LUMINESCENCE CHRONOLOGY OF PLEISTOCENE MARINE TERRACES OF THE SICILY AND CALABRIA COASTAL AREAS

Abstract

Ristuccia G.M. et al., Luminescence chronology of Pleistocene marine terraces of the Sicily and Calabria coastal areas. (IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2011) The Calabrian Arc and north-eastern Sicily are sectors of central Mediterranean where the effects of Quaternary tectonics are visible and regional uplift is accompanied by marine terracing along the coastal areas. In this paper, the application of Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating based on the single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol for sand-sized quartz is investigated. We present new OSL age estimates of Pleistocene marine terrace deposits located in Capo Vaticano peninsula and in the Sant’Agata di Militello costal area, where a complete series, characterized by both marine and continental deposits, occurs. Current elevations of marine terraces also suggest that these portions of the Calabrian Arc have been affected by a vigorous tectonic uplift during the last 330 ka, probably due to sum of regional uplift and fault activity.