Geohazard features of the Gulf of Taranto

Abstract

Here, we explore the complex seabed morphologies of the Gulf of Taranto in southern Italy including their connection to the geodynamic evolution of the region that began during the Neogene period when the Adria plate started subducting beneath the retreating Calabrian arc. We compiled the first Maps of the Geohazard Features of the Gulf of Taranto through comprehensive and collaborative high-resolution seabed surveys, integrating regional high-resolution multibeam sonar and sub-bottom profiling. Our findings indicate that the most significant marine geohazards identified are (i) the headwall of the shelf-indenting retrogressive canyon near Cirò Marina, situated close to the harbour, (ii) multiple landslide scarps on the steep slopes of intra-slope basins, along with buried stacked debris flow deposits at their base, indicating repeated mass movements, (iii) large-scale landslide scarps eroding the Apulian slopes (some controlled by faults). We propose that seismicity and tectonic tremor associated with slow slip events, represent potential triggers for geohazards in the Gulf of Taranto. The distinctive physiography of the Gulf creates a natural laboratory for studying and monitoring coastal and marine geohazards. Our study offers a resource for improving the understanding of marine geohazards along the Ionian Calabrian and Apulian margins in the Gulf of Taranto crucial for safeguarding coastal communities and marine infrastructures.