Detachments and normal faulting in the Marche fold-and-thrust belt (central Apennines, Italy): inferences on fluid migration paths

In the outermost domains of the central Apennines fold-and-thrust belt, the structural architecture of the late Miocene–early Pliocene contractional edifice was controlled by competence contrasts in the Calcareous–Marly sequences of Mesozoic–Tertiary age, and by a different state of lithification of the rock units at the onset of deformation. Field data on relative chronology of outcrop-scale structures (cleavage, veins, faults, folds) are presented for the three largest thrust-ramp anticlines of the Marche fold-and-thrust belt: Monte Gorzano, Acquasanta and Montagna dei Fiori-Montagnone. The data show that the timing and geometry of deformation structures differ for: (1) the lower Calcareous interval of late Triassic–early Cretaceous age (LCI) bounded on top by the intermediate detachment (ID) of the Fucoidi Marls; (2) the upper Calcareous–Marly interval (UCMI) of late Cretaceous–Oligocene age; (3) the uppermost detachment zone (UDZ) of lower–middle Miocene age; (4) the topmost Messinian Flysch sequence (FS). In the UDZ early episodes of deformation are manifested by compaction of a poorly lithified sequence followed by pervasive development of layer-parallel pressure-solution cleavage. Reverse faults ramp obliquely across the stratigraphic sequence, and are coated by multiple overgrowths of calcite fibers. These structures are deformed by large, eastward-verging asymmetric folds with N–S axial trends, and are cut by late generations of reverse faults. Normal faults started to develop in the fold backlimbs during the final stages of shortening, in middle–late Pliocene times. These early normal faults were reactivated during episodes of late Pliocene–Pleistocene extensional downfaulting, and are now superposed on the compressional edifice. The UDZ is interpreted to have temporarily sealed the upward escape of fluids during the initial episodes of shortening. Pervasive interlayer flow in the poorly lithified sequence was responsible for development of broken beds and scaly fabrics, similar to those observed in accretionary prisms. Only in the latest stages of deformation did propagation of discrete faults provide an interconnected pathway for fluid migration, until the final offset of the UDZ. The structural relationships suggest that fluids trapped within the fold cores and sealed by the UDZ were finally driven upwards due to progressive disruption of the thrust belt by late normal faults of late Pliocene to Pleistocene and Holocene age. Large-scale fluid migration along structurally-controlled pathways was enhanced by the strong components of uplift consequent to the final stages of deformation in the Marche fold-and-thrust belt, and was eventually associated with episodes of normal seismic faulting.     

Les Mouvements Tectoniques Récents en Sicile. Hypothèses et Problèmes

Zusammenfassung Die quartären tektonischen Bewegungen in Sizilien waren in ihrem Stil und ihrer Amplitude in den einzelnen Zonen unterschiedlich. Diese Zonen decken sich mit bestimmten paläogeographischen Einheiten. Die marinen Ablagerungen des Calabrien sind teilweise schwach gefaltet, teilweise nur geneigt. Die Verstellung des marinen Quartär ist dort am stärksten, wo auch das Pliozän selbst kräftiger disloziert war. Auf dem Plateau von Syracus, einer deutlich abgegrenzten paläogeographischen Einheit, erreicht das Pliozän nur eine Höhe von 150 m, während Calabrien und Sicilien unbekannt sind.     

Modeling the potential impact of climate change in northern Mexico using two environmental indicators

Modeling the deterioration of natural resources, especially water and soil that results from the global effects of climate change has become a powerful tool in the search for mitigation and adaptation measures. The objectives of this research were: (1) to model the potential impact of climate change for the period 2010-2039, and (2) to offer advice about future risks based on local radiative forcing or critical areas and taking into account two indicators of environmental quality, the aridity index (AI) and laminar wind erosion (LWE). Evaluation techniques for natural resources, similar to those applied by the Instituto Nacional de Ecología y Cambio Climático (National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change) were used for studies of ecological land use. The inputs include climate information (current and future), soil cover and edaphic properties related to the municipality of Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico (25.886° N, 103.476° W). According to calculations estimated from the anomalies for the mean annual rainfall and mean annual temperature, in a future climate change scenario, an average impact of approximately 63% would be caused by LWE, and the AI would change from its historical value of 9.3 to 8.7. It is estimated that the average impact on the AI in the future will be 0.53 ± 0.2.     

Viriobenthos in aquatic sediments: variability in abundance and production and impact on the C-cycle

In the last 15 years viruses have been acknowledged as important components of the benthic microbial community, but our understanding of their role in the functioning of aquatic systems remains poor. Viruses can affect bacterial assemblages and mineralization activities, but the extent of their influence remains unclear. We synthesised available data on viriobenthos dynamics to understand which factors drive the variability in their abundance and production and to quantify their influence on the benthic carbon cycle. Results highlighted a large variability in viral abundance (from 2 × 10⁸ to 7 × 10⁹ virus ml^?1) and production estimates (from 1 × 10⁷ to 5 × 10⁸ virus ml^?1 h^?1) obtained with different techniques. This variability limits the comparability of data across studies and indicates the need to improve protocols and develop standard methods. The dynamics of viruses infecting prokaryotes appeared linked to prokaryotic metabolism, supporting the hypothesis that benthic viruses originate directly in the sediment as a result of infection events rather than sinking from the water column. Sediment characteristics (porosity, temperature, depth) appeared to effect viral production, mostly indirectly by influencing bacterial productivity and abundance, but possibly also interfering with the rate of virus–host encounter. Conversely, trophic status appeared unrelated to viral parameters. Viral contribution to carbon turnover appeared low and unrelated to temperature, water depth, trophic status and salinity. More detailed studies are needed to understand the pelagic contribution to the viriobenthos and the extent to which dissolved organic carbon released by viruses is effectively used by bacteria.     

Coherent oscillations from X-ray burst sources

The possible origin or coherent oscillations in X-ray bursters is discussed. Such oscillations with a period of the order of 10 ms have recently been observed. At this point it seems impossible to draw final conclusions on their nature. Nevertheless, it is shown that nonradial pulsations of a neutron star or torsional oscillations of a neutron star's crust seem to be an attractive possibility.     

Isotopic exchange between carbon dioxide and ozone via O(1D) in the stratosphere

We propose a novel mechanism for isotopic exchange between CO2 and O3 via O(1D) + CO2 --> CO3* followed by CO3* --> CO2 + O(3P). A one-dimensional model calculation shows that this mechanism can account for the enrichment in 18O in the stratospheric CO2 observed by Gamo et al. [1989], using the heavy O3 profile observed by Mauersberger [1981]. The implications of this mechanism for other stratospheric species and as a source of isotopically heavy CO2 in the troposphere are briefly discussed.     

Wave radiation by a deep submerged cylinder with application to ocean structure

The radiation problem for a deep submerged cylinder is analysed and an asymptotic expression, uniformly valid in the whole range of frequencies, is derived for the radiation damping and exciting force. The obtained expression is a natural extension of the inertia term in the well known Morison's formula and may be useful in the analysis of certain ocean structures such as a tension leg platform, for example. In particular it makes it possible to define a geometry tuned to have null excitation at some desired frequency.     

Geometric and kinematic complexities in the Marche-Abruzzi external zones (Central Apennines,Italy)

In the Central Apennines (Italy) three major domains can be recognized: the Umbria and Marche pelagic domains and the Lazio-Abruzzi carbonate platform. Their Mesozoic-Tertiary sequences are separated by major low-angle thrust systems, which superpose the Umbria domain onto both the Marche and Lazio-Abruzzi domains, the Lazio-Abruzzi platform onto the Marche sequence, and all of them onto the Apulia foreland.From Lias to Cretaceous times the Lazio-Abruzzi platform was a fault-controlled uplifted domain separating the Umbria basin to the west from the Marche basin to the east, but closed to the north. The Umbria and Marche basins evolved distinctly with the onset of the terrigenous infilling, beginning with the Serravallian-Tortonian «Marnoso-Arenacea» Formation in the inner Umbria basin and with the Messinian-Early Pliocene Laga Flysch in the outer Marche basin. From Tortonian till Early Pliocene times there was a progressive deformation of the Umbria sequence, with its emplacement onto the Lazio-Abruzzi platform, and the deformation of the Lazio-Abruzzi and Marche zones. In Early-Middle Pliocene times, both the Umbria and Lazio-Abruzzi domains were emplaced onto the previously deformed Marche domain, with passive transport of that portion of Umbria stacked on top of the Lazio-Abruzzi platform. The final stages in Middle-Late Pliocene times caused further motion of the Lazio-Abruzzi platform along the arc-shaped Gran Sasso-Morrone thrust front. Folding and thrusting persisted in the outermost zones till Early Pleistocene times.This reconstruction means that in this area the model of a regularly forward migrating fold-thrust belt is not applicable. It also suggests a large northward displacement of the Lazio-Abruzzi platform, whose differential advancement may be dynamically related to a left-lateral discontinuity to the west and a right-lateral discontinuity to the east. According to our interpretation, the left-lateral discontinuity is not coincident with the «Ancona-Anzio» line of the Italian literature, but rather is buried underneath the Umbria stacked sequences.

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Zusammenfassung Der Zentralappennin (Italien) besteht aus drei Hauptbereichen: die pelagialen Gebiete Umbriens und der Marche sowie die Karbon-Platte Latiums und der Abruzzen. Die Formationsgruppen des Mesozoikum-Tertiär dieser drei Gebiete werden durch große Überschiebungsbahnen getrennt, welche die umbrische Zone auf die Zone der Marche sowie Latiums und der Abruzzen schieben, die Zone Latiums und der Abruzzen ihrerseits auf die Formation der Marche und alle zusammen auf das Vorland Apuliens.Die ursprüngliche paleogeographische Struktur der drei Gebiete läßt darauf schließen, daß die Latium-Abruzzen-Platte vom Lias bis zur Kreidezeit eine aktive, erhobene Zone darstellt, die das Umbrische Becken im Westen vom Becken der Marche im Osten trennt, wobei sich die Platte nach Norden hin schließt, was ein Ineinandergreifen der beiden pelagialen Gebiete mit sich bringt. Beide Becken weisen eine getrennte Evolution auf, mit dem Beginn einer terrigenen Zufuhr, bestehend aus der Marnoso-Arenacea-Formation des Serravall-Tortons im Inneren des Umbrischen Beckens und mit dem Laga Flysch des Messin und Unter-Pliozän im äußeren Umbrischen Becken. Vom Torton bis zum Unteren Pliozän hat eine progressive Deformation der Umbrischen Sequenz stattgefunden, die auf dem Gebiete Latiums und der Abruzzen abgelagert wurde, was wiederum zur Deformation in der Zone Latiums und der Abruzzen sowie der Marche führte. Im unteren Mittel-Pliozän wurden sowohl die Formationen Umbriens als auch die der Zonen von Latium und der Abruzzen auf die schon deformierte Formationsgruppe der Marche aufgeschoben, mit nachfolgend passivem Transport des schon auf der Latium-Abruzzen-Platte aufgelagerten Teils der Umbrischen Formation. Die letzten Ereignisse im mittleren Ober-Pliozän führten zu einem weiteren Vorschub der Latium-Abruzzen-Platte längs der bogenförmigen Verwerfungsfront Gran Sasso-Morrone, sowie zu nachfolgenden Falten und Verwerfungen in den äußersten Gebieten bis zum unteren Pleistozän.Diese Rekonstruktion bedeutet vor allen Dingen, daß in diesem Gebiet das Modell einer regelmäßig voranschreitenden Überschiebungsfront nicht anwendbar ist. Sie deutet ferner auf eine große, nordwärts gerichtete Verschiebung der Latium-Abruzzen-Platte hin, deren differenzierter Vorschub dynamisch in Bezug zu einer links-lateralen Verschiebung nach Westen und einer rechts-lateralen Verschiebung nach Osten zu bringen ist. Gemäß unserer Auslegung stimmt die links-laterale Verschiebung nicht mit der «Ancona-Anzio» Linie der einschlägigen italienischen Fachliteratur überein, sondern ist eher unter den überlagernden Sequenzen Umbriens zu suchen.

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Résumé On peut distinguer trois domaines dans la partie centrale des Apennins (Italie): le domaine pélagique des Marches, celui de l'Ombrie et la plate-forme carbonatée du Latium-Abruzzes. Les séries stratigraphiques mésozoïques-tertiaires de ces trois domaines sont séparées par d'importants systèmes de chevauchement qui ont provoqué la superposition du domaine ombrien sur ceux des Marches et du Latium-Abruzzes, la superposition de la plate-forme du Latium-Abruzzes sur la série des Marches, et enfin la superposition de toute la chaîne sur l'avantpays de l'Apulie.Du Lias au Crétacé, la plate-forme du Latium-Abruzzes constituait un domaine soulevé par des failles actives; ce domaine séparait le bassin de l'Ombrie à l'ouest du bassin des Marches à l'est et était limité au nord, permettant ainsi la communication des deux régions pélagiques. Ces deux bassins ont présenté une évolution distincte débutant par un remplissage terrigène; celui-ci est représenté, dans le bassin ombrien plus interne par la Formation Marnoso-Arénacéa (Serravalien-Tortonien), et dans le bassin externe des Marches par la formation du Flysch de la Laga (Messinien-Pliocène inférieur). A partir du Tortonien jusqu'au début du Pliocène, la série ombrienne a subi une déformation progressive, et à été charriée sur le domaine du Latium-Abruzzes, provoquant la déformation de ce dernier, ainsi que du domaine des Marches. Au cours du Pliocène inférieur et moyen, les domaines de l'ombrie et du Latium-Abruzzes ont été charriés sur la série des Marches ainsi déformée, entraînant de ce fait le transport passif de la portion de la séquence ombrienne préalablement charriée sur la plate-forme du Latium-Abruzzes. Plus tard, des mouvements méso- à tardi-pliocènes ont provoqué un dernier charriage de la plate-forme du Latium-Abruzzes le long de l'arc de chevauchement Gran Sasso-Morrone; enfin, les plissements et les charriages ont persisté dans les zones les plus externes jusqu'au Pléistocène inférieur.Cette reconstitution signifie que le modèle d'une chaîne plissée et charriée se déplaçant régulièrement vers l'avant-pays ne peut pas être appliqué à cette région. Elle indique également un vaste déplacement vers le Nord de la plate-forme du Latium-Abruzzes, transport qui peut être dynamiquement mis en relation avec un décrochement sénestre à l'ouest et un décrochement dextre à l'est. Selon notre interprétation, le décrochement sénestre ne coïncide pas avec la ligne «Ancona-Anzio» de la littérature italienne, mais est enterré sous l'édifice charrié de l'Ombrie.

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Estuarine flooding in urban areas: enhancing vulnerability assessment

The assessment of vulnerability provides valuable knowledge in the risk assessment steps of a risk governance process. Given the multiscale, multilevel, and multisectorial aspects of flood risk, the diversified entities that directly and indirectly intervene in risk management require specific outputs from the assessment studies. Urban areas in estuarine margins are particularly exposed and vulnerable to flooding. Such interface conditions are found in the Old City Centre of the Seixal, located in the Tagus estuary, Portugal. Here, two distinct methodologies were applied for the assessment of territorial vulnerability. A regional, lower-scale, methodology explores the application of the statistical procedure based on the SoVI^® at the statistical block level. A second, local and higher-scale, methodology is based in data collected through field matrices at the building and statistical sub-block level. Comparison of results revealed that the lower-scale assessment provides information on the vulnerability drivers at the regional and municipal level. Nevertheless, only at a higher-scale, it is possible to characterize and differentiate the smaller geographical units of analysis that compose the Old City Centre of Seixal. The lower-scale vulnerability assessment allows a strategic response, based on adaptation measures such as spatial planning, institutional capacity building and public awareness. The local level assessment provides more accurate knowledge to support local emergency planning and the allocation of operational and material resources at the urban level. Nevertheless, rather than antagonistic, both models can be considered as complementary, having in mind the requirements of an holistic flood risk governance model.