Long-term geomorphological evolution in the Abruzzo area, Central Italy: twenty years of research

Abstract

Abstract:The most recent research studies into the long-term landscape evolution of the Abruzzo area, carried out over the last twenty years at the "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, are based on an integrated approach incorporating structural geology and geomorphology and, in particular, the geomorphometry of topographic and hydrographic aspects, geological and structural-geomorphological surveys and mapping supported by morpho-stratigraphic and chrono logical constraints.The geomorphological analyses have allowed us to outline the main stages of geomorphological evolution and to identify the factors that have contributed to the landscape shaping of the Apennine Chain, the Adriatic Piedmont and the fluvial plains and coastal sectors, up to the Tremiti islands. In the Apennine Chain, landscape evolution -in a ridge, valley and basin system -is connected to the regional uplift, local tectonic subsidence and local base level variations, which have led to changes in the drainage systems, from exoreic to endorheic (in the intermontane basins) and then to exoreic again. In the Adriatic Piedmont, landscape shaping is connected to uplifting and eustatic sea-level fluctuations, which have induced the formation of a structure-controlled drainage system and the shaping of systems of entrenched alluvial fans and large consequent river valleys, with flights of river terraces. In the coastal Adriatic area -composed of a coastal plain-coastal slope system (northern and southern coast) and of a cliffed rocky coast (central coast, Tremiti) interrupted by river valleys -landscape shaping is the result of selective erosion due to the interaction between marine geomorphic processes and slope processes connected to Late Quaternary eustatic fluctuations.

Drainage integration and sediment dispersal in active continental rifts: A numerical modelling study of the central Italian Apennines

“…The residual is derived by subtracting the 3 Myr surface deformation field (including both normal faulting and regional uplift; Figure 2a,b) from the DEM (Figure 10a) and has been smoothed by means of a Gaussian kernel (sigma = 4 km) in order to reveal the main topographic features. Main thrust faults (modified from Miccadei, Piacentini, & Buccolini, 2017) & Miccadei, 2014). Our modelling results are therefore in general agreement with D' Agostino et al (2001) in concluding that drainage integration in the central Apennines is related to the development of a topographic bulge in combination with normal faulting along its crest.…”

Geomorphic response to late Quaternary tectonics in the axial portion of the Southern Apennines (Italy): A case study from the Calore River valley

“…The late Middle Pleistocene to Holocene morphotectonic evolution of some mountain fronts bounding intermontane basins in the axial zone of the Central-Southern Appennines is well constrained by multiproxy data (e.g. Venafro basin: Amato et al, 2017b;Isernia basin: Di Bucci et al, 2005a;Sessano basin: Amato et al, 2011;Bojano basin: Amato et al, 2014;Ferrarini et al, 2017;Galli et al, 2017;Vallo di Diano: Giano et al, 2014;Schiattarella et al, 2017;Fucino basin and Aterno valley: Giaccio et al,2017b;Miccadei et al, 2017). Recent fault activity and moderate to high magnitude seismicity are also well documented in these areas (Valensise and Pantosti, 2001;Rovida et al, 2016).…”

“…Venafro basin: Amato et al, 2017b;Isernia basin: Di Bucci et al, 2005a;Sessano basin: Amato et al, 2011;Bojano basin: Amato et al, 2014;Ferrarini et al, 2017;Galli et al, 2017;Vallo di Diano: Giano et al, 2014;Schiattarella et al, 2017; Fucino basin and Aterno valley: Giaccio et al,2017b;Miccadei et al, 2017). Venafro basin: Amato et al, 2017b;Isernia basin: Di Bucci et al, 2005a;Sessano basin: Amato et al, 2011;Bojano basin: Amato et al, 2014;Ferrarini et al, 2017;Galli et al, 2017;Vallo di Diano: Giano et al, 2014;Schiattarella et al, 2017; Fucino basin and Aterno valley: Giaccio et al,2017b;Miccadei et al, 2017).…”

Geomorphological analysis of drainage changes in the NE Apennines piedmont area: the case of the middle Tavo River bend (Abruzzo, Central Italy)

“…Since the Middle Pleistocene, the uplift of this sector, along with Quaternary climatic fluctuations, forced alternating phases of fluvial incision and alluvial deposition (D'Agostino, Jackson, Dramis, & Funiciello, 2001;Miccadei, Piacentini, & Buccolini, 2017;Pizzi, 2003). This contributed strongly to defining the arrangement of the drainage network and induced strong selective erosion processes, while the control of tectonics on landforms is not clear.…”