Geohazard features of the Eastern Sicily
Eastern Sicily is characterised by fast tectonic uplift, intricate GPS-derived velocity fields, and significant seismic activity. Mount Etna, the largest subaerial active volcano in Europe, dominates the landscape, influencing the development of large-scale instability processes on the facing continental margin. South of Etna, the Malta Escarpment discloses crustal thinning, with active tectonics, extensional faults, and half grabens. Indications of active tectonics extend to northern sectors, suggesting a lithospheric tear and interaction with the Calabria-Peloritani uplift. This area has been affected by historical seismicity, with the 1693 earthquake triggering tsunami waves up to 15m high. Offshore seismic events, including the one in 1908, induced slope failures and turbidity currents on the Ionian abyssal plain, witnessed by several breaks in submarine cables. The continental margins of this region are generally characterized by narrow shelves and tectonically-controlled steep slopes, which are susceptible to different mass-wasting processes.
Authors
- Federica Maisto
- Luca Gasperini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0276-0607)
- Erika Lai
- M. Calarco
- Domenico Ridente (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2249-0912)
- Martina Pierdomenico (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1840-2801)
- Alina Polonia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1700-453X)
- A. Sposato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5854-0008)
- Marco Ligi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5098-5907)
- Michela Ingrassia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8022-9512)
- M. Coltelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7868-3946)
- Alessandro Bosman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1441-8016)
- Valentina Ferrante (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3147-1529)
- Alessandra Mercorella (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4120-6964)
- Fabrizio Del Bianco (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6277-0145)
- Daniele Casalbore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0151-6901)
- C. Adami
- Francesco Giuseppe Falese (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3660-6595)
- A. A. Fa Gab Alla
- Marco Anthony Marchetti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5275-5769)
- Elisa Leidi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4545-7795)
- Eleonora Morelli
- Andrea Argnani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0729-2782)
- Eleonora Martorelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4721-1214)
- Danilo Cavallaro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9173-3725)
- Francesco Latino Chiocci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4584-2258)
- Andrè Fascetti
- Mariangela Lodi
Institutions
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (IT)
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment (IT)
- Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (IT)
- Legambiente (IT)
- Istituto di Scienze Marine del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT)
- Bologna Research Area (IT)
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (IT)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Maps
- Published
- 2025-03-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2025.2451298
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- earthquake and tectonic studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.73
Funders
- Dipartimento della Protezione Civile, Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri