Palaeo-landscape reconstruction and assessment of long-term erosion rates through DEM analysis: preliminary results from the Molise Apennine (Central-Southern Italy)

摘要: Since some decades, long term and regional landscape reconstructions are of increasing importance for the study of the relationship between tectonics and exogenous dynamics in a long-term perspective (AUCELLI et alii, 2011 and references therein). The geomorphic markers traditionally used for the estimation of uplift and denudation rates in orogenic areas are marine terraces, palaeosurfaces (sensu WIDDOWSON, 1997) and associated remnants of slope and fluvial landforms which equally refer to ancient base levels of erosion. Although more difficult to date than marine terraces, palaeosurfaces are frequently used because of their great extent which allows geomorphic long-distances correlations and facilitates the recognition of differential tectonic movements. The estimation of uplift and denudation rates represents an active research field in studying the interaction between climate, tectonics and landscape evolution. In tectonically active areas a precise definition of such rates can offer an important information about landscape evolution and the interplay between uplift and denudation (GIOIA et alii, 2011 and references therein).Furthermore, palaeo-topographic reconstructions of former base level morphology and the comparison with the present day topography can be used to estimate the eroded volume. In the central-southern Apennine, various studies using morpho-stratigraphic approaches allowed to constrain the ages of many palaeosurfaces that are cut both on chain and foredeep terrains (AMATO et alii, 2011; AUCELLI et alii, 2011 and references therein).