Zanclean to gelasian high-frequency sequences of the crotone basin (southern Italy): Architectural variability and forcing mechanisms

The Zanclean Belvedere Formation and the Gelasian Strongoli Sandstone, cropping out in the Neogene to Quaternary Crotone Basin, southern Italy, exhibit a high-frequency cyclicity consisting of 10°–101 m sequences, which stack in an aggradational to progradational pattern. These high-frequency sequences are bounded by ravinement surfaces and are usually composed of transgressive and regressive deposits of similar thickness. In particular, the high-frequency sequences of the Belvedere Formation are composed of a transgressive systems tract and of a highstand systems tract, whereas those of the Strongoli Sandstone likely record also forced regression in their upper part. Due to the vertical repetition of the studied high-frequency sequences and their similar architecture despite the different tectonic settings in which the two formations accumulated, a climatic/glacio-eustatic control associated with earth-orbital parameters is very likely, as also documented in coeval successions worldwi...