- High-resolution sequence stratigraphy of Quaternary
deposits
- Sedimentary record of millennial-scale depositional cycles
- Pedogeochemical mapping
- Role of glaucony in sequence stratigraphy
- Straigraphic architecture of fluvial and coastal depositional
systems
High-resolution sequence stratigraphy of Quaternary
deposits
Over the last decade, a high-resolution sequence-stratigraphic
approach to the study of Quaternary deposits in the subsurface of
Po River Plain has resulted in a reliable reconstruction of
stratigraphic architecture, through identification of vertically
stacked, transgressive-regressive cycles. An integrated
sedimentological, micropaleontological, petrographic and
geochemical approach has documented peculiar vertical cyclic
patterns of facies beneath the modern alluvial and coastal plain,
leading to the 3D-reconstruction of major aquifer bodies. At
present, stratigraphic studies are mostly focused on the Po River
channel belt, in the central part of the Po Basin.
Sedimentary record of millennial-scale depositional
cycles
Ultra-high-resolution stratigraphic and sedimentological studies
carried out on thick incised-valley successions (IVF), combined
with detailed pollen analyses, document the sedimentary record of
short-term, millennial scale depositional cycles within latest
Pleistocene to Holocene deposits. These cycles, which are
invariably bounded by flooding surfaces (parasequences) and display
a diagnostic climatic signature, show the sedimentary response of
alluvial and coastal environments to climate change and may be of
crucial interest for planning future environmental evolution.
Studies are currently in progress in the Arno coastal plain and in
the Rhone Delta.
Pedogeochemical mapping
The natural distribution of potentially toxic metals in soils is
mostly controlled by sediment provenance, grain size and soil
maturity. Background values of metals may vary significantly from
site to site. When metal availability is high in the drainage
basin, natural metal concentrations may even exceed the maximum
values admitted by the law. Geochemical characterization of soils
and related facies associations may allow the construction of a
geologically- and soil-oriented geochemical map, in lieu of the
traditional geochemical maps based upon statistical methods. A
project of pedogeochemical mapping to 1:250.000 scale is being
carried out in the south-western part of the Po River Plain.
Role of glaucony in sequence stratigraphy
Glaucony-bearing horizons play a key role for the
sequence-stratigraphic interpretation of sedimentary successions.
Glaucony is traditionally regarded as an indicator of low
sedimentation rates and represents one of the most reliable
stratigraphic markers within marine sediments. Integrated
sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical studies from
Western Europe have recently provided a comprehensive framework for
the definition of its sequence-stratigraphic significance. In order
to test these models, current research is being carried out in
selected sites of Spain and Wyoming (USA).
Stratigraphic architecture of alluvial and coastal
systems
Delineating reservoir and aquifer geometry from subsurface data
requires an in-depth knowledge of the geometry of sedimentary
bodies, which can derive from accurate outcrop studies. 2D and
3D-stratigraphic investigations of “ancient analogs” thus represent
an invaluable tool to predict spatial distribution of aquifers and
related permeability barriers. Current studies are concentrated in
Spain, where alluvial and fluvial-to-coastal successions crop out
spectacularly in the Montserrat and Escanilla areas.
