Preliminary data concerning the morphology of a Calabrian Ionian margin area: Caulonia and Marina di Gioiosa canyons

• Published in: Chemistry and ecology Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 225 - 242
• Main Authors: Tessarolo, C., Malinverno, E., Agate, M., Di Grigoli, G., Corselli, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01-06-2008; Taylor and Francis
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Ionian Calabrian Margin; Marine; Marine and continental quaternary; Marine geology; morphology; seafloor topography; Surficial geology; Calabria Italy; East Mediterranean; Europe; Southern Europe; Italy; Mediterranean Sea; Ionian Sea; MED, Italy, Calabria; continental slope; continental shelf; geomorphology; shorelines; projects; coastal zone; Ionian Calabrian Margin; ocean floors; seafloor topography; Cenozoic; echo sounding; continental margin; tectonic controls; morphology; Quaternary; topography; multibeam sounders; evolution; scientific cruises; submarine canyons; erosion; Phanerozoic; characterization; geophysical surveys; seismicity
• ISSN: 0275-7540; 1029-0370
• DOI: 10.1080/02757540801970449

In the framework of the Vector National Italian Project (VulCost line), aimed to study the role of the morphology and the geology of the Ionian Calabrian margin in the coastline evolution, an oceanographic cruise was planned to collect geophysical data along two canyon systems: Caulonia and Marina di Gioiosa. The survey explored the continental shelf and slope from a depth of 15 m to more than 1150 m, using Multibeam Echosounder to investigate the seafloor topography. This work provides an outline of the erosive feature of the slope, shaped mostly by seasonal river input and by the connection to the structural and geological characteristics of the margin, made interesting by a narrow shelf and steep slope and influenced by a recent Quaternary tectonic, cause of the crustal regional seismicity. The collected data allowed us to perform a first characterisation of the geo-morphological peculiarities of the study area, constituting the base for the evaluation of the coastal zone evolution.