Raised Pleistocene marine terraces of the Crotone peninsula (Calabria, southern Italy): facies analysis and organization of their deposits

Wide marine terraces well known in the Italian literature are present in the Crotone peninsula, Ionian Calabria. They are related to the interplay between Pleistocene sea-level changes and the progressive uplift of the Calabrian Arc from the middle Pleistocene onwards. We present a description of facies organization and stratigraphical characteristics of the terrace deposits, along with a new geological map of the area. All the marine terraces unconformably overlie a Plio-Pleistocene slope succession known as Cutro Clay. The oldest and highest terrace, named Cutro terrace, is placed between 90 and 200 m of elevation and is gently inclined south-eastwards. Four younger terraces placed at progressively lower elevations and dipping seawards at low angles have been recognized. The sedimentary deposits of the terraces are represented by mixed carbonate and siliciclastic bodies, up to 10 m thick. Algal reefs and grainstone to rudstone deposits are common in the south-eastern part of the study area, whereas mostly siliciclastic sandstone units of shoreface environments are more abundant northwards and westwards. The deposits of some terraces are made up of minor cycles, bounded by subaerial, transgressive, and flooding surfaces referred to minor sea-level fluctuations. NNE-, ENE-, E-, and WNW-trending normal fault systems are present within the study area and dissect the marine terraces. Specifically, the activation of ENE-trending faults took place after the formation of the oldest terrace but prior to the formation of the younger terraces.