Sediment flow connectivity index data for the Apulia region (Italy): An open-source geodatabase and the innovative CONNECTOSED WebGIS platform.

An open-source geodatabase and its associate WebGIS platform (CONNECTOSED) were developed to collect and utilize data for the Sediment Flow Connectivity Index (SfCI) for the Apulia region of southern Italy. Maps depicting sediment mobility and connectivity across the hydrographic basins of the Apulia region were generated and stored in the geodatabase. This geodatabase is organized into folders containing data in TIFF, shapefile, Jpeg and Pdf formats, including input variables (digital elevation model, land cover map, rainfall map, and soil units dataset for each hydrographic basin), classification graphs (ranking of variable values), dimensionless index maps (slope, ruggedness, rainfall, land cover, and soil stability) and key products (maps of sediment mobility, SfCI, and applied SfCI).

Conversion of vintage seismic reflection profiles of the ViDEPI dataset crossing the Gondola Line seismogenic fault (offshore Apulia, Adriatic Sea, Southern Italy) to SEG-Y.

Three files have been created in SEG-Y format after conversion from the raster images of selected parts of the ViDEPI open project: seismic reflection profiles D-445, D-451 and D-452, crossing the Mattinata-Gondola fault system. This dataset was obtained using the freely downloadable MATLAB© program IMAGE2SEGY. The program requires input TIFF and TXT files containing the image and specific parameters for the seismic reflection profiles to convert the raster images to the SEG-Y file format.

A set of guidelines as support for the integrated geo-environmental characterization of highly contaminated coastal sites.

The knowledge of geomorphodynamic aspects is crucial for understanding marine and coastal processes/dynamics as well as for characterizing coastal environments heavily affected by anthropogenic activities. To provide a framework of analysis that can be applied in a consistent way for the geo-environmental characterization of highly contaminated coastal sites, in this paper a set of operational guidelines is proposed. Special attention is given to the role of geomorphological-based surveys and analyses in defining (i) the site-specific geological model of the investigated site, (ii) the anthropogenic impacts on marine and coastal sediments, (iii) the expected morphodynamic variations induced by climate change and anthropogenic interventions, (iv) tailored dissemination activities and community engagement plans.

Fingerprinting Mediterranean hurricanes using pre-event thermal drops in seawater temperature.

Extreme atmospheric-marine events, known as medicanes (short for "Mediterranean hurricanes"), have affected the Mediterranean basin in recent years, resulting in extensive coastal flooding and storm surges, and have occasionally been responsible for several casualties. Considering that the development mechanism of these events is similar to tropical cyclones, it is plausible that these phenomena are strongly affected by sea surface temperatures (SSTs) during their development period (winter and autumn seasons). In this study, we compared satellite data and the numerical reanalysis of SSTs from 1969 to 2023 with in situ data from dataloggers installed at different depths off the coast of southeastern Sicily as well as from data available on Argo floats on the Mediterranean basin.

Long-term analysis of microseism during extreme weather events: Medicanes and common storms in the Mediterranean Sea.

In this work, we analyze 12 meteorological events that occurred in the Mediterranean Sea during the period November 2011-November 2021 from a seismic point of view. In particular, we consider 8 Medicanes and 4 more common storms. Each of these events, in spite of the marked differences between them, caused heavy rainfall, strong wind gusts and violent storm surge with significant wave heights usually >3 m.

Morpho-bathymetric acoustic surveys as a tool for mapping traces of anthropogenic activities on the seafloor: The case study of the Taranto area, southern Italy.

In this study, an investigation procedure for mapping the traces of anthropogenic activities on the seafloor is proposed. Analyses are based on the interpretation of acoustic data (Multibeam Echosounder and Side Scan Sonar) acquired in the Taranto coastal area. Specific GIS tools supported the acoustic data analysis, interpretation, and mapping.

The enigmatic 1693 AD tsunami in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: new insights on the triggering mechanisms and propagation dynamics.

The disastrous earthquake of 1693 AD caused over 60,000 causalities and the total destruction of several villages and towns in south-eastern Sicily. Immediately after the earthquake, a tsunami struck the Ionian coasts of Sicily and the Messina Strait and was probably recorded even in the Aeolian Islands and Malta. Over the last few decades, the event has been much debated regarding the location of the seismogenic source and the possible cause of the associated tsunami.

A rapid assessment of litter magnitudes and impacts along the Torre Guaceto marine protected area (Brindisi, Italy).

This study focuses on assessing litter magnitudes along the Torre Guaceto Marine Protected Area (Brindisi, Italy). Collected litter was grouped into twenty different types and classified into four litter typologies according to the Guidance on Monitoring of Marine Litter in European Seas. All data were analyzed using an index-based approach that allowed the classification of a coastal stretch in terms of cleanliness, and presence of plastics as well hazardous items.