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A multidisciplinary approach allowed to investigate the formation and evolution of gypsum blocks within the Riato Conglomerate outcropping in the Catanzaro Basin (Calabria, Southern Italy). Macroscopically, the gypsum blocks seem to belong to the branching facies (primary facies) known in literature, however microscopic observations reveal a detrital origin (secondary facies). Indeed, the gypsum blocks show an alternation of laminae made of selenite clasts (100 to 500μm) and of fine matrix engulfing relicts of selenite crystals (

This work studies the pollution of the beach sediments along the coastal sector between Crotone and Strongoli towns. 24 samples were investigated through grain size and chemical analyses. The samples are enriched in heavy metals as Ti, Fe, Ni, Co, Ce and V probably related to iron and magnesium minerals. Some samples are characterized by values of As, V, Co and Cr higher than the Italian low limits provided by D. Lgs. 152/2006. These anomalies can be ascribed to a combination of natural causes and anthropogenic activities.

We applied the multi-temporal Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) InSAR technique to investigate the ground displacements in the Crati Valley (Calabria, Southern Italy). The SBAS technique application to image data sets of the European Space Agency (ESA) Envisat satellite from 2003 to 2010, allowed us to obtain the displacement time series and the mean ground velocity map of the Crati Valley. We observed the existence of vertical displacements with velocity up to ~ -7 mm/yr in the central sector of the valley and the prevalence of horizontal deformation ranging from ~ -10 (eastward displacement) to ~10 mm/yr (westward displacement) along its sides. The subsidence processes have been correlated to tectonics and to the compaction of the recent sedimentary infilling of the valley with locally contribution due to the diffuse and fast urbanization. Along East and West sides the widespread landslides are considered the main responsible of the horizontal displacements.

We investigated surface ground deformations in the Sibari Plain (SP - Calabria, Southern Italy) by means of Small Baseline Subset multi-temporal InSAR technique (SBAS), applied to two SAR datasets acquired from 2003 up to 2013 by Envisat (ESA, European Space Agency) and COSMO-SkyMed (ASI, Italian Space Agency) satellites. The retrieved InSAR data show the existence of ground subsidence phenomena up to ~ -20 mm/yr. Our investigation is based on integration between InSAR data and geological, well-logs, land use and hydrogeological information. The results show a direct correlation among subsidence, the thickness of Plio-Pleistocene succession and thickness and lithology of the late Holocene deposits. We identified the fast urbanization of the coastal area during the last ~50 yr and the water table drop as incremental factors of subsidence phenomena. The second factor, due to intensive use of ground water for agriculture, is not the triggering cause of subsidence processes on contrary to the assumption of some previous publications. No evidence of tectonic contribution in the ground deformation pattern is observed.

Physical Stratigraphy of the upper Miocene sedimentary succession in the northeastern Catanzaro Through (Central Calabria, Italy).In the northeastern sector of the Catanzaro Trough, a terrigenous, evaporitic and carbonate mio-pliocenic sedimentary succession overlies the igneous-metamorphic basement of the Sila Unit. These deposits are strongly controlled by NW- strike-slip system, arranged in a right-hand en echelon pattern (Tansi et alii, 2007). Coarse-grained fluvial deposits of the Corace conglomerate Unit represent the onset of the Serravallian – Tortonian sedimentation. Overlying shallow marine arenites and calcarenites, including Porites bodies, pass upward to offshore marly-clays deposits of the Gagliano Unit, evolving upsection to diatomite and organic-rich laminites (Tripoli Fm.) at the Tortonian/Messinian boundary. Evaporitic conditions characterized the sedimentation within the Mediterranean basin during the Messinian as demonstrated by the wide distribution of selenite, micrite and halite deposits.In the northeastern sector of the Catanzaro Trough such conditions are recorded by fi ne grained carbonate deposits, of assumed bacterial origin (Guido et alii, 2007), and can be correlated to CdB type 2 by Manzi et alii (2010), developed during the fi rst MSC stage, from 5,96 Ma to 5,6 Ma. Chaotic deposits of selenitic blocks, gypsrudites and gypsarenites (resedimented evaporites; sub-unit 1 of Riato Conglomerate) and limestone breccias (CdB-2) overlie the Tripoli Fm. along a paraconcordance surface and characterize the depocentral area. The chaotic deposits pass upward to sub-unit 2 of Riato Conglomerate and Arieste Fm characterized by channels and bars facies. They show a fi ning and thinning upward trend represented by a drastic decrease of the intrabasinal evaporitic and carbonate alimentation in favour of metamorphic and plutonic detritus supplied by the Calabrian-Peloritan Arc units.The development of a coarse grained fl uvial-deltaic depositional system characterizes the MSC fi nal stage. Towards the depocentre continental sediments pass to clayey-sandy deposits, containing biofacies with ostracods (Lago Mare) and selenitic bodies with banded and massive facies, referred to Upper Evaporites (Costa, pers. Comm.) The sedimentary succession exposed in the northeastern sector of the Catanzaro Through defi nes a depositional architecture that may be included in the evolution model proposed by Roveri et alii (2008). In this contest the chaotic and terrigenous-evaporitic-carbonate deposits (sub-units 1-2 of the Riato Conglomerate, CdB-2 and Arieste Fm.), originated by the cannibalism of the selenite and carbonates deposits probably between 5.6 and 5.55 Ma, record a gradual return to a extrabasinal alimentation originated by the erosion of the Serravallian and Tortonian sedimentary units and crystalline rocks of the Sila Unit.