Physical stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Late Pleistocene-Holocene Tiber Delta depositional sequence

The Tiber Delta lies on the passive continental margin of central western Italy. The Tiber Delta is a Late Pleistocene—Holocene sedimentary succession and constitutes an ‘incomplete’high-frequency depositional sequence (4th or 5th order), which developed from the last post-glacial rise in sea level to the present stillstand. It is bound by a type 1 basal unconformity which cuts Pleistocene deposits. Five depositional systems have been identified: (1) coastal barrier—lagoon; (2) shelf-transition; (3) fluvial braided; (4) Tiber lagoonal deltas (T1, T2, T3); and (5) Tiber wave-dominated delta. The first four systems constitute the transgressive system tract (TST) which is characterized by a retrogradational parasequences set, while the fifth system represents the highstand system tract (HST) characterized by only one parasequence (progradational). The evolution of these depositional systems has been mostly controlled by sea-level rise, which was not continuous, but punctuated by eight minor stillstands and rapid rises. This mechanism of sea-level change led to the formation of parasequences that developed within the depositional systems. From a palaeogeographical point of view the present Tiber Delta area was mainly characterized by a coastal barrier, lagoon and Tiber lagoonal deltas (T1, T2, T3), which migrated landwards during the sea-level rise. Throughout the time of the present stillstand, the T3 lagoonal delta prograded rapidly into the lagoon, reaching the coastal barrier, and the lagoon was replaced first by marshes and then by the alluvial plain. Finally, the Tiber River overcame the littoral barrier supplying the coast, giving rise to the present wave-dominated delta.     

River channel evolution and tsunami impacts recorded in local sedimentary archives – the ‘Fiume Morto’ at Ostia Antica (Tiber River,Italy)

Ostia, the ancient port of Rome at the mouth of the river Tiber (Italy), flourished until the 2nd Century ad , although massive siltation had already caused the abandonment of its lagoonal harbour in the 1st Century bc . In search of an alternative harbour site, geomorphological and geoarchaeological research was carried out in the ‘Fiume Morto’, an abandoned Tiber meander to the immediate north of the town. To reconstruct its complex development and evaluate the suitability of the river channel as a fluvial harbour, a transect perpendicular to the former river channel's flow axis was systematically explored by a new methodological approach combining electrical resistivity tomography, direct push-electrical conductivity sensing and vibracores. Together with microfossil, mineralogical and geochemical analyses of sediment samples and 50 radiocarbon dates, in-depth stratigraphic data support a detailed reconstruction of different Tiber channel generations. Results reveal a meander development closely related to distinct ‘cut and fill’ dynamics. Inactive river channels were repeatedly filled with lagoonal sediments, abruptly followed by phases of intense incision. Yet, the overall Fiume Morto channel structure remained stable and almost in situ over centuries, showing nearly no lateral changes since the southward shift of the Tiber River mouth in the first millennium bc . In the 1st Century bc , channel conditions favoured navigation and transportation of goods with large ships. Open-water conditions, suitable for anchoring and landing activities, dominate from the 1st Century ad until 1557 ad , when the Fiume Morto meander was finally cut off and silted up within a short time. Within the fluvial deposits, sediments most likely related to tsunami inundations are preserved. These events occurred sometime before the 2nd Century bc , in the early 1st Century ad and in the 17th Century ad or later. Results are consistent with traces of tsunami influence found in Ostia's western lagoonal harbour.     

Hydrological changes during the Roman Climatic Optimum in northern Tuscany (Central Italy) as evidenced by speleothem records and archaeological data

Study of the climate in the Mediterranean basin during different historical periods has taken on a particular importance, particularly regarding its role (together with other factors) in the evolution of human settlement patterns. Although the Roman age is traditionally considered a period with a favourable climate, recent studies have revealed considerable complexity in terms of regional climate variations. In this paper, we compare the hydrological change from speleothem proxy records with flood reconstructions from archaeological sites for Northern Tuscany (central Italy). We identify a period of oscillating climatic conditions culminating in a multidecadal dry event during the 1st century bc , followed by a century of increased precipitation at the beginning of the Roman Empire and subsequently a return to drier conditions in the 2nd century ad. The period of rainfall increase documented by the speleothems agrees with both the archaeological flood record as well as historical flood data available for the Tiber River, ca. 300 km to the south. These data also suggest a return to wetter conditions following the 3nd and 4rd centuries ad.     

From river to shelf,anatomy of a high‐frequency depositional sequence: The Late Pleistocene to Holocene Tiber depositional sequence

The Late Pleistocene/Holocene Tiber delta succession represents the most recent and one of the best preserved, high‐frequency/low‐rank depositional sequences developed along the Latium continental margin of the Italian peninsula. Several previous studies have established a robust data set from which it has been possible to describe the stratigraphic architecture of the entire Tiber depositional sequence from the landward to seaward sectors and over a distance of 60 km. The Tiber depositional sequence shows many characteristics found in other Late Pleistocene to Holocene deltaic and coastal successions of the Mediterranean area. The stratigraphic architecture of the Tiber depositional sequence is controlled mainly by glacioeustasy, although factors such as tectonic uplift, volcanism and subsidence, exert an influence at a local scale. The resulting depositional model allowed discussion of some important points such as: (1) the genesis of the Tiber mixed bedrock‐alluvial valley, extending from the coastal plain to the innermost portion of the shelf, recording (i) multiple episodes of incision during relative sea‐level fall, and (ii) a downstream increase of depth and width of the valley during the base‐level fall and the subsequent base‐level rise; (2) the different physical expression of the Tiber depositional sequence boundary from landward to seaward, and its diachronous and composite character; (3) the maximum depth reached by the Tiber early lowstand delta at the end of the sea‐level fall is estimated at ca 90 m below the present sea‐level and not at 120 m as suggested by previous works; (4) the backward position of the Tiber late lowstand delta relative to the deposit of early lowstand; (5) the change of the channel pattern and of the stacking pattern of fluvial deposits within the Lowstand Systems Tract, Transgressive Systems Tract and Highstand Systems Tract. All of these features indicate that the Late Pleistocene/Holocene Tiber delta succession, even if deposited in a short period of time from a geological point of view, represents the result of the close interaction among many autogenic and allogenic factors. However, global eustatic variations and sediment supply under the control of climatic changes can be considered the main factors responsible for the stratigraphic architecture of this sedimentary succession, which has been heavily modified by human activity only in the last 3000 years.     

The typology of ancient quarries within the Paleocene limestone of Álava in northern Spain

Paleocene limestone and dolomitized limestone of Álava, Spain, were used as building materials from the Neolithic age until the Neoclassical, predominantly in the production of headstones, sculpture, and stonework during the Roman era (1st to 4th centuries) and Romanic and Gothic periods (10th to 15th centuries). The quarrying methods employed are related to topographic relief. Five types of ancient quarry have been identified: escarpment, dip‐slope (ascending and descending), edge, and trench. The oldest quarries (1st to 4th centuries) are the trench‐cut stone pits of “Raso de Cezama.” Later, from the Romanic period (10th to 15th centuries), descending dip‐slope, escarpment, and edge‐based quarries were worked, such as those at Achuri, Ajarte, and Santa Elena. Finally, an ascending dip‐slope quarry was developed at Marquínez during the Neoclassical period (18th century). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Tectonics and quaternary evolution of the Northern Apennines watershed area (upper course of Arno and Tiber rivers,Italy)

This work examines the connection between Quaternary tectonics and erosion/incision processes in the primary Tuscan‐Romagna watershed of the Northern Apennines, which essentially coincides with the topographic culmination of the Nero Unit structural ridge. Tectonic and geomorphic information were collected in the area where this ridge is crossed by the upper Tiber River course forming a deep gorge. Structural analysis and field mapping have revealed that the region experienced polyphase tectonics with superposed thrust folding events identifiable both at the map and mesoscopic scales. Hinterland‐SSW‐verging thrusts and thrust‐related folds deformed the whole thrust pile during the latest deformation phase. Backthrusts/backfolds controlled the development of intermountain basins nearby the main watershed during the Early Pleistocene and seemingly deformed, in the Tiber gorge, a low‐relief landscape developed in the Early Pleistocene (ca. 1.1 Ma). Successively, the upper Tiber River course area and Apennines axial zone underwent a generalized uplift, which is manifested by the deep incision of palaeo‐morphologies. This proposed sequence of events correlates well with the major geodynamic change of the Apennines revealed by an acceleration of uplift rates in the Middle–Late Pleistocene. This latter event may also correlate with increased rates of river incision recorded in Europe as a consequence of uplift and/or climate change. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Environmental geology of Bath,England

The hot springs of Bath, England, have been of importance to man for hundreds of years. It was a famous spa in Roman times. Subsequently, the springs were used during the 17th through the 20th centuries and extensive urban and commercial properties were developed at Bath using the water for medical and tourist-oriented activities. With urban and commercial development in the area, man's impact on the environment was substantial and typical environmental problems included pollution, land subsidence, or stability that effected construction, drainage, highways, and canals. During the growth of Bath in the 18th and 19th centuries these environmental problems were described by geologist William Smith and Joseph Townsend. Bath and vicinity provides a unique example of environmental geoscience.     

Winter and summer monsoons and the navigation in East Asia in historical age

In order to make clear a problem in the human impact on the East Asian monsoons, navigation in the period from the 7th century to the 19th century was studied from the standpoint of historical climatology. 1. are described the periods of winter and summer monsoons over East Asia in relation to the division of the natural season. 2. based on the characteristics of the wind direction and velocity during the monsoons, it is shown that the winter monsoon is extremely unfavorable for navigation in contrast to the favorable summer monsoon. 3. statistical results on the possible frequency of navigation over the East China Sea by small boats are dealt with according to the meteorological records. 4. it is indicated that the navigations of the missions between Japan and China, Korea or Po Hai in the 7th – 9th centuries showed clear relations to the monsoon seasons. Lastly, the navigation mainly in 17th, 18th and 19th centuries around Ryukyu Islands, on the Chinese coast and the Japanese Islands are mentioned in detail. Even in this period the winter monsoon affected strongly on the navigation, that is, sailing and entries kept away the winter monsoon season almost completely.     

The economic impact of the port of Liverpool on the economy of Merseyside — Using a multiplier approach

Liverpool developed round the Port which brought prosperity to the region dating from the 18th century. Over the last twenty years, however, changes in trading patterns and cargo-handling methods have had a distinct and drastic impact upon the Port. Today it is struggling to compete with South and East coast rivals. Its economic impact on the local economy is also declining. Through examining activity linked with the Port it was found that (a) jobs totally dependent upon the Port number less than 15,000, (b) firms supplying the Port are generally only dependent upon it for an extremely small proportion of their total turnover and (c) the Port's customers, which tend to be located in the North West, West Midlands and Yorkshire-Humberside, are decreasing in number and are frequently constrained by shipping companies for their choice of port.     

Spatial and temporal changes in the relationship between church and state in Hungary

Hungary is located in the Carpatho–Pannonian area and has been the interface at which European Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodoxy and Judaism have met and mixed for nearly 500 years. The Hungarian state was founded in the 10th and 11th centuries with Catholic support. This was well before the emergence of the modern Hungarian nation in the 18th and 19th centuries on the basis of a mix with Protestantism. During the latter period, Hungarians were followers of several confessions. In spite of this, the Catholic Church generally managed to retain its politically dominant position until 1946, and the elimination of kingdom. In 1949, the Hungarian state and the churches were officially separated. This was followed by an era of atheist, anticlerical policy by the communist totalitarian regime until 1989. Since then state–church relations have largely conformed to European norms and were based on a division of tasks and cooperation. Churches in Hungary played an important role in maintaining civil society and ideas of national consciousness during the totalitarian communist regime. That is why religious conviction and ecclesiastic affairs have a broader political context here than in the west. In the second half of the 20th century, secularisation accelerated by state support was curbed and reversed due to a religious revival, which took place mainly in rural areas following the change in political regime. The scale of religious pluralism was related to the arrival of people who belonged to non-traditional confessions.     

Indications of late medieval earthquakes in the Talas-Fergana Fault Zone,Tien Shan

A paleoseismological study in the Talas-Fergana Fault Zone of the Tien Shan was accompanied by age determination of ancient seismic events. The calibrated radiocarbon datings of recent and buried soils allowed us to recognize the fault segments reactivated during strong earthquakes that occurred in the 14th- 16th centuries A.D. The magnitude of the paleoseismological event in the 16th century was no lower than 7.0 and no lower than IX in seismic intensity.     

A New State in the Hydrological Regime of the Sea of Azov in the 21th Century

Doklady Earth Sciences - The dynamics of the state of the Sea of Azov during the 20th and early 21st centuries is described. The basic factors that form the hydrological regime of the sea are...     

Historical decision‐making for the choice of natural stone in St Bavo's Cathedral tower in Ghent,Belgium

The St Bavo's Cathedral tower in Ghent, Belgium, is currently under restoration. This tower was built during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries over a period of 73 years, using Eocene white stone. Restorations over the last two centuries introduced different Jurassic limestones from the Paris Basin. Documentation of these interventions, however, is very poor for the period before the twentieth century, and documentation on the original construction is non‐existing. Nevertheless, the use of the different stones in their historical context forms a typical example of the historical mindset on the use of white stone, representative for Ghent and by extension northwestern Belgium.     

Long-Term Temperature Trends and Tree Growth in the Taymir Region of Northern Siberia

The northernmost conifers in the world are located well above the Arctic Circle in the Taymir region of northern Siberia and have been recording the thermal environment for centuries to millennia. The trees respond to temperatures beyond the narrow season of actual cambial cell division by means of root growth, photosynthesis, lignification of cell walls, and other biochemical processes. Data from annual tree-ring widths are used to reconstruct May–September mean temperatures for the past four centuries. These warm-season temperatures correlate with annual temperatures and indicate unusual warming in the 20th century. However, there is a loss of thermal response in ring widths since about 1970. Previously the warmer temperatures induced wider rings. Most major warming and cooling trends are in agreement with other high-latitude temperature reconstructions based on tree-ring analyses with some regional differences in timing of cooling in the late 18th century and of warming in the late 19th century.     

Seismic history and consistent seismicity: Evidence from southern Italy

In this paper a method is proposed to evaluate the seismicity level of an area in a given historical period, based on records of seismic events, source characteristics and intensity attenuation with distance. Also considered is the seismic activity recorded in southern Italy during the 10th and 11th centuries, seismic records being obtained from all available sources. To determine the level of seismicity, a key role is played by source characteristics, i.e. recording modalities and activity periods of recording centers. In addition, models of intensity attenuation with distance allow the assessment of the size of the area under investigation. This paper identifies the areas, in the 10th and 11th centuries, where major earthquakes (M 6.5) did not occur during periods of silence of sources, as well as those where such events cannot be excluded. For each area, different levels of probability were determined by applying the Cox linear logistic model to historical seismic data. The completeness analysis, in terms of area and time-span coverage, is a valuable tool to assess seismicity in seismogenetic areas. The reproducibility of the model for lower magnitude earthquakes (M < 6.5) is reliable.     

The Ecological Impact of Conquest and Colonization on a Medieval Frontier Landscape: Combined Palynological and Geochemical Analysis of Lake Sediments from Radzyń Chełminski,Northern Poland

Slavic and German colonization of the southern Baltic between the 8th and 15th centuries A.D. is well‐documented archaeologically and historically. Despite the large number of pollen profiles from Poland, few palaeoecological studies have examined the ecological impact of a process that was central to the expansion of European, Christian, societies. This study aims to redress this balance through multiproxy analysis of lake sediments from Radzyń Chełminski, Northern Poland, using pollen, element geochemistry (Inductively Coupled‐Optical Emission Spectroscopy [ICP‐OES]), organic content, and magnetic susceptibility. The close association between lake and medieval settlements presents the ideal opportunity to reconstruct past vegetation and land‐use dynamics within a well‐documented archaeological, historical, and cultural context. Three broad phases of increasing landscape impact are visible in the pollen and geochemical data dating from the 8th/9th, 10th/11th, and 13th centuries, reflecting successive phases of Slavic and German colonization. This involved the progressive clearance of oak‐hornbeam dominated woodland and the development of an increasingly open agricultural landscape. Although the castles and towns of the Teutonic Order remain the most visible signs of medieval colonization, the palynological and geochemical data demonstrate that the major phase of woodland impact occurred during the preceding phase of Slavic expansion; Germans colonists were entering a landscape already significantly altered.     

Climate variations,an overlooked factor influencing the recent marine environment. An example from Gullmar Fjord,Sweden, illustrated by benthic foraminifera and hydrographic data

Like most sill fjords, Gullmar Fjord on the Swedish west coast, is subject to periods of stagnation. Deep water is usually renewed annually, but since the late 1970s several low-oxygen events have been documented in the deepest part of the fjord. These events occurred during a time when the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) was in a highly positive phase. We investigated how the benthic environment, in the deepest part of the fjord, has varied during the 20th century, using benthic foraminifera and an extensive history of instrumental hydrographic data. The foraminifera have undergone one major faunal change and two minor modifications during this time. The major faunal change occurred in the late 1970s to early 1980s, when the common Skagerrak-Kattegat fauna was replaced by one dominated by the opportunistic, low-oxygen-tolerant species,Stainforthia fusiformis. This major faunal change appears to be related to the severe low-oxygen event in 1979–1980. In the latter part of the 1990s the fauna changed again; the concentration ofS. fusiformis was still high, but other low-oxygen-tolerant species also became important. This minor faunal modification occurred in connection with the 2-yr stagnation period between 1996 and 1998 when a low-oxygenevent evolved, the most severe recorded in Gullmar Fjord. Between 1930 and 1980, there was little faunal variation, and a stable fjord environment is indicated. During this time, negative NAO indexes dominated and climate was more continental, with an increase in winds from the northeast and east. In connection with a climate transition indicated by the NAO index switching from positive to negative, a minor faunal change occurred in the late 1920s to early 1930s: the concentration of the Skagerrak-Kattegat fauna increased markedly in the fjord. The fauna characterizing the positive NAO phase between 1900 and the late 1920s is very different from the present positive NAO fauna. The foraminiferal record laid down between approximately 1914 and 2001 indicates that between 1930 and 1980 Gullmar Fjord was a stable fjord environment. During the last 20 yr, it experienced conditions that were more fluctuating and changing. For the most part, changes in the foraminiferal fauna are caused by changes in the deep-water renewal, their extent and frequency, which in turn are caused by climatic oscillations.     

A 3.5 ka record of paleoenvironments and human occupation at Angkor Borei,Mekong Delta,southern Cambodia

Microfossil and sedimentological data from a 3.1 m core extracted from a reservoir (baray) at the ancient Cambodian settlement of Angkor Borei in the Mekong Delta have provided a continuous record of sedimentation and paleoenvironments dating from about 2000 cal yr B.C. Palynological data indicate that for much of the cal. 1st and 2nd millennia B.C. mangroves dominated the regional vegetation, while extensively and regularly burnt grasslands dominated the local vegetation. Turbid, nutrient‐rich standing water characterized the core locality, perhaps suggesting a connection with rivers in the area. An abrupt change during the cal. 5th to 6th centuries A.D. involved a dramatic reduction in grasslands and the expansion of secondary forest or re‐growth taxa. These changes are synchronous with an abrupt decline in the concentration of microscopic charcoal particles in the sediments, and the colonization of the core locality by swamp forest plants. These changes are taken to indicate a shift in land‐use strategies or, possibly, a period of land abandonment. The age for the construction of the baray is interpreted to be in the 17th–19th centuries, but this dating remains speculative. Construction of the Angkor Borei baray exploited a preexisting body of standing water, so its construction was fundamentally different from the methods used at the Angkorian capital in northern Cambodia. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Hydrocarbon Potential of Deeply Buried Reservoirs in the Astrakhan Oil and Gas Accumulation Zone: Problems and Solutions

Geotectonics - Global experience in oil exploration and the discovery of the Tupi field in Brazil and the Tiber field in the Gulf of Mexico in the last decade have confirmed the existence of giant...     

Permian Fusuline Fauna from the Lower Part of the Lugu Formation in the Central Qiangtang Block and its Geological Implications

A Kubergandian （Kungurian） fusuline fauna from the lower part of the Lugu Formation in the Cuozheqiangma area,central Qiangtang Block is described.This fusuline fauna belongs to the Southern Transitional Zone in palaeobiogeography,and is characterised by the presence of the distinctive bi-temperate genus Monodiexodina and many genera common in lower latitude Tethyan areas such as Parafusulina and Pseudodoliolina.The occurrence of Monodiexodina in the fauna confirms that the seamount-type carbonates of the Lugu Formation did not originate from the Palaeotethys Ocean,but rather from a branch of the Neotethys Ocean after the rifting of the Qiangtang Block from the Tethys Himalaya area in the Artinskian.