Aeolian influences on the soils and landforms of the southern Yilgarn Craton of semi-arid, southwestern Australia

Within a landscape developed on the deeply weathered, dominantly granitic rocks of the Yilgarn Craton in southwestern Australia, there is strong evidence of prior aeolian activity. Multiple arrays of clayey saltation deposits occur as clay dunes or lunettes extending up to 5 km to the southeast of playas, and quartzose sand dunes and sheets occur in a 2-km wide band that extends 10 km southeast of an ephemeral creek line. Parabolic dunes occur within some clayey lunettes. The parallel orientation of these diverse features and the elliptical shape of the playas suggest that the winds that have created these geomorphic entities have been from the northwest. Multiple lunette arrays with up to seven members have not been previously reported in this region.There is evidence for a more widespread, but more subtle, aeolian influence on the soils. Dust deposits appear to mantle parts of the landscape and are inferred to be coeval with the clayey saltation deposits. Although these do not occur as a discrete layer, evidence includes a plume of calcareous and illitic soils southeast of the major playa, in a landscape otherwise characterised by acidic, kaolinitic soils. Similarly, the occurrence of deep sandy soils on many slopes with a southeasterly aspect may indicate the interference of topography on the transport of saltating sands during an arid climatic phase. The presence of such aeolian deposits has implications for agricultural management, mineral exploration and the interpretation of ecological gradients in similar undisturbed landscapes.Current desertification, in the form of salinization and wind erosion, has precedence in this landscape. The aeolian deposits provide a means of interpreting landscape-scale responses to previous climate change and a key to predicting possible outcomes of both desertification and future climate change. Assuming that Bowler's theory that clay dunes require an adjacent salinized playa bed to form is correct, the arrays of clayey lunettes together with vegetated former playas indicate that the landscape has undergone multiple cycles of salinization and recovery. The lunettes may thus provide a means of predicting landscape hydrological responses to the widespread removal of natural vegetation for farming. Dating of the various sequences is required to provide a time scale for these landscape processes.     

呼伦贝尔沙质草原风蚀坑研究（1）——形态、分类、研究意义

采用野外调查和测量、航片判读、室内制图、统计分析等方法对呼伦贝尔沙质草原典型地带的风蚀坑及坑后风沙沉积进行了研究。发现:①风蚀坑是由一个沙坑和坑后沙丘共同组成,两者具有一一对应关系;②风蚀坑和坑后沙丘可以根据形态特征、发展阶段、诱发原因进行分类;③呼伦贝尔三大沙带均由风蚀坑洼地及其坑后沙丘和背景沙质草原组成;④沙质草原风蚀坑的发生与人类活动关系密切,为气候干旱化与人类大范围强度活动干扰土层相耦合的环境事件所造成。该研究对沙质草原沙漠发生学,沙质草原地貌演化和沙漠化监测研究具有科学意义,对草原合理利用和沙漠化防治具有现实意义。     

腾格里沙漠东南缘反向沙丘形态演化过程

沙丘形态演化是风沙地貌研究的重要内容。反向沙丘是指在相反方向风作用下形成的沙丘,有两个落沙坡,分别对应两个风向,在主风向作用下形成横向沙丘,但在相反方向风作用下,沙丘顶部向主风方向移动,从而形成反向沙丘。反向沙丘存在于任何有两个相反方向风的地区。以腾格里沙漠东南缘平坦沙地上发育的反向沙丘为研究对象,2010年对沙丘迎风坡和背风坡不同部位坡度进行1年期野外测量,旨在阐明反向沙丘的形态演化过程。结果表明：反向沙丘形态演化包括3个阶段：横向沙丘—过渡态—反向沙丘,但研究区的沙丘形态演化经历5个阶段：横向沙丘—过渡态—反向沙丘—过渡态—横向沙丘。不同演化阶段的沙丘迎风坡和背风坡角度发生明显变化。该研究结果增加人们对反向沙丘形态演化过程的认识,对区域风沙地貌改造利用提供理论依据。     

新月形沙丘维持相对稳定的两种过程

新月形沙丘顶部稳定性是风沙地貌学尚未解决的科学问题。研究新月形沙丘的顶部稳定性,对于绿洲边缘风沙运动规律揭示、防沙工程建设和沙区生态环境保护等具有重要的现实意义。选择民勤沙区新月形沙丘,通过测定沙丘各部位风速、风蚀风积和粒度等,分析了新月形沙丘顶部稳定机理。主风向（NW）作用是新月形沙丘最高点与沙脊线重合、沙丘前移和高度降低的过程;反向风（SE）作用是沙丘最高点与沙脊线分离、沙丘背风坡风蚀与沙丘增高的过程。由于研究区以NW风为主,新月形沙丘沿NW-SE方向前移,SE风只能风蚀减缓沙丘背风坡的坡度。人为干预将会阻止或减少从迎风坡向沙丘顶部输送沙量,使得新月形沙丘背风坡尤其是背风坡上部风蚀过程增强,新月形沙丘逐渐过渡为抛物线形沙丘。     

中国干旱区不同成因沉积物吹蚀速率的实验研究

通过对中国干旱区8种不同成因沉积物吹蚀速率的风洞实验,从风蚀动力机制上讨论沙漠的物质来源及其与沙丘发育和沙漠形成的关系。对比风洞实验测定结果发现,在我国西北干旱区及其周围分布最广的8种沉积物中,吹蚀速率从大到小依次是：湖相沙 > 河流沙 > 砂页岩风化物 > 洪积物 > 冰水沙 > 花岗岩风化物 > 坡积物 > 冰碛物。吹蚀速率与沉积物组成中0.063~2 mm的易蚀性颗粒含量和分选性成显著线性正相关,与 < 0.063 mm的粉粘粒和 > 2 mm的砾石含量成显著线性负相关。根据不同沉积物吹蚀速率的差异性,可以将这8种沉积物划分为4类：(1) 湖相沙和河流沙在干燥条件下极易遭受风蚀,是最主要的沙源物质;(2) 砂页岩风化物、洪积物和冰水沙吹蚀速率较强,为次要的沙源物质;(3) 花岗岩风化物和坡积物吹蚀速率较差,仅能提供少量沙物质;(4) 冰碛物对风力有较强的抗蚀性,所能提供的沙物质数量甚微。我国沙漠的形成除了强盛的风力条件以外,内陆湖盆的干涸导致大范围湖相沙层的暴露以及流水对碎屑物质的前期分选起到了关键作用,这可能是我国沙漠一般分布在内陆湖盆周围或河流沿岸的主要物质原因。     

沙丘风蚀坑的形态及动力过程的研究进展

随着风沙活动对全球变化的响应研究不断深入,沙质海岸、湖岸和半干旱区草原环境中不同程度植被覆盖沙丘及其风蚀坑的动态得到了广泛的重视。本文对沙丘风蚀坑的形态及动力学特征的研究成果作了初步总结,着重阐述了沙丘风蚀坑内气流场、沙粒输移和蚀积变化。最后,提出了沙丘风蚀坑研究巾存在的问题和主要研究趋势。     

沙坡头铁路防护体系内风沙沉积的粒度特征

包兰铁路沙坡头段铁路防护体系内,由于下垫面性质发生变化,流沙区至人工植被带地表沉积物中表层土壤的黏粒和粉沙含量显著增大,平均粒径减小,颗粒分选性显著变差。防护体系内表层沉积物中的粉沙含量与地表相对高程反相关,黏粒含量与地形起伏没有直接关系,颗粒平均粒径、分选性与地表相对高程正相关。在土层垂直方向上,表层0~5cm内土壤粉沙含量较高,颗粒分选性差;5cm以下深度内土壤粉沙含量减少,颗粒分选性变好。在防护体系内沙丘地貌的不同部位,沙尘沉积速率不同。据此估算表明防护体系内固定沙丘迎风坡顶部沉积速率为0.147 cm/a左右;背风坡和丘间地平均堆积速率大于0.588cm/a。     

AEOLIAN BLOWOUT DYNAMICS IN SUBARCTIC LAPLAND BASED ON DECADAL LEVELLING INVESTIGATIONS

Aeolian processes in the subarctic ecocline were investigated by measuring present‐day erosion and deposition rates over a decade in blowouts scoured into stabilized Early to Mid‐Holocene dunes. Four localities from different vegetation zones in Finnish Lapland were surveyed using precision levelling (infrared tachymeter) along eight transects at 1‐m intervals. During an 11‐year observation period, a total of 1439 observation points were monitored in three measurement campaigns, in 1993, 1994 and 2004. Together with dating results reported elsewhere, the results demonstrate the relative quiescence of these subarctic blowouts compared to many coastal dunes. On average, the deflation rate of the studied basins was 8.8 mm a^‐1, which corresponds well with the age and depth of the blowouts. Net deposition had taken place at 30% of the observation points, and one of the eight studied transects showed net deposition as the transect average. Symmetrical, smooth basins showed more consistent changes than basins with a complex form, indicating that internal factors are important in blowout formation under the Lapland climatic range. The deepest part of a blowout was generally found in the upwind end. The erosion/deposition patterns of the transects over a one‐year monitoring period were interpreted with Fourier analysis revealing along‐transect cyclicity, possibly reflecting the movement of small migrating bedforms in the blowouts. Generally, deflation rates at the latitudinal pine forest line were smaller than at those well outside the pine forest suggesting that the coniferous forest at the subarctic ecocline affects the intensity of present‐day aeolian activity in Fennoscandia.     

Deflation rates of different clastic sediments in the arid regions of China

By wind tunnel experiment, we studied the deflation rates of 8 different clastic sediments in the arid regions of China, discussed the sources of aeolian sand and their influence on the development of sand dunes and formation of sand deserts from the view of dynamics of wind erosion. The average deflation rates of 8 typical clastic sediments in the arid regions of China can be arranged in the order of lacustrine sand > alluvial sand > weathered sandstone and shale > pluvial sediments > fluvioglacial sand > weathered granite > slope deposit > glacial sediments. The deflation rates exhibited strong positive correlations with the erodible particle (0.063–2mm) content and sorting features. In contrast, the deflation rates had obvious negative correlations with the contents of silt clay (<0.063 mm) and gravel (>2 mm). According to the deflation rates, the 8 typical clastic sediments can be divided into four categories: (1) lacustrine and alluvial sand, which are readily prone to wind erosion, assumed to be the main source of aeolian sand; (2) weathered sandstone and shale, pluvial sediments and fluvioglacial sand with considerable deflation rates, might be the secondary source of aeolian sand; (3) weathered granite and slope deposit having the lower deflation rates, could supply a little aeolian sand; and (4) glacial sediments with a strong anti-erodibility, could hardly offer any aeolian sand. In addition to the strong wind conditions, the exposure of extensive lacustrine sand induced by the desiccation of inland lake basin, as well as the pre-sorting of clastic sediments by flowing water should be the key factors influencing the development of sand deserts in China. The possible reason the sand deserts in China being mostly distributed around the inland lake basins and along riverbanks could be better understood through sand source analysis.     

The role of salt weathering in the origin of the Qattara Depression, Western Desert, Egypt

Field studies and petrographic examinations of core samples and of the bedrock of the floor of the Qattara Depression, Egypt, indicate that salt weathering predominates in its western part in marked contrast to its eastern part. The eastern part of the depression is covered with more than 120-cm-thick, moist sands with sporadic occurrence of halite and gypsum due to the low salinity of the groundwater table. At the western part of the depression, the strongly saline, sodium chloride nature of the groundwater table favors crystallization of halite (and sometimes gypsum) at or near the surface of the outcropping bedrock of the Moghra clastics and/or Dabaa shale. Crystallization of halite and/or gypsum generates increased pressure that leads to mechanical disintegration of the bedrock into fine-grained debris. Features related to disintegration include blistering of the rock surface, splitting, spalling and/or granular disintegration.Alternation of dry and wet cycles favor halite crystallization, mechanical disintegration of the outcropping bedrock and dissolution of the halite cement, which exposes fine-grained debris to wind deflation. Removal of the debris from the floor of the depression leads to the accumulation of lunettes and other dunes in the downwind direction.Therefore, salt weathering provides fine-grained debris that are easily removed by deflation, which accounts for the topographically lower level of the western part of the depression (134 m below sea level (b.s.l.)). In contrast, the presence of moist sediments at the eastern part of the depression inhibits deflation and encourages sedimentation by adhesion of wind-blown sand to the damp surface of the sabkha at an elevation of 45 m below sea level.The disintegration of the bedrock of the Qattara Depression by salt weathering has been in effect since the onset of aridity in northern Egypt in Quaternary time. Whereas the initial excavation of the depression started in Late Miocene or Pliocene time by fluvial erosion, karstic process, mass-wasting and wind deflation.     

呼伦贝尔沙质草原风蚀坑研究（Ⅲ）: 微地貌和土层的影响

 采用剖面测量,沿剖面选取不同微地貌部位测量土层厚度、坚实度、粒度构成,并进行室内统计比较和分析的方法,对呼伦贝尔沙质草原区风蚀坑的发育受微地貌部位和土层控制的情况进行了研究。发现在接近自然状态下风蚀坑主要发育于西南坡和南坡的上部和中部;由于翻耕、机动车道路等人类活动诱发,也形成于平坦的草地,北坡和东坡甚至低地。沙质草原区的土层中部存在一个粗化层,在失去草被和上部的土壤-根系层保护时特别容易遭受风蚀的侵害,形成风沙流破坏钙积层并导致风蚀坑的形成。沙质草原是生态地质环境脆弱区,呼伦贝尔沙质草原区的西坡、南坡的中上部,梁岗丘等微地貌部位是风蚀沙化的危险地带。干旱半干旱气候区沙质草原的土层是稀缺的自然资源,地表土壤-植物根系层是珍贵的生态系统。保护地表土层对于保护草地资源和生态环境,以及沙漠化防治具有极端重要性。     

河北昌黎黄金海岸横向沙脊表面的粒度分布模式

河北昌黎黄金海岸自然保护区内的横向沙脊规模高大、形态典型,对其表面采集的47个沙丘表面沉积物粒度样品的分析结果,该海岸横向沙脊表面粒度总体上是中砂、分选好、对称和中等峰态,但脊顶、坡部及坡脚的粒度分异明显,自沙脊两侧坡脚向脊顶粒径变细、分选变好,向陆背风坡的细化与分选优于向海迎风坡,脊顶粒径最细,向陆背风坡脚最粗,是一种新型的沙丘表面粒度分布模式。该粒度分布模式是该区域主风向与强风向交替变化及其风速差异、沙脊高大且两侧不对称等组合作用的结果。     

雅鲁藏布江山南宽谷段爬坡沙丘表层沉积物特征

为揭示雅鲁藏布江山南宽谷段爬坡沙丘的形成过程、物源及沉积学意义,对山南宽谷段朗赛岭爬坡沙丘进行断面采样,分析爬坡沙丘不同地貌部位沉积物的粒度和地球化学元素特征.结果表明:爬坡沙丘表层沉积物以细沙和中沙为主,河漫滩和阶地表现出明显的风水交互特点,迎风坡和背风坡则表现为明显的风成特点;不同地貌部位沉积物粒度特征不同,从河漫...     

禹门口南黄河东岸沙丘初步研究

在禹门口南山西省河津、万荣县境内黄河阶地上发育了一些固定、半固定沙丘,注入黄河的汾河将这些沙丘分成了南北两部分。北部的沙丘多在海拔400m左右,高出现代黄河约35m,位于黄河的第二级阶地上,由两条南北向的沙垄和两垄之间分布的抛物线形沙丘构成特殊的景观。这些抛物线形沙丘一般高度约7~8m,背风面突出,迎风坡坡度一般为15°~20°,背风坡坡度一般大于40°。风沙堆积下伏的河流堆积物的¹⁴C年龄为26.40±0.8kaBP,表明沙丘形成于距今26ka以来。南部沙丘海拔高度近500m,高出现代黄河水面150m,覆盖于黄河第三级阶地之上。一个天然剖面揭示,第三阶地的底部为黄色中粗砂与灰绿色粉砂粘土互层,中部为灰黄色黄土,顶部为黄色风沙层。在黄土地层中可以识别出S₁古土壤和位于风沙堆积下面的可能为L₁SS₁的弱成土层。由此推断风沙堆积于距今3万a以来。黄河阶地上的沙丘是在特殊的地区和特定的时期;强大的风力、丰富的沙源和气候变干条件下形成的。虽然东岸沙丘已是固定、半固定沙丘,但沙化仍然是该地区的一个问题。由于3~4a前开始在丘前洼地栽种苹果树,破坏了下风向沙丘迎风面的植被,造成了原来已固定沙丘的活化,在沙丘顶部生成了新的小抛物线形沙丘,高度大于1 m。沙丘上裸露的树根指示表土已被侵蚀0.3 m。南部沙丘区的风蚀作用也很强,例如,万荣县裴庄乡西范村北一片柿树林的树根由于风蚀已经裸露1.2 m。     

古尔班通古特沙漠西南缘新月形沙丘内部沉积构造特征研究

沙丘内部沉积构造保存了沙丘动力演变过程的重要信息。以古尔班通古特沙漠西南缘固定、半固定新月形沙丘区为研究区域,利用探地雷达在春、秋两季对固定、半固定新月形沙丘内部构造进行探测,获取了不同规模形态的固定、半固定新月形沙丘深约8 m的内部构造图像信息。通过图像增益处理、解译和对比分析表明：（1） 古尔班通古特沙漠固定、半固定新月形沙丘共有5种沙丘内部构造雷达相,即高倾角斜层理、楔状交错层理、上凸形交错层理、低倾角-近水平层理和块状层理,其中前4种主要分布在3~5 m的浅层,而块状层理主要分布在4~5 m以下的深度。（2） 高倾角斜层理、楔状交错层理主要分布在高大新月形沙丘（链）的迎风坡上部和丘顶地带,前者为背风坡前积层埋藏而成,反映高大新月形沙丘迎风坡上部和丘顶风沙活动较频繁,沙丘“固身缩顶”后埋藏的前积纹层因风蚀而出露,后者为迎风坡风蚀坑和风蚀槽中由风沙流充填而成的构造或在丘顶风向的季节性变化形成的构造。（3） 与灌丛沙丘相关的上凸形交错层理广泛分布在新月形沙丘的迎风坡中下部,在背风坡也有局部出现,表明灌丛沙丘在沙丘表层的风沙过程中占有重要地位;而深部的块状层理可能是早期风积层受到强烈的生物扰动,原生层理消失而产生。（4） 以上沙丘内部构造的类型与组合分布特点,反映了研究区新月形沙丘总体上趋于稳定或衰退状态,这与现代沙丘“固身缩顶”的地貌变化特征相一致。例如,迎风坡中上部和丘顶常见风蚀槽,背风坡因坡度变缓、前积层发育趋缓,现代风沙活动主要集中于新月形沙丘的上部和丘顶等。由此可见,研究区固定、半固定新月形沙丘内部构造及其组合分布特征异于流动新月形沙丘,也与半个多世纪以来北疆沙漠气候变暖变湿、平均风速减弱、植被盖度增加的区域自然地理环境变化趋势有一定的吻合性。     

中国干旱区不同成因碎屑沉积物的吹蚀速率研究

1 Introduction The sand deserts in China are the product of long-term wind erosion from clastic sediments and remodified by wind in the arid environments (Wu, 1987; Gao et al., 1993). The origin of aeolian sand is an elementary issue in studying morpholog…     

Calibration of the MDCO dust collector and of four versions of the inverted frisbee dust deposition sampler

Wind tunnel experiments were conducted to determine the efficiency of sediment samplers designed to measure the deposition of aeolian dust. Efficiency was ascertained relative to a water surface, which was considered the best alternative for simulating a perfectly absorbent surface. Two types of samplers were studied: the Marble Dust Collector (MDCO) and the inverted frisbee sampler. Four versions of the latter catcher were tested: an empty frisbee, an empty frisbee surrounded by an aerodynamic flow deflector ring, a frisbee filled with glass marbles, and a frisbee filled with glass marbles and surrounded by a flow deflector ring. Efficiency was ascertained for five wind velocities (range: 1–5 m s^− 1) and eight grain size classes (range: 10–89 μm). The efficiency of dust deposition catchers diminishes rapidly as the wind speed increases. It also diminishes as the particles caught become coarser. Adding a flow deflector ring to a catcher substantially improves the catcher's efficiency, by up to 100% in some cases. The addition of glass marbles to a catcher, on the other hand, does not seem to increase the efficiency, at least not at wind velocities inferior to the deflation threshold. For higher velocities the marbles protect the settled particles from resuspension, keeping them in the catcher. The following five parameters determine the accumulation of aeolian dust in a catcher: the horizontal dust flux, the weight of the particles, atmospheric turbulence, resuspension, and the dust shadow effect created by the catcher. The final accumulation flux depends on the combination of these parameters. The catchers tested in this study belong to the best catchers currently in use in earth science and have been the subject of various aerodynamic studies to improve their efficiency. Nevertheless the catching efficiency remains low, in the order of 20–40% for wind speeds above 2 m s^− 1. Other catchers suffer from the same low efficiencies. There is, thus, evidence to believe that dust deposition rates published in the aeolian literature and obtained by collecting the sediment in a catcher largely underestimate the true deposition. The errors are considerable, of the order of 100% and more. A reconsideration of the literature data on aeolian dust deposition measured by catchers is, therefore, required.     

呼伦贝尔沙地风蚀坑粒度特征及其环境意义

对呼伦贝尔沙地现代风蚀坑表层沙质沉积物与坑后沙丘垂直剖面沉积物进行了粒度分析,讨论了坑后沙丘剖面的形成过程及风成沙粒度变化的原因。结果表明：呼伦贝尔沙地风蚀坑表面及坑后沙丘剖面沉积物粒径以细沙和中沙为主;风蚀坑表面沉积物粒径及分选参数在风蚀坑各部位呈现波动式变化;平坦草地上的现代土壤与坑后沙丘下伏古土壤为同一层。基于粒度和沙丘移动过程综合分析,认为坑后沙丘剖面中风成沙粒度的垂向变化与沙丘在堆积和移动过程中剖面在坑后沙丘相对位置的变化具有紧密联系,密集采样得出的剖面中风成沙粒度的垂向变化是否能直接指示区域气候环境变化值得商榷。     

Origin and characteristics of yardangs in the Um Al-Rimam depressions (N Kuwait)

Although Arabia hosts one of the largest deserts in the world, studies regarding aeolian erosional features in general and yardangs in particular are rare. The principal aim of this study is to delineate and investigate the various forms of yardangs in the Um Al-Rimam depressions in the northern part of Kuwait. The study area consists of two main depressions connected by neck area made up of continental sediments. Both depressions are surrounded by a dissected escarpment and their floors host muddy playas. On lithological bases, three main types of yardang have been identified: 7 yardangs are sculptured in sandstones of Lower Fars Formation (Lower to Middle Miocene), 23 are carved in calcretic rocks of Ghar Formation (Oligocene to Lower Miocene), and 11 yardangs are developed in Quaternary sediments. Their mean orientation NW (297°) coincides with the prevailing direction of the strong local northwesterly wind called the shamal. The average length/width ratio is 1.5:1. The wide geographic distribution of yardangs around the margins of the northern depression is due to sand blasting. This is explained by the annual sand accumulation measured in the study area where the northern depression shows 143 times higher accumulation than the southern depression, the neck area and the platform above the depressions. Also, the field measurements for annual erosional rates show that the sides of the yardangs are more affected by erosion compared to their middle parts. Remarkably slight mineralogical variations were detected within the surface sediments of Um Al-Rimam depressions and the Quaternary muddy yardangs which indicate a common origin. The age of yardangs is unknown but annual erosional rates on a small Quaternary muddy yardang suggest that they range in age between 44 and 1500 years depending on yardang size. It is believed, as indicated from field observation and interpretation of aerial photos, that the majority of yardangs are pre-existing bedrock forms. These forms were developed by paleo-surface hydrological processes which were modified by wind action in latter phase.     

Influence of structural framework on mountain slope deformation in the Maiella anticline (Central Apennines, Italy)

Relationships between tectonic framework and gravity-driven phenomena have been investigated in an area of the Central Apennines (Italy) characterised by high relief. The north–south, half-dome shaped Maiella anticline lies in the easternmost part of the Apennine fold-and-thrust belt. Its backlimb is bordered by the Caramanico Fault, a normal fault with a maximum downthrown of about 3.5 km that separates the western slope of the Maiella Massif from the Caramanico Valley. The southwestern Maiella area is affected by deep-seated gravitational slope deformation indicated by major double crest lines, down-hill and up-hill facing scarps, a pattern of crossing trenches, bulging at the base of slopes and the presence of different types of landslide and talus slope deposits.The onset and development of deep-seated gravitational slope deformations and the location of Quaternary, massive rockslope failures have been strongly influenced by the structural framework and tectonic pattern of the anticline. Deep-seated gravitational slope deformation at Mt. Macellaro–Mt. Amaro ridge has developed along the Maiella western, reverse slope in correspondence with the anticline axial culmination; it is bordered at the rear by a NNW–SSE oriented, dextral, strike-slip fault zone and has an E–W direction of rock mass deformation. Closer to the southern plunging area of the anticline, gravity-driven phenomena show instead a N–S and NW–SE direction, influenced by bedding attitude.3D topographic models illustrate the relationship between deep-seated gravitational slope deformation and massive rockslope failures. The Campo di Giove rock avalanche, a huge Quaternary failure event, was the result of an instantaneous collapse on a mountaine slope affected by a long-term gravity-driven deformation.