Geomorfologia subacquea e costiera del litorale compreso tra Punta Stendardo e Torre S. Agostino (Gaeta)

Abstract

Subaerial and subwater researches along the coast between Gaeta and Sperlonga have allowed to recognize some morphological evidences (notches, terraces and submerged caves) relative to sea level lower than the present one, placed at different heights between -1.5 m and -47 m. Morphological evidences were also recognized referable to sea levels higher than the present one, between +1.3 and +230 m above the sea level. The study of the terraced morphologies and subwater notches has been performed by means of an accurate bathymetric campaign, whose data were aquired and processed with the E.D.I. (ENEA Digital imagery) system. Detailed maps were produced showing the course of the depth contour at which the direct subwater inquiries were aimed. The study of the terraced morphologies which engrave the coast calcareous reliefs has been performed by means of aerial photos (years 1953 and 1979), by transferring, the data on a aereophotogrammetric return in the scale 1/10000. In an attempt to obtain a chronological framework, a sandy sea shore bearing fossils was taken into consideration that was discovered some meters above the sea level near Gaeta, dated by means of the aminoacid epimerization. This information, utilized as a marker, is integrated by numerous bibliographic data and by some tectonic and glacioeustatic considerations.