Evolution of karst in Messinian gypsum (Monferrato, Northern Italy)

Karst systems : dynamics, evolution, paleoenvironmental recordings and natural hazards. Special issue

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

VIGNA, B.

Dip. di Ingegneria del Territorio, dell'Ambiente e delle Geotecnologie, Politecnico, Torino, Italie

FIORASO, G.

CNR-IGG, Torino, Italie

BANZATO, C.

Dip. di Ingegneria del Territorio, dell'Ambiente e delle Geotecnologie, Politecnico, Torino, Italie

DE WAELE, J.

Italian Inst. of Speleology, Univ., Bologna, Italie

GILLI, E.

Dep. Géographie, Univ. Paris 8, Saint-Denis, France

UMR ESPACE 6012, Nice, France

DE WAELE, J.

Ist. Italiano di Speleologia, Dip. di Scienze della Terra e Geologico-Ambientali, Univ., Bologna, Italie

GUTIÉRREZ, F.

Dep. de Ciencias de la Tierra, Univ., Zaragoza, Espagne

PARISE, M.

Ist. di Ricerca per la Protezione Idrogeologica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italie

Description :
This paper deals with the evolution of the karst developed in the evaporite succession around Monferrato. In this area the thickness of the evaporite sequence is highly variable due to an important erosion surface formed at the end of the evaporite cycle and carved in the gypsum beds. Epigenic caves probably formed during this short intra-Messinian phase of emersion. Cave sediments contain benthonic and planctonic formaminiferal associations ranging in age from Burdigalian to Upper Pliocene. The formation of the most important caves of this area probably started at the end of the Messinian under epigenic conditions. Possibly, those inherited caves enlarged slowly during the Quaternary in an intrastratal and confined hypogene karst system.

Type de document :
Article de monographie

Source :
Geodinamica acta, issn : 0985-3111, 2009, vol. 22-23, n°. 5-6/1-3, p. 29-40, nombre de pages : 12, Références bibliographiques : 21 ref.

Date :
2009

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Abingdon, Taylor and Francis

Langue :
Anglais