximity of the three thermal sites, the waters have different compositions: Na(Ca)-Cl for Ponte Coniglio-Cotronei, Na(Ca)-Cl(SO4) for Bruciarello and Na-SO4(Cl) for Repole. The composition of the Cotronei-Ponte Coniglio end-member was reconstructed based on conservative constituents and resulted in a Cl concentration of about 1700 mg kg−1. The thermal waters of Bruciarello and Repole are derived from this primary fluid. Geothermometric calculations support a possible dilution affecting the waters studied to different degrees. For the pure (undiluted) thermal end-member, hosted in the primary granitic aquifer, comparable temperature estimations are provided by cationic geothermometers (67 ± 4 °C) and geothermometric simulations (65 ± 4 °C). However, Bruciarello and Repole waters are in equilibrium with anhydrite and fluorite at a temperature (68.5 ± 4 °C) very similar to that obtained for the granitic aquifer suggesting slight cooling during the travel from the primary granitic aquifer and fast equilibration with anhydrite and fluorite favoured by the rapid dissolution kinetics of these solid phases. From the isotopic point of view, the secondary aquifers have δ34SS(6+) values (+23.01‰ and +22.77‰ ± 0.23‰) comparable with those of the Messinian gypsum (average of +21.8‰). The thermal waters of Cotronei, on the other hand, show enriched δ34SS(6+) values (+38.60‰ ± 0.78‰) due to bacterial reduction of sulfate probably also derived from by Messinian evaporates. Furthermore, the δ18O and δ2H values indicate a meteoric origin for all three thermal sites with an average infiltration altitude of about 1650 – 1850 m asl, which agree with the Sila plateau elevations. Based on the results obtained in this work, assuming a geothermal gradient of about 33 °C/km, a temperature of the deep thermal reservoir of about 65 °C and an average predicted atmospheric temperature of 6 °C in the recharge area (Sila plateau), it follows that the meteoric waters descend to depths of ∼1800 m, where the thermal aquifer of interest is presumably located. This depth is consistent with the location of the primary geothermal reservoir within the crystalline basement. The reconstruction of this conceptual model has been made possible thanks to adopting a "local" approach integrating previously existing and new geological, hydrogeological, and geochemical data. Furthermore, this study has allowed us to identify the presence of an important regional geothermal aquifer hosted in the crystalline basement that, in addition to the carbonate and Upper Triassic evaporite reservoirs (well characterized in previous works), make the Calabria region of high geothermal interest.

The Southern Italy orogen preserves deep-marine turbitic clastic wedges that record the key tectonic events during structural growing over the Adria margin. The regional tectonic transition from thick-skinned Calabrian accretion and deformation (during Late Paleogene-to-middle Miocene) to thin-skinned Southern Apennines thrusting (since early-middle Miocene) is recorded by diverse contrasting petrofacies in uppermost Paleogene and Miocene sandstones of dominantly turbiditie deposits. Most of these sandstones reflect in time quartzolithic and quartzofeldspathic and arkosic petrofacies derived from growing and unroofing Calabrian terranes. Quartzose petrofacies mainly indicate provenance from cratonal African margin, during Langhian, and/or from lowland internal domains before its deformation, during the Cretaceous to Paleogene. Volcaniclastic sandstone petrofacies also testify active volcanism during the Late Paleogene to early Miocene. These variable compositions indicate strong palaeogeographic constraints for the central-western Mediterranean, during the Neogene, reflecting provenance relationships from differentiate source rocks. These include interplays between ophiolitiferous, uplifted continental shallow to deep crust terranes, volcanic and sedimentary (mostly carbonate) source rocks. Sandstone detrital modes provide an example of the close relations between clastic compositions and growing orogen in southern Italy and may contribute to unravel the geodynamic history of other major orogens.

Along the northern Ionian margin of Calabria, three Neogene basins comprise wedge-top depozones containing syntectonic deposits which cover the frontal part of the fold-thrust belt. One of the best exposed onshore allochthonous siliciclastic successions is represented by the Cariati Nappe, cropping out in the Ciro Basin. Field geological mapping and aerial interpretations were used to characterize the stratigraphy and tectonics of the area between the Arso Stream and Nica River catchments (about 170 km2), including a Paleozoic metamorphic basement complex unconformably overlain by Upper Oligocene to Quaternary siliciclastic deposits and minor carbonates. This paper presents a 1:25,000 scale map of the Ionian study area, providing lithological and structural data towards reconstructing its tectono-sedimentary evolution.

Risk perception is a cognitive process whose aim is to guide people's behaviour in ordinary activities to reduce the impact of extreme events. In fact, the analysis of risk perception can be considered as a part of risk reduction strategies and adaptation measures. In this paper, the perception of the geo-hydrological risk by the population living or working in a stretch of the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria (Southern Italy) is analysed. The study area has recently been affected by debris flow events, with damages to private and public facilities, as well as infrastructures. In particular, the study, based on a questionnaire survey, considers: i) general knowledge and personal experience of geo-hydrological phenomena; ii) awareness of risk exposure; iii) information and preparedness to geo-hydrological risks of the territory; iv) levels of safety. The results reveal that population consider the anthropic actions as a relevant cause of geo-hydrological phenomena. Moreover, the citizens of the study area, although showing a high civic sense, did not positively assess the actions of the local authorities, both in terms of territory management and people's education and/or information.

In this paper, we present the results of an integrated geomorphological and stratigraphical study carried out in the eastern side of the Crati River valley (northern Calabria, South Italy). This area is characterized by the occurrence of three order palaeosurfaces that, along with low-sloping palaeovalleys and structural landforms, are striking features of the landscape. The relationships between morpho-tectonic and sedimentary evolution of the Crati Basin has been assessed through sandstone detrital modes, morphostratigraphy and geomorphological correlation with adjacent areas. The two main unconformity surfaces that typify the Quaternary fill were correlated to different steps of landscape evolution. The presence of both erosional and depositional palaeosurfaces has been a useful marker for reconstructing sedimentary and morphogenetic events, and hence to detect drainage network evolution and changes in source sediment area. In particular, we recognized that the study area experienced, during the late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene a period of sub-aerial landscape modelling as suggested by low-sloping palaeovalleys and related fluvial deposits (1st Order Palaeosurface). At that time, the source of the detrital constituents of the PPS Unit sandstones was mainly from the Sila Massif. The onset of Coastal Range identification and uplift (Early Pleistocene) marks a change in the geomorphic scenario with tectonic driven stream incision and valley development along the eastern side of Coastal Range, along with the occurrence of depositional and erosional landsurfaces (2nd Order Palaeosurface) at footslopes. During this period, the Coastal Range and Sila Massif were the sources for the detrital constituents of the PlS Unit sandstones. The progressive uplift of Coastal Range during late Early Pleistocene and the marked backstepping of the depositional systems along the Sila footslope was accompanied by alternating phases of down-cutting and base-level stability resulting in the development of a step-like distributed 3rd Order Palaeosurface. The presence of dolostone in detrital modes is clear evidence of stream piracy phenomena of ancient palaeovalleys by the Crati valley-facing drainage network.

A new hydro-geochemical survey was carried out on the thermal sites of Northern Calabria. By use of new and historical data, it was possible to improve the knowledge on the deep systems of interest. First, thermal waters were characterized by means of a classical approach, including water classifications, use of the triangular diagram of Cl-Li-B, and geothermometry through suitably selected functions. Then, the tritium-based mean residence time and flowrate of the thermal waters of Northern Calabria were used to evaluate the volume of the geothermal reservoir and its component terms. Based on these results, the heat stored in the geothermal reservoir was computed by means of the volume method. Their natural heat discharge was also calculated. These parameters as well as the reservoir temperature indicated by water geothermometers were used to rank the geothermal resources of Northern Calabria. Sambiase resulted to be the thermal circuit of highest geothermal potential.

Artículo escrito por un elevado número de autores, sólo se referencian el que aparece en primer lugar, el nombre del grupo de colaboración, si le hubiera, y los autores pertenecientes a la UAM, Used for both proton decay searches and neutrino physics, large water Cherenkov (WC) detectors have been very successful tools in particle physics. They are notable for their large masses and charged particle detection capabilities. While current WC detectors reconstruct charged particle tracks over a wide energy range, they cannot efficiently detect neutrons. Gadolinium (Gd) has the largest thermal neutron capture cross section of all stable nuclei and produces an 8 MeV gamma cascade that can be detected with high efficiency. Because of the many new physics opportunities that neutron tagging with a Gd salt dissolved in water would open up, a large-scale R&D program called EGADS was established to demonstrate this technique’s feasibility. EGADS features all the components of a WC detector, chiefly a 200-ton stainless steel water tank furnished with 240 photo-detectors, DAQ, and a water system that removes all impurities from water while keeping Gd in solution. In this paper we discuss the milestones towards demonstrating the feasibility of this novel technique, and the features of EGADS in detail, This work was supported by the JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP21224004, JP26000003, JP24103004 and JP17H06365. Funding support was provided by Kavli IPMU (WPI), the University of Tokyo and the US Department of Energy. We thank the “Consorcio Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc” (Spain) and the Boulby Underground Research Laboratory and in particular the staff of the BUGS facility (UK) for supporting the low-background materials screening work. Some of us have been supported by funds from the European Union H2020-MSCA-RISE-GA872549-SK2HK, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grant PGC2018-099388-B-100), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and GridPP, UK, and the European Union’s H2020 -MSCA-RISE-2018 JENNIFER2 grant agreement no. 822070

Cette contribution vise à analyser les mécanismes de représentation du territoire qui se sont générés et reproduits en présence d'une action humaine associée à l'existence d'un risque hydrogéologique, dans le cadre d'un tronçon de la côte de la mer Tyrrhénienne méridionale (Costa degli Dei: Côte des Dieux), situé dans la province de Vibo Valentia (Calabre, Italie). En effet, sur ce littoral, il existe de nombreux cônes alluviaux qui, au cours des cinquante dernières années, ont été soumis à un développement urbain constant. Dans les années 2009, 2010 et 2011, ces cônes alluviaux ont subi les effets de nombreuses coulées de débris et d'inondations, provoquées par des événements pluvieux, parfois pas particulièrement exceptionnels. En conséquence de cela, en plus de multiples dommages aux structures, des conditions de risque élevé pour la population ont eu lieu. Les premières données issues de l'enquête sont alarmantes : la communication entre les institutions et les citoyens est perçue par les citoyens eux-mêmes comme inexistante. De plus, la majorité des répondants croient que les glissements de terrain et les inondations sont causés par l'homme, indiquant « constructions illégale », « aménagement du territoires», «désintéressement de la part des administrateurs publics locaux» parmi les facteurs qui influent le plus sur les glissements de terrain et les inondations. Ainsi, un modèle de gouvernance caractérisé par un «état d'urgence démocratique et participatif» émerge à partir de l'analyse des principaux résultats.

The last few years have seen the debate on the geoethics of environmental and climatic protection growing to include resilience as a central idea within this new discipline, which holds many similarities with geography. Resilience analysis often looks at the capacity to re-establish conditions of equilibrium within a system which has been hit by a serious shock, e.g. a natural or man-made disaster. Geoethics works, in tandem with geological analyses and the geography of risk, to inform a population and develop integrated risk management in such a way as to strengthen a community’s resilience. The aim of this work is to study some people’s capacity to overcome what was potentially a disastrous event and, through a process of reconstruction, turn it into an occasion for growth. The experiment, carried out in the primary and middle schools in Aiello Calabro (Calabria, southern Italy), was conducted on the basis of the belief that there is a close relationship between a population’s having a realistic understanding of the risk of such an event, e.g. an earthquake, and high levels of resilience. We also tried to gain an insight into the relationship that may exist between resilience in primary and secondary school children and methods of coping which give an appropriate management of seismic risk. To be more precise, we try to discover whether there is a link between good/appropriate resilience and good/appropriate risk management.

The Early-Pleistocene Catanzaro strait-fill succession consists of large-scale tidal sets, accumulated in a tectonically confined basin during a phase of rapid relative sea-level rise. It crops out mainly in the present-day Catanzaro Trough where numerous field sections supported the characterization of the vertical and lateral facies variations and the documentation of a variety of soft-sediment deformation structures, exposed throughout their vertical and lateral extents. The soft-sediment deformation structures (SSDS) are the result of liquefaction and fluidization processes that deformed cross-laminations and other primary structures into folds, fluid-escape structures, and structureless expanses. Three different groups of SSDS have been documented in the cross-stratified deposits of the Catanzaro strait. The detailed description of these soft-sediment deformation structures in a depositional context established by facies analysis enables interpretation in terms of possible trigger mechanisms. Consistent relationships between the occurrence of distinctive SSDS and specific tidally dominated facies have been established, indicating a probable autogenic origin for the soft-sediment deformations. Liquefaction and fluidization features are interpreted as the result of increases in water pore-pressure, induced by overloading. In particular, two types of overloading agents are hypothesized, which affect the lee and stoss sides of the migrating dunes in distinct events, and inducing the deformation of foreset laminae or sets of cross-strata, respectively.

The Crati Graben is a depression of Plio-Holocene age mainly controlled by extensional N–S striking faults and WNW–ESE transcurrent faults, in its northern and southern extremity. It is characterized by high landslide susceptibility due to the particular geo-structural pattern and seismotectonic characters. Landslides involve many villages, infrastructure and food crops, bringing serious economic and social damage. The seismotectonic and landslides Main Map of the Crati Graben, described in this paper, represents an update in detail of the framework of landslide risk areas and shows the main active and recent faults of the Crati Graben. The landslides and the faults, have been identified and classified, originally at detail scale (1:5000) and, then, represented at 1:50,000 scale. The geo-structural and geomorphological data were analysed in a geographic information system. The work has revealed a correlation between the trend of faults with respect to the distribution of landslides and of the historical and instrumental seismicity. The work presents an updated knowledge framework of risk conditions of the study zone, where risk areas related to slope instability are hierarchically classified according to the destructive potential of landslides. This document may be therefore a useful reference in planning and prioritising in the design of interventions for the safety of slopes and waterways.

A preliminary geochemical characterization of Cerchiara thermal waters was carried out. Waters discharging at the Cerchiara springs come from a deep circuit, which is chiefly hosted in the limestones, dolomitic limestones and evaporites of the Pollino Unit. Triangular plots of major dissolved cations and anions show that the Cerchiara thermal waters have a mixed Na(Ca)-Cl(HCO3-SO4) composition deriving from extended interaction with carbonate-evaporite rocks. Dissolved sulfate has an Upper Triassic derivation as indicated by sulfur isotopes provided that the effects of bacterial sulfate reduction are properly taken into account. Meteoric waters, infiltrating in the Pollino massif at elevations close to 1800 m asl, recharge the deep aquifer deepening along one or more fault systems, as suggested by local structural geology. They acquire heat from reservoir rocks through conductive transfer during their prolonged circulation into the deep aquifer at temperatures close to 40°C and PCO2 of ~2.5 bar. The thermal deep aquifer acts as a sort of well-mixed reservoir, whose fluids are completely mixed with the fluids entering it. The water leaving the deep reservoir discharges at the surface at 30 °C after a relatively fast upflow and limited cooling. The upward part of the hydrogeological circuit is controlled by local low and high-angle fault systems as well as by the tectonic window of Cerchiara di Calabria, where the Cerchiara Formation crops out.

In this work a GIS-based statistical analysis was used to evaluate shallow-landslide susceptibility along a section of highway "A3, Salerno-Reggio Calabria", between Cosenza Sud and Altilia (northern Calabria, Italy). The study applies the weight of evidence (WofE) method, which is useful in determining landslide susceptibility in large areas with complex geological and geomorphological settings. The statistical analysis is based on past shallow -landslides, geological, pedological and topographic factors, which represent the most relevant landslide predisposing factors. The quality of the proposed model, particularly the fitting performance, was assessed; the landslide database was divided into a training set to obtain the model and a testing set to estimate the model quality. The susceptibility map was classified into five susceptibility classes: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. About 34% of the study area falls in high to very high susceptible classes and most of the landslides mapped (86%) occur in the same classes. The validation results showed satisfactory agreement between the susceptibility map and the landslides locations; over 83% of the landslides of the testing set are correctly classified falling in high and very high susceptibility areas. Also, the prediction rate curve had shown an area under curve (AUC) value of 80.2% which demonstrates the robustness and good reliability of the landslide susceptibility model. According to these results, we conclude that the map produced by the WofE model is reliable and the methodology applied in the study produced high performance, and satisfactory results, which may be useful for land planning policy.

The purpose of this study was to prepare a landslide susceptibility map using a GIS-based spatial multi criteria (SMC) approach in a landslide-prone area, the Amendolara territory in Calabria (Southern Italy). In the first step, landslide locations were identified from aero-photo interpretation and field surveys. In the second step, six data layers were chosen as landslide predisposing factors for susceptibility mapping. These factors are slope, aspect, lithology, land use, distance from roads and distance from rivers. Next, landslide-susceptible areas were analyzed using the SMC approach and mapped using landslide conditioning factors. The agreement between the susceptibility map generated using the SMC approach and the landslide locations was tested by analyzing their receveir operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Landslide scarps locations were used in the validation. area under curve (AUC) value of the SMC method was calculated as 0.96. According to this result the produced map exhibited good performance.

A total of 141 samples mostly located in the Coastal Chain and the Sila Massif of Northern Calabria have been collected from 125 different springs and analyzed chemically and for the isotopic ratios 2 H/ 1 H and 18 O/ 16 O of water, with the ultimate aim to investigate isotope–elevation relationships for local meteoric waters. The Small Springs Method (SSM) has been adopted for this purpose. The hydrogeological characteristics of the watersheds of interest indicate that the sampled springs are discharged from water circuits hosted in alluvial and colluvial deposits rather than in the underlying rock substrata. The chemical characteristics of the sampled waters suggest that they are immature and related to shallow and short water circuits, in spite of the variable degree of chemical evolution. The spring waters of relatively high Total Ionic Salinity (TIS >12.5 meq/L) and those from watersheds of comparatively large elevation range (>650 m) and relatively large areas (>17 km 2 ) have been excluded from the analysis of elevation–isotope relationships. An oxygen isotope lapse rate of −0.194 ‰/100 m has been found for the spring water samples of Northern Calabria as a whole, whereas the obtained hydrogen isotope lapse rates are −1.23 ‰/100 m for the Coastal Chain and −1.45 ‰/100 m for the Sila Massif based on measured isotope values and optimized elevation. The following O-isotopes equation is recommended to estimate the average elevation ( H i in m) of the recharge areas of Northern Calabria aquifer systems: δ O 18 = − 0.00194 · H i − 5.91 (1) The maximum estimated uncertainty due to variations in the δ 18 O value over time is 202 m. Use of H isotopes is not recommended for constraining average recharge elevations due to important local variations, reflecting in different relations for the Coastal Chain and the Sila Massif. Assuming that Equation (1) holds true throughout Northern Calabria, an iso-distribution map of the δ 18 O value in rainfall has been drawn for this area.

The Crotone Basin is a Neogene-Quaternary depocenter developed along the Ionian margin of Calabria, southern Italy. The basin opening was concomitant with the onset of spreading of the Tyrrhenian backarc Basin during late Serravallian and the subduction of the Ionian lithosphere below the Calabrian Arc. The adoption of modern sequence stratigraphic principles to subdivide the basin fill into stratigraphic sequences of different rank, bounded by subaerial unconformities, has allowed cycles of creation and loss of accommodation mainly related to tectonics to be recognized. In particular, an alternation between phases of basin subsidence, concomitant with spreading of the Tyrrhenian backarc Basin and forward migration of the Arc, and phases of compressional or transpressional tectonics, accompanied by basin uplift and stopping of Arc migration, are well recognizable in the basin fill, in particular for the late Messinian to late Pleistocene part of the succession. The present study highlights the effectiveness of the sequence stratigraphic method in basin analysis to decipher the effects of large-scale tectonic events on sedimentation and ultimately to reconstruct the geodynamic evolution of the central Mediterranean.

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.

Mass movements of different thicknesses and types affect the slope where the Greci and Piscopie villages lie (Lago, Calabria, Italy). The study concerns a moderately urbanized area where the lithological, structural, and hydrogeological conditions have produced a large and complex unstable area. In the study area, a multi-temporal field survey has allowed for detailed landslide inventory mapping and definition of the geometric and kinematic characteristics of mass movements with long-term monitoring. In particular, an integrated monitoring network was progressively put in place, since 1996 to measure superficial and deep displacements (GPS stations and inclinometers). The network dataset shows that the mass movements in the study area are characterized by an extremely slow or very slow rate of displacement. The elements acquired by a long-term monitoring of the deep displacements point out that the landslide bodies are prone to develop new failure surfaces progressively shallower, with a consequent increase of the hazard. Moreover, medium-deep and deep-seated landslides may rapidly accelerate in relation to rainfall conditions and significantly affect structures and infrastructures. The integration of the geological and geomorphological knowledges with the monitoring data allows for distinguishing six different homogeneous sectors on the slope, as well as the relative geometric and kinematic characteristics, and the type of mass movements. In the study area, which is representative of several aspects of other areas, the method proposed and the knowledge acquired by long-term monitoring could be useful to define mass movement mechanisms, geotechnical models, and risk mitigation strategies.

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.

Caratterizzazione geologico-tecnica di un sito lungo la linea RFI per l' adozione di provvedimenti di mitigazione e la progettazione di interventi di riduzione del rischio geo-idrologico

The Calabria Arc presents the highest probability of occurrence of major earthquakes in the Italian peninsula. Several destructive historical earthquakes (i.e. 1638, 1659, 1783, 1905 and 1908) affected, in particular, the Catanzaro Trough and its neighbouring areas. These events have been tentatively related to the activity of NE-SW trending normal faults. Some of these earthquakes have been followed by tsunamis, which caused further damages along the Tyrrhenian coast. In this paper, we reconstruct the Quaternary evolution of the Catanzaro Trough by combining field geo-structural and marine geophysical data. The results have been compared with existing database of earthquake focal mechanisms, updated with 8 new focal solutions performed in the present work. Analysis of faults offsetting the Lower-Middle Pleistocene deposits shows that the Catanzaro Trough experienced transcurrent and extensional phases of deformation. In particular, conjugate systems with NW-SE right-lateral and NE-SW left lateral faults were observed to displace the Lower Pleistocene deposits. Whereas NE-SW and N-S oriented normal faults have been identified as the main fault systems acting during late Pleistocene-Holocene phase. The interpretation of on-land structural datasets has been supported by geophysical data (multichannel and Chirp profiles) acquired in the offshore and onshore of the study area. Multidisciplinary approach has allowed to define NE-SW elongated sedimentary basins, as the Lamezia Basin, bordered on the one hand by Sant'Eufemia Fault that may extend up to 30 km-length, on the other hand by two overstepping faults, Vibo Valentia and San Pietro Lametino Faults. These findings carry some relevant implications in terms of seismic hazard, as they suggest that the longer fault segment, the greater its energetic seismic event. Finally, these data fit perfectly with the observed late Pleistocene-Holocene WNW-ESE extensional stress regime derived from existing and new database of earthquake focal mechanisms. This is in agreement with the orientation of the most seismically active grabens of the Calabrian Arc (the Crati, the Mesima and the Gioia Tauro Basins). Amongst these structural lineaments, the NE-SW and N-S trending normal faults play surely a relevant role as part of recent seismotectonics processes controlling the Late Quaternary geodynamics of the central Calabrian Arc, representing the source of the main destructive earthquakes occurred in the region.