A natural laboratory for offshore paleotsunami studies: the Augusta Bay (Eastern Sicily-Italy)

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dc.contributor.authorSmedile, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMolisso, Fen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChagué-Goff, Cen_AU
dc.contributor.authorDe Martini, PMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPinzi, Sen_AU
dc.contributor.authorIorio, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorPantosti, Den_AU
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-07T00:48:55Zen_AU
dc.date.available2017-03-07T00:48:55Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2014-12-16en_AU
dc.date.statistics2017-03-07en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe recent results obtained from a 6.7 m-long piston-core (MS06), collected 2.3 km offshore Augusta at a water depth of 72 m and made of an almost homogeneous dark gray mud dated back to the last 4500 yrs, stimulated our curiosity in searching for other similar signatures. In fact, quantitative micropaleontological analysis of benthic foraminifera assemblages highlighted 12 anomalous intervals, marked by peaks with high percentages of displaced epiphytic specimens and an increase in the sandy component. These anomalies were generally accompanied by a significant amount of Posidonia remnants, a localized concentration of molluscs and organic-rich bands. Thus, the twelve anomalous peaks were interpreted as the primary effect of tsunami waves (back-wash). Moreover, five out of the twelve anomalous layers were embedded in age intervals encompassing the dates of major tsunamis that hit eastern Sicily (1908, 1693, and 1169) and the broader Eastern Mediterranean (AD 365 Crete and Santorini at about BP 3600). Seven additional cores were sampled from the northern part of the Augusta Bay, along a transect 60 to 110 m of water depth, to retrieve the details of the MS06 sequence uppermost part. Four out of the seven new cores were selected and studied. Preliminary dating suggests that the sampled sequence spans ca. 400-500 yrs. Moreover, physical properties, ITRAX X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and grain size analyses point out the presence of a peculiar interval made of Posidonia remnants, coarse sand and shell debris on the two cores closer to the shore. The two far-off cores seem to be more homogenous but a few thin sandy lenses enriched of Posidonia remnant were also recognized. Further detailed micropaleontological analysis and corroboration with instrumental data are still in progress and will help in discriminating single events potentially related to tsunami back-washen_AU
dc.identifier.citationSmedile, A., Molisso, F., Chagué-Goff, C., De Martini, P. M., Pinzi, S., Iorio, M., & Pantosti, D. (2014). A natural laboratory for offshore paleotsunami studies: the Augusta Bay (Eastern Sicily-Italy). Paper presented at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, 15-19 December 2014.en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate19 December 2014en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameAGU Fall Meetingen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceSan Francisco, Americaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate15 December 2014en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc7991en_AU
dc.identifier.otherNH21A3823en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://agu.confex.com/agu/fm14/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/12451en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/8421en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherAmerican Geophysical Unionen_AU
dc.subjectOffshore drillingen_AU
dc.subjectTsunamisen_AU
dc.subjectSanden_AU
dc.subjectWateren_AU
dc.subjectMolluscsen_AU
dc.subjectDataen_AU
dc.titleA natural laboratory for offshore paleotsunami studies: the Augusta Bay (Eastern Sicily-Italy)en_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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