Field Trips Guide Books - From P37 to P54

P37 - HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE ISLAND OF SARDINIA (ITALY)
G. Barrocu, A. Vernier, F. Ardau, N. Salis, F. Sanna, M.G. Sciabica & S. Soddu
The coastal aquifers of the alluvial plains of Capoterra, Cagliari, Muravera, and Oristano, and the karsts of Calagonone- Dorgali will be visited, proceeding along the most scenic routes in Sardinia, in a succession of cliffs, beaches with wetlands and dunes, and rugged mountains. Practically all the geological events of the Mediterranean basin, from the Pre-Cambrian to the present day, are documented in this relatively small island (24,089 km2), with its 1,849.2 km of coastline, a quarter of the total length of Italy's coasts. Attention will focus on the effects of saltwater intrusion due to natural processes and especially human disturbance (river damming and mismanagement). The trip is of specific and general interest, from the hydrogeological, geological, environmental, archeological, and historical points of view.  Suspended between Europe and Africa, Sardinia was largely bypassed culturally, and many ancient traditions survive here among its population (1.5 million, with a density of 60 persons/km2), while only recently has the island been incorporated into the mainstream of modern civilization.

P38 - GEOLOGY OF THE ALPI APUANE METAMORPHIC COMPLEX (ALPI APUANE,CENTRAL ITALY)
L. Carmignani, P. Conti, M. Meccheri & G. Molli
The Alpi Apuane area represents the largest tectonic window in the Northern Italian Apennines chain, where the higher grade metamorphic rocks of the Northern Apennines outcrop. In this area it is possible to study relationships between all the tectonic units of the Northern Apennines nappe stack. In greater detail we will observe: a) the stratigraphy of all the tectonics units, from ophiolites and oceanic deep water sediments (Ligurides units) to sediments of the Apulia (Austroalpine) continental margin and the underlying Hercynian basement (Tuscan nappe and Massa unit); b) tectonics and mode of emplacement of all the tectonic units of the Northern Apennines; c) late-orogenic extension and kinematics of uplift of the metamorphic complexes of the Northern Apennines. In the Alpi Apuane area where the world-famous "Carrara marble" is quarried, microstructural evolution in this well-known rock-type will be discussed in the framework of the regional tectonic structure. This field trip will be of interest to those involved in both stratigraphy and structural geology of continental margin deformation and uplift.

P39 - SARDINIAN PALAEOZOIC BASEMENT AND ITS MESO -CAINOZOIC COVERS (ITALY)
S. Barca, G. Carannante, G. Cassinis, A. Cherchi, C. Corradini, L. Cortesogno, M. Del Rio, M. Durand, A. Ferretti, D. Fontana, A. Funedda, L. Gaggero, A.M. Garau, F.Leone, G. Macciotta,, M. Marchi, R. Matteucci, M. Murru, C. Neri, A. Loi, G. L. Pillola, P. Pittau, A. Ronchi, I. Salvatori, E. Sarria, R. Schroeder, E. Serpagli, L. Simone & C. Stefani
This field trip will allow examination of the most significant tectono-sedimentary events in Sardinia during the early Caledonian, Hercynian and Alpine cycles, from Early Cambrian to Late Cenozoic times. The Paleozoic successions, from Cambrian to Permian, show a great variety of facies, from rich fossiliferous to high-grade metamorphic bodies, allowing the study of peculiar features (Cambrian biotas and relationships with sequence stratigraphy, structural geology). The itinerary will cross the South-western (Sulcis, Iglesiente), central (Gerrei, Quirra, Trexenta, Sarcidano) and North-western (Nurra) regions, and includes: selected paleoecological analysis and evolution of carbonate platforms during Cambrian, Triassic to Cretaceous and Oligo-Miocene periods; Silurian and Devonian stratigraphy and paleobiogeography, Carboniferous, lower Permian and Permo-Triassic volcano-sedimentary continental successions. This trip includes visits to archeological, historical and artistic sites (Nuragic Culture, Roman, Middle Age and early 20th Century mining industry).

P40 - GEOLOGY TASTING AND WINE MAPPING IN CENTRAL ITALY
R. Colacicchi
The purpose of this field trip is to discover the differences in taste and flavour of some wines of Central Italy, due to different geological substrata. In Toscana the Chianti wines are related to the Oligocene/Early Miocene Macigno, the Pliocene Crete Senesi formations and the Valdarno lacustrine deposits of Villafranchian age. In Umbria the Orvieto white wine is produced on volcanic alkaline tuffs and on Pliocene clay. Around Lake Trasimeno and in the Northern Tiber valley red wines are supported mainly by the Marnoso arenacea formation. Around Montefalco, the famous Sagrantino red wine grows on the lacustrine sediments of the Villafranchian age. In Marche, a typical white wine, the Verdicchio, is associated with the Pliocene sands and clays, while the Rosso Conero and the Rosso Piceno grow on calcareous and marly sediments. This field trip will explore the geology of different formations and related wines. At the same time, many places of tourist interest will be visited.

P41 - INSTRUMENTED EXPERIMENTAL SITES FOR THE CONTROL OF LANDSLIDE HAZARDS IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS:THE GERMANASCA AND SUSA VALLEYS (NORTHWESTERN ITALY)
P.  Allasia, C. Audisio, M. Baldo, C.G. Cirio, G. Lollino, D. Giordan, F. Godone, G. Nigrelli, F. Alpe, S. Ambrogio, M. Giardino, L. Perotti, L. Sambuelli, G. De Renzo, D. Fontan & T. Barbero
This field trip will be carried out in two alpine catchments (Germanasca and Upper Susa Valleys, North-Western Italian Alps) and in the hilly area of Langhe (Southern Piemonte Region), characterized by different types of landslides: rotational and translational slides, rock falls, etc.. On these unstable sites different monitoring networks have been established, such as a Topographic Total Station, an Automated Inclinometric System (AIS), a piezometric network, a microseismic network and wire extensometers. All these systems are remotely controlled. The interest of the local community in monitoring these areas is mainly due to the fact that these landslide movements threaten many villages, as well as the only existing roads that lead to some important skiing resorts (of great interest for the Winter Olympic Games of Turin 2006) and also to some active talc quarries. During the trip it will prove interesting to visit some historic talc quarries, no longer active but being reclaimed for tourist purposes, where we will have a look at past working techniques and at the old miners' lifestyle.

P42 - GEOLOGY AND VOLCANISM OF STROMBOLI,LIPARI, AND VULCANO (AEOLIAN ISLANDS)
R. De Rosa, N. Calanchi, P.F. Dellino, L. Francalanci, F. Lucchi, M. Rosi, P.L. Rossi & C.A. Tranne
This field trip will focus on the observation of peculiar eruptive and volcano-stratigraphical aspects of Stromboli, Lipari and Vulcano, through a multidisciplinary approach. Special attention will be devoted to the active volcanoes of Vulcano and Stromboli, characterized by the typical vulcanian and strombolian eruptive styles. A quantitative assessment of hazards will be proposed, for some well-documented eruptive sequences, by means of the reconstruction of the transportation and emplacement mechanisms of pyroclastic deposits. On Lipari, the stratigraphical relationships between volcanics and raised ancient shorelines will be described. These indicate that a complex interaction between "local" volcanic activity and "global" Late-Quaternary eustatic events occurred during the geological evolution of this volcanic structure.

P44 - TRIASSIC CARBONATE PLATFORMS OF THE DOLOMITES CARBONATE PRODUCTION, RELATIVE SEA-LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS AND THE SHAPING OF THE DEPOSITIONAL ARCHITECTURE
M. Stefani, P. Brack, P. Gianolla, L. Keim, A. Mastandrea, F. Mauer, C. Neri, N. Preto, E. Ragazzi, A. Riva, G.Roghi & F. Russo
This trip will aim at the genetic understanding of the sequence and stratigraphic architecture of Triassic carbonate platforms, spectacularly outcropping in the Southern-Alpine Dolomites. The excursion will examine several Middle and Upper Triassic platform generations, recording an evolution from regional shallow-water banks to steep isolated pinnacles and then back to widespread tidal flats. The role played by the evolving reef biota and by the massive syndepositional cementation in the changing sedimentary dynamics will be addressed, together with the hydrocarbon geology and paleo-climatological implications. Beside these geological highlights, the Dolomites region has much more to offer, such as enchanting landscapes, a rich historic heritage and an enticing culinary tradition. An optional one-day post-excursion, geo-cultural trip to Venice will also be organized.

P45 - THE CRUST IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL EASTERN SICILY
R. Catalano, A. Sulli, B. Abate, M. Agate, G. Avellone & L. Basilone
This field trip will illustrate the stratigraphic and structural setting of the Sicilian chain with its deformed foredeep-foreland system. Correlation between outcropping and buried structures and their relationships with the prominent crustal layers as well as the Neogene foreland basins' evolution will be highlighted using the results of an in-progress crustal seismic reflection profile (Italian CROP Project) which will be done across the region from Termini Imerese (Central-northern Sicily coast) to Gela (Southeastern Sicily). The combined geological and geophysical approach has recently provided new insights into the reconstruction of the imbrication geometry and internal deformation  of the  mostly carbonate units, that could lead to new potential perspectives on the occurrence of structural traps in the Sicilian edifice. The field trip will cross three main transects: from Palermo to Sciacca, from Termini to Enna, from Caltanissetta to Gela. Such areas include interesting archeological traces of Phoenician, Roman and Byzantine periods.

P49 - FACIES AND GEOMETRIES OF PELAGIC DEPOSITS IN A JURASSIC PELAGIC CARBONATE PLATFORM /BASIN SYSTEM -SABINA, CENTRAL APENNINES (ITALY)
M. Santantonio & C. Muraro
This field trip will take place in the Sabina sector of the Central Apennines, and should be of general appeal to sedimentary geologists. Exceptional outcrops provide a unique opportunity to study a huge, newly discovered Jurassic submarine high, the Sabina Plateau, and its relationships to the adjacent Sabina Basin. Participants will be able to see how synsedimentary tectonics, sea-bottom topography, and oceanography affected the general facies and geometries of pelagic carbonate and siliceous deposits. Highlights include: 1. Drowning unconformity above peritidal limestone, and condensed plateau-top deposits, with mounded geometries and deep-photic pennular corals; 2. Perfectly preserved marginal paleoescarpment tracts, with several rarely seen details: a) epi-escarpment condensed deposits, b) silicification at onlap unconformities, c) block-detachment scars, d) megabreccia ponded on concave erosional surfaces of paleoescarpments, draped by condensed deposits; 3. Thin oolitic deposits in the plateau-top succession, a result of overbanking of turbidity currents traveling across  the Sabina Basin; 4. E-W transect across the Sabina basin, to see how changes in the productivity of the nearby Latium- Abruzzi peritidal carbonate platforms affected the distribution patterns and composition of turbiditic material; basin-margin megaclastic deposits.

P52 - BIOSTRATIGRAPHY, SEDIMENTOLOGY AND TECTONO-EUSTATIC EVENTS OF THE LOWER AND MIDDLE JURASSIC OF THE KSOUR MOUNTAINS (WESTERN SAHARIAN ATLAS, SOUTHERN ALGERIA)
L. Mekahli, S. Elmi & M. Benhamou
The Ksour mountains close to the Moroccan border offer a great choice of scenic outcrops exposing good examples of intervening controls on sedimentation: local tectonic factors, slope deposits (breccias, megabreccias, turbidites), break-up of the initial (Liassic) carbonate platforms, differentiation of tectonically controlled small sub-basins (Toarcian-Aalenian) changing upwards to a siliciclastic turbiditic environment. Evolution to prograding Bajocian reefs was very steep and fast; upwards a paralic environment developed up to the progradation of a Late Jurassic delta. The outcrops visited will also allow collection of Tethyan ammonites and brachiopods. On the way to the South, the excursion will visit the Jurassic site of Saïda and observe its structural features. The return trip will end with the new sauropod site of Sfissifa and a general survey of the Tlemcen mountains. Cultural and general interest: Oran historic site, prehistoric Rupestrian carvings, old Berberian palaces (ksour), pre-Saharian oasis, eolian dunes, scenic Aïn Ouarka hot springs and salt deposits, pre-Saharian sabkhas, the old mosque of Tlemcen historic city and religious centre, Mansourah Almoravid (Andalusian) ruins.

P53 - ADRIATIC-DINARIDIC MESOZOIC CARBONATE PLATFORM, ENVIRONMENTS AND FACIES FROM PERMIAN TO RECENT TIME
M. Juracic, L. Palinkaš, Z. Barjaktarevic, R. Buljan, S. Bergant, V. Jurak, I. Gušic, L. Marjanac, T. Marjanac, D. Maticec, A. Mezga, T. Paviša, S. Šestanovic, S. Šoštaric-Borojevic, S. Strmic, J. Sremac, J. Tišljar & I. Vlahovic
The Mesozoic Adriatic-Dinaric carbonate platform, a unique geological formation developed along the passive continental margin of Gondwana, stands out among other similar units in the world both in size and diversity of sedimentary facies. It stretches along the Adriatic coast in the External Dinarides, a part of the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, whose existence terminated in the Paleogene and then uplifted in Neogene time. A great deal of interesting phenomena are situated on  the islands along the Adriatic coast, inhabited since prehistoric times by fishermen, farmers and sailors, dwelling in small stonebuilt villages with picturesque architecture.

P54 - STRUCTURE OF THE ITALIAN DOLOMITES, PARTIALLY ALONG THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF THE TRANSALP SEISMIC PROFILE
A. Castellarin, L. Cantelli, V. Ricotti, L. Selli, R. Fantoni, R. Nicolich & G.V. Dal Piaz
This field trip is a nearly unique opportunity to visit and analyze a complete structural section across one of the most famous collisional orogenic chains in the World: the Eastern Alps, shown and explained by Italian, Austrian and German specialists in a mosaic of integrated scientific skills and in the spectacular scenery of the Italian Dolomites and the Austrian Northern Calcareous Alps. The field trip itinerary approximates the Main Line of the reflection seismic Profile now completed and processed, and progressing toward definitive publication, in accordance with agreements of the Austrian, German and Italian Transalp Project joint program. The final results, with the general geophysical and geological interpretations, should be widely available at the time of the 2004 Congress.