Factors controlling natural subsidence in the Po Plain
L. Bruno
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences,University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
B. Campo, B. Costagli, A. Amorosi
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences,
University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
E. Stouthamer
Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, Utrecht,
the Netherlands
P. Teatini, C. Zoccarato
Dept. of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering,
University of Padova, Padova, Italy
Understanding the causes and mechanisms of land subsidence is crucial,
especially in densely populated coastal plains. In this work, we calculated
subsidence rates (SR) in the Po coastal plain, averaged over the last 5.6
and 120 kyr, providing information about land movements on intermediate
(103-105 years) time scales. The calculation of SR
relied upon core-based correlation of two lagoon horizons over tens of km.
Subsidence in the last 120 kyr appears to be controlled mainly by the
location of buried tectonic structures, which in turn controlled
sedimentation rates and location of highly compressible depositional facies.
Numerical modelling shows that subsidence in the last 5.6 kyr is mainly
due to compaction of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits (uppermost
30 m).
