Anatomy of an Orogen: the Apennines and Adjacent Mediterranean Basins

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Anatomy of an Orogen: the Apennines and Adjacent Mediterranean Basins

edited by

Gian Battista Vai

Universita di Bologna

and

I. Peter Martini

University of Guelph

SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data. Anatomy of an orogen: the Apennines and adjacent Mediterranean basins I edited by Gian Battista Vai and I. Peter Martini.

p.cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-90-481-4020-6 ISBN 978-94-015-9829-3 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-015-9829-3

1. Geology-Italy-Apennines. I. Vai, Gian Battista. II. Martini, I. Peter.

QE272 .A68 2001 554.5-dc21 2001023446

Additional material to this book can be downloaded from http://extras.springer.com

Front cover: Digital elevation model (DGM) of Italy and surrounding seas (Courtesy of A. Argnani, IGM-CNR (Istituto Geologia Marina-Consiglio Nazianale Ricerche, Bologna).

Back cover: The earliest geological map of Italy by Collegno (1844) used by G. Scarabelli to model for the first time the concept of oroclinal arcs in 1865 and 1866.

Frontispiece: Physical/political map of Italy and surrounding seas ( after Touring Club Italiano, 1998).

Following dedication: One of the first known examples of Stratigraphie column drawn by L.F. Marsili in Bologna araund 1675 to represent the Messinian Gessoso-solfifera Formation of the Romagna Apennines. Alternations of gypsum, fish-rich Iaminated mudstone and sulphur beds are shown.

Printed an acid-free paper

All rights reserved © 2001 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 2001 Softcoverreprint ofthe bardeover Istedition 2001 No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission from the copyright owners.

Dedicated with affection to our wives Helga Karin Vai and Donella Martini for their enduring support and patience, and to Greta Racco, a beautiful baby who attracted the grandfather Gian Battista and a colleague (Peter)

to her house in the middle of a Canadian winter to discuss the Apennines and make this book viable.

Contents

List of Contributors

Preface

1. Geomorphologie Setting Gian Battista J1Ji* and I. Peter Martini

2. Summaries of the Contributions and a few Considerations Gian Battista J1Ji* and I. Peter Martini

3. Structure and Stratigraphy: an Overview Gian Battista J1Ji*

4. Deep Structure from Seismic Tomography Alessandro Amato* and Giovanni Battista Cimini

5. Deep Seismic Transects Rinaldo Nicolich *

6. Magnetic and Gravity Analysis of ltaly Emanuele Cassano *, Luigi Anelli, Vincenzo Cappelli and Paolo La To"e

7. Deep Temperatures and Surface Heat Flow Distribution Bruno Della Vedova *, Stefano Bellani, Giulio Pellis and Paolo Squarci

8. Magmatism from Mesozoic to Present: Petrogenesis, Time-Space Distribution and Geodynamic Implications Giancarlo Sem*, Fabrizio Innocenti and Piero Manetti

*Corresponding author. See e-mail, where available, in address Iist.

xi

xvii

1

5

15

33

47

53

65

77

viii Contents

9. Volcanism in the Southern Apenuines aud Sicily Boris Behncke* (with contributions by M. Grasso)

10. Basement and Early (Pre-Aipiue) History Gian Battista Vai*

11. Ophiolites, Ligurides and the Teetonic Evolution from Spreadiug to Couvergence of a Mesozoic Western Tethys Segment Valerio Bortolotti*, Gianfranco Principi and Benedetta Treves

12. Disrupted and Chaotic Rock Units Darre! S. Cowan and Gian Andrea Pini*

13. Alps-Apennines and Po Plain-Frontal Apennines Relationships Alberto Castellarin *

105

121

151

165

177

14. Inner Northern Apennines 197 Luigi Cannignani*, Francesco Antonio Decandia, Leonardo Disperati, Pier Lorenzo Fantozzi, Roy Kligfield, Antonio Lazzarotto, Domenico Liotta and Marco Meccheri

15. Outer Northern Apennines Massimiliano Barchi, Alberto Landuzzi*, Giorgio Minelli and Giampaolo Pialli

16. The Apenninic-Maghrebian Orogen in Southern ltaly, Sicily and Adjacent Areas Mario Grasso*

17. Calabria-Peloritani Terrane and Northern Ionian Sea Glauco Bonardi*, William Cavazza, Vincenzo Perrone and Sergio Rossi

18. Mesozoic-Tertiary Carbonate Platforms, Slopes and Basins of the Externat Apennines and Sicily Daniel Bemoulli*

19. Tertiary Silicoclastic Turbidite Systems of the Northern Apennines Andrea Argnani* and Franeo Ricci Lucchi

20. Fluid Venting and Associated Processes Marco Taviani*

21. Corsica-Sardinia Block and the 'JYrrhenian Sea Renzo Sartori*

22. Neogene-Quaternary Basins of the Inner Apennines and Calabrian Are, ltaly /. Peter Martini*, Mario Sagri andAlbina Colella

23. Late Thrust Propagation and Sedimentary Response in the Thrust-belt-foredeep System of the Southern Apennines (Piiocene-Pieistocene) Etta Patacca and Paolo Scandone*

215

255

287

307

327

351

367

375

401

Contents

24. Structural Styles Inferred by Seismic Profiles Saverio Merlini* and Giuseppe Cippitelli

25. Late Pleistocene and Holocene Deposition along the Coasts and Contineotal Shelves

ix

441

of the Italian Peninsula 455 Paolo Tortara *, Piero Bellotti and Publio Valeri

26. Volcanic Hazard Franeo Barberi* and Maria Luisa Carapezza

27. Seismogenic Faulting, Moment Release Patternsand Seismic Hazard along the Centrat and Southern Apennines and the Calabrian Are Gianluca Valensise * and Daniela Pantosti

28. Geo-hydrological Hazards Paolo Canuti, Nicola Casagli*, Maurizio Pellegrini and Giovanni Tosatti

29. Italian Petroleum Geology Marco Pieri*

References

General Index

List of Colour Figures in Pocket

479

495

513

533

551

619

633

Amato Alessandro Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica Via Vigna Murata 605 I-00143 Roma ltaly ( amato@ingv.it)

Anelli Luigi Viale Rimenbranze 44 I-20075 Lodi ltaly

Argnani Andrea Istituto di Geologia Marina CNR Via Gobetti 101 I-40129 Bologna ltaly (argnani@igm.bo.cnr.it)

Barberi Franeo Dipartimento della Protezione Civile Via Ulpiano 11 I-00193 Roma ltaly ( e.giorgetti@protezionecivile.it)

Barchi Massimiliano Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Piazza Universial I-06100 Perugia ltaly

Contributors

Behncke Boris Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche Sezione di Geologia e Geofisica Universial di Catania Corso ltalia 55 I-95129 Catania ltaly (bbehncke@yahoo.de)

Bellani Stefano Istituto Internazionale per le Ricerche

Geotermiche CNR Piazza Solferino 2 1-56100 Pisa ltaly

Bellotti Piero Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universial "La Sapienza" P.le Aldo Moro 5 I-00185 Roma ltaly

Bernoulli Daniel Geology Institute Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH-Zentrum CH -8092 Zürich Switzerland (bernoulli@erdw.ethz.ch)

( danielb@erdw.ethz.ch)

xii Contributors

Bonardi Glauco Dipartimento di Geologia e Geofisica Universita di Napoli Federico II Largo San Marcellino 10 1-80138 Napoli Italy (bonardi@unina.it)

Bortolotti Valerio Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita di Firenze Via La Pira 4 1-50121 Firenze Italy (bortolot@geo.unifi.it)

Canuti Paolo Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita di Firenze Via La Pira 4 1-50121 Firenze Italy

Cappelli Vincenzo ENI-AGIP PO Box 12069 1-20100 Milano Italy

Carapezza Maria Luisa lstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia

(INGV) Via di Vigna Murata 605 1-00143 Roma Italy

Carmignani Luigi Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Via Laterina 8 1-53100 Siena Italy ( carmignanil@unisi.it)

Casagli Nicola Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita di Firenze Via La Pira 4 1-50121 Firenze Italy (ncasagli@geo.unifi.it)

Cassano Emanuele Via Kennedy 1 1-20097 S. Donato Milanese Italy

Castellarin Alberto Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologico-

Ambientali Universita di Bologna Via Zamboni 67 1-40127 Bologna Italy ( castello@geomin.unibo.it)

Cavazza William Centro Studi Avanzati di Geodinamica Universita della Basilicata Via Anzio 10 1-85100 Potenza Italy

Cimini Giovanni Battista Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia

(INGV) Via Vigna Murata 605 1-00143 Roma Italy

Cippitelli Giuseppe ENI - AGIP Division, Domestic Exploration Department Via Emilia 1 S. Donato Milanese Milano Italy

Colella Albina Centro Studi Avanzati di Geodinamica Universita della Basilicata Via Anzio 10 I -85100 Potenza Italy

Cowan Darrel S. Department of Geological Seiences 150 Johnson Hall University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 U.S.A.

Decandia Francesco Antonio Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Via Laterina 8 1-53100 Siena Italy

Della Vedova Bruno Dipartimento di lngegneria Navale del Mare e per !'Ambiente Universita degli Studi di Trieste Via Valerio 10 1-34127 Trieste ltaly (bruno@min730. univ. trieste.it)

Disperati Leonardo Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Via Laterina 8 1-53100 Siena ltaly

Fantozzi Pier Lorenzo Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Via Laterina 8 1-53100 Siena ltaly

Grasso Mario Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche Universita di Catania Corso Italia, 55 95129 Catania ltaly (grassom@mbox.unict.it)

lnnocenti Fabrizio Dip Scienze Terra Via S. Maria 53 1-56100 Pisa Italy

Kligfield Roy Wonderland Hili Ave Boulder Colorado 80304 U.S.A.

La Torre Paolo ENI-AGIP PO Box 12069 1-20100 Milano Italy

Contributors

Landuzzi Alberto Dipartimento di lngegneria delle Strutture, dei

Trasporti, delle Acque, del Rilevamento del Territorio

Universita' di Bologna Viale Risorgimento 2 1-40136 Italy ( alberto.landuzzi@mail.ing. unibo.it)

Lazzarotto Antonio Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Via Laterina 8 1-53100 Siena Italy

Liotta Domenico Dipartimento di Geologia e Geofisica Via Orabona 4 1-70100 Bari Italy

Manetti Piero Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita di Firenze Via La Pira 4 1-50121 Firenze Italy

Martini I. Peter Department of Land Resource Science Universtiy of Guelph Guelph, ON Canada NlG 2W1 (pmartini@uoguelph.ca)

Meccheri Marco Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Via Laterina 8 1-53100 Siena ltaly

Merlini Saverio ENI - AGIP Division Domestic Exploration Department PO BOX 12069 20100 Milano ltaly ( saverio.merlini@agip.it)

Minelli Giorgio Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Perugia Universita I-06100 Perugia ltaly

xiii

Contributors xiv

Nicolich Rinaldo Dipartimento di Ingegneria Navale, del Mare e

per l'Ambiente Universiat degli Studi di Trieste Via Valerio 10 1-34127 Trieste Italy (nicolich@min730.univ.trieste.it)

Pantosti Daniela Istituto Nazianale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia

(ING) Via Vigna Murata 605 1-00143 Roma Italy

Patacca Etta Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Via Santa Maria 53 1-56126 Pisa Italy (meletti@dst.unipi.it)

Pellegrini Maurizio Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita di Modena LargoS. Eufemia 19 1-41100 Modena Italy

Pellis Giulio Dipartimento di Ingegneria N avale, del Mare e

per l'Ambiente Universitä degli Studi di 'frieste Via Valerio 10 1-34127 Trieste ltaly

Perrone Vincenzo lstituto di Geologia Universita di Urbino Localita Crocicchia 1-61029 Urbino Italy

Pialli Giampaolo (deceased)

Pieri Marco Via Barbera 35 1-50134 Firenze Italy

Pini Gian Andrea Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologico-

Ambientali Universita di Bologna Via Zamboni, 67 I -40127 Bologna Italy (pini@geomin. unibo.it)

Principi Gianfranco Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita di Firenze Via La Pira 4 1-50121 Firenze Italy (principi@geo.unifi.it)

Ricci Lucchi Franeo Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologico-

Ambientali Universita di Bologna Via Zamboni, 67 1-40127 Bologna Italy

Rossi Sergio lstituto di Geologia Marina CNR Via Gobetti 101 1-40129 Bologna Italy

Sagri Mario Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita di Firenze Via La Pira 4 1-50121 Firenze ltaly.

Sartori Renzo Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologico-

Ambientali Via Zamboni 67 1-40127 Bologna Italy (sartori@geomin.unibo.it)

Scandone Paolo Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Via Santa Maria 53 1-56126 Pisa ltaly

Serri Giancarlo Dipartimento di Scienze Terra Via S. Maria 53 1-56100 Pisa Italy (serri@dst.unipi.it)

Squarci Paolo lstituto Internazianale per le Ricerche

Geotermiche CNR Piazza Solferino 2 1-56100 Pisa Italy

Taviani Marco lstituto di Geologia Marina CNR Via Gobetti 101 1-40129 Bologna ltaly (taviani@albatros.igm.bo.cnr.it)

Tortora Paolo Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita "La Sapienza" P.le Aldo Moro 5 1-00185 Roma Italy (tortora@axrma.uniromal.it)

Tosatti Giovanni Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita di Modena Largo S. Eufemia 19 1-41100 Modena ltaly

Contributors

Treves Benedetta Centro di Studio di Geologia dell' Appennino CNR Via La Pira 4 1-50121 Firenze ltaly

Vai Gian Battista

XV

Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologico-Ambientali

Universita di Bologna Via Zamboni 67 1-40127 Bologna ltaly (vai@geomin.unibo.it)

Valensise Gianluca lstituto Nazianale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia

(ING) Via Vigna Murata 605 1-00143 Roma ltaly (valensise@ingv.it)

Valeri Publio Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Universita "La Sapienza" P.le Aldo Moro 5 1-00185 Roma ltaly

The Apennines are a readily accessible mountain chain, and thus they have been studied and report­ed in art and scientific Iiterature since antiquity. Their claim to fame rests, among other things, on: ( 1) ancient literature, such as the Homeric Scilla and Cariddi which depicts the strong and variable current of the Messina Strait between mainland Italy and Sicily; (2) the first written scientific eyewitness report of a major volcanic eruption (Vesuvius in AD 79) by Pliny the Younger; (3) the writings and paintings by Leonardo da Vinci who observed the strata along the Arno River for a possible dam south of Florence and depicted some interesting Stratigraphie sections of the Northern Apennines at the foot of the Virgin and Infant Jesus with Saint Anne (Louvre, Paris); (4) the basic principles of stratigraphy published by Niels Steensen in the 17th century and derived from observations of strata of basins from Tuscany, central-north Italy. In more recent times, good rock exposures have also provided grounds for some fundamental geological concepts, such as those of turbidity currents and regional tectonic Iandslides from which the concepts of melange and olistostrome derive. Geologie studies of the Aperruines have contributed significantly to the knowledge of many topics such as volcanism ( the name of the process itself derives from the Italian island of Vulcano where mythology contends the God of Fire Jives), turbidity current and turbidite

Preface

facies, concepts of piggy-back, thrust-top and foreland-foredeep basins, Mediterranean salinity crisis, and geothermal energy. In addition, coping with severe slope stability problems, such as the infamaus disasters related to hydroelectric reser­voirs (Vajont dam disaster), has led to formulation of basic concepts in engineering environmental geology. Conversely, every orogenic hypothesis formulated in the past has been applied and tested in the Apennines and surrounding basins, so they or part of them have been interpreted according to simple vertical uplift ( astrohlerne ), orogenic slides, geosynclines, plate tectonics, strike-slip tectonics, thrust fault imbricates, narrow and wide extension rift tectonics, and various combinations of all these hypotheses. At the time each hypo­thesis seemed to fit, to be superseded by the next best idea, progressively increasing our knowledge of the area and the processes involved. As such, the Apennines are an easily warkable testing and learning ground, albeit presenting some difficulty and Iimitation due to the fact that they are con­stricted between the jaws of the moving macroplates of Europe and Africa, and thus being dissected into different types of basins both in space and through time.

Much is known about the Apennines, but no integrated synthesis of the whole chain and surrounding basins exists and, apart for some outstanding exceptions, much Iiterature is not

xviii Preface

readily available worldwide because it is not in English. The objectives of this book are therefore twofold: (1) to provide a synthesis of information about the Apennines, particularly new data and ideas obtained through geophysical examination of the subsurface, and (2) to provide a relatively simple text readily understandable to an inter­national audience. To this effect the reader should be warned that whereas the text is in English, the writing style is for the most part definitely Latin in character. We trust this will not be a great impedi­ment to understanding the geology of this magnificent region. We have strived to provide a tool for learning about the geology of the Apennines (roughly updated to 1999) and to foster innovative future research. The extent to which the contributors to this volume have been successful in this endevom will be measured from the quality of publications on the subject matter in the next decade or so ... a great way to start a millennium!

On behalf of the contributors and ourselves we would like to thank the many people ( too many to

list) who have laboured to see this book through completion. We are grateful to: first, the close collaborators each one of us bad in searching bibliographies, preparing the figures, reading and correcting first drafts, and many other things; second, the reviewers, both the several authors of this book and other people who volunteered their time and helped immensely with their criticisms; third, the various publishing houses that graciously gave permission to publish some figures, as referred in the captions; fourth, the various Italian institutions which provided the printing of colour maps and figures; and last but not least, Kluwer Academic Publishers and its staff and editors, first among them Petra van Steenbergen, who patiently waited for the manuscript, helped in finalizing it and saw it published.

G. B. Vai and I. P. Martini September, 2001