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Article

Ongoing Deformation at the Southern Apennine Front: Insights from the Gulf of Taranto (Italy)

by
Agostino Meo
,
Bruno Massa
*,
Sabatino Ciarcia
and
Maria Rosaria Senatore
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli Studi del Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Geosciences 2026, 16(4), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16040141
Submission received: 28 January 2026 / Revised: 23 February 2026 / Accepted: 27 March 2026 / Published: 30 March 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: “Sedimentology and Stratigraphy”)
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Abstract

The Gulf of Taranto (Ionian Sea) is a key transitional sector between the Southern Apennines collisional belt and the Calabrian Arc system, where the expression of Pleistocene–Holocene deformation in the shallow stratigraphic record remains debated. This study focuses on the Taranto Canyon area, the main morphologic feature of the northeastern Gulf of Taranto slope. We integrate high-resolution multibeam bathymetry (10 m grid) with Sparker seismic profiles to (i) define the shallow seismo-stratigraphic framework and (ii) document spatial relationships between shallow discontinuities, morphostructural lineaments, and submarine channel network organization. A simplified tie to the Livia 001 well constrains the subdivision of the shallow succession into four seismic units: the late Pleistocene–Holocene unit (PtH), the Santerno Formation (SNT), the Calcarenite di Gravina (GRA), and the Cupello Limestones (CPL). The PtH interval shows the strongest lateral variability and includes widespread acoustically disturbed bodies and recurrent sub-vertical fluid escape acoustic anomalies. Steep discontinuities producing reflector terminations, minor vertical separation, and localized bending affect PtH and, locally, SNT, with normal fault geometries prevailing where resolvable. Bathymetric mapping reveals multiple lineament families and preferred channel orientations that persist across higher Strahler orders, supporting a structurally conditioned template that guides seafloor morphology, sediment routing, and canyon–slope evolution in the northeastern Gulf of Taranto.

1. Introduction

The Gulf of Taranto (GoT) occupies the northernmost sector of the Ionian Sea and is bounded by Calabria, Basilicata, and Apulia regions within the broader Nubia–Eurasia convergence zone [1,2] (Figure 1a,b). Since the Neogene, the GoT has acted as a transitional region between the Apulian foreland and the Southern Apennine fold-and-thrust belt [3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. It corresponds to the northwestern termination of a foredeep basin in an advanced evolutionary stage, where the frontal thrusts of the Apennine accretionary wedge approach the Apulian Platform [10]. Despite regional tectono-stratigraphic reconstructions [11], it remains debated whether and how Pleistocene–Holocene deformation is recorded in the shallow stratigraphic succession and in the present-day seafloor morphology within this transition zone [5,12,13].
Along continental margins, submarine canyons, slope failures, and mass-transport deposits (MTDs) are widespread and commonly reflect the interplay between tectonic activity, gravitational instability, and sea-level-driven changes in sediment supply [14,15,16,17,18,19]. In the northeastern GoT, the Taranto Canyon represents the dominant slope incision and a major sediment-routing element. Its geomorphic configuration provides a suitable target for investigating the interaction between structural inheritance, seafloor deformation, sediment dispersal, and slope processes [20,21].
Within this framework, this study investigates the offshore northeastern GoT between the Sinni River mouth (Basilicata) and Taranto City (Apulia), focusing on the Taranto Canyon sector. We integrate high-resolution multibeam bathymetry (10 m gridded) with Sparker seismic profiles to link seafloor morphology with the late Pleistocene–Holocene stratigraphic architecture and shallow deformation patterns. Specifically, the objectives are to (1) reconstruct and calibrate the shallow seismo-stratigraphic framework of the outer shelf–upper slope domain using well constraints (Livia 001; Figure 1c and Figure 2); (2) identify and map deformation features affecting late Pleistocene–Holocene deposits and evaluate their spatial relationship with morphostructural lineaments and submarine channel network organization; and (3) document the distribution of subsurface slope instability bodies together with fluid escape-related acoustic anomalies imaged in the high-resolution profiles.
By providing new constraints on the coupling between shallow sedimentary unit deformation, stratigraphy, and canyon-related slope processes in a key Central Mediterranean transition zone, this study refines the shallow structural expression of regional tectono-stratigraphic models and establishes a robust framework to discuss structural controls on margin instability in the northeastern GoT.
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Figure 1. Location and regional setting of the study area (Gulf of Taranto, Ionian Sea) and dataset overview. (a) Geographic framework of southern Italy with the study sector highlighted (red box). (b) Regional physiographic and tectonic framework of the Ionian domain showing the Southern Apennines thrust front and the distribution of the seismogenic sources from the DISS catalogue (individual and debated sources) [22]. (c) Detailed map of the northeastern Gulf of Taranto showing the high-resolution bathymetry and geophysical dataset used in this work. Sparker seismic profiles (brown), ViDEPI seismic profiles (green), and exploration/stratigraphic wells (pink) [23]. Bathymetric contours are shown at 50 m intervals.
Figure 1. Location and regional setting of the study area (Gulf of Taranto, Ionian Sea) and dataset overview. (a) Geographic framework of southern Italy with the study sector highlighted (red box). (b) Regional physiographic and tectonic framework of the Ionian domain showing the Southern Apennines thrust front and the distribution of the seismogenic sources from the DISS catalogue (individual and debated sources) [22]. (c) Detailed map of the northeastern Gulf of Taranto showing the high-resolution bathymetry and geophysical dataset used in this work. Sparker seismic profiles (brown), ViDEPI seismic profiles (green), and exploration/stratigraphic wells (pink) [23]. Bathymetric contours are shown at 50 m intervals.
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Figure 2. Schematic calibration of the main seismo-stratigraphic units used in this study against the Livia 001 well. (a) Stratigraphic column expressed as depth below the seafloor (m), including the upper interval with no core recovery (0–230 m below the seafloor) and the calibrated tops used for seismic correlation. (b) Equivalent column expressed as two-way travel time (s TWT), obtained by tying the well markers to the nearest Sparker reflector package (Long 5 tie-point). (c) Local well projection onto the closest Sparker profile segment, illustrating the depth of investigation at the tie-point and the penetration limit of the Sparker dataset (PtH–SNT interval). (d) Reference interpreted deep-penetration seismic profile (ViDEPI D484A; mod, after [11]) showing the regional structural–stratigraphic framework (CPL, GRA, SNT, PtH) and the position of the Sparker–ViDEPI overlap along Long 5.
Figure 2. Schematic calibration of the main seismo-stratigraphic units used in this study against the Livia 001 well. (a) Stratigraphic column expressed as depth below the seafloor (m), including the upper interval with no core recovery (0–230 m below the seafloor) and the calibrated tops used for seismic correlation. (b) Equivalent column expressed as two-way travel time (s TWT), obtained by tying the well markers to the nearest Sparker reflector package (Long 5 tie-point). (c) Local well projection onto the closest Sparker profile segment, illustrating the depth of investigation at the tie-point and the penetration limit of the Sparker dataset (PtH–SNT interval). (d) Reference interpreted deep-penetration seismic profile (ViDEPI D484A; mod, after [11]) showing the regional structural–stratigraphic framework (CPL, GRA, SNT, PtH) and the position of the Sparker–ViDEPI overlap along Long 5.
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2. Geological and Structural Setting

Rheological contrasts and variations in deformation style exert a strong control on the geodynamics of the Ionian region. Recent geophysical investigations [24,25] have highlighted crustal heterogeneities and the lateral transition between two distinct geodynamic domains, the Southern Apennines fold-and-thrust system and the Calabrian subduction prism, occurring beneath the GoT; however, no clear tectonic evidence has been identified to mark a sharp boundary between these regimes [26,27,28]. Furthermore, it remains unresolved whether this collision–subduction boundary has remained spatially fixed throughout the Quaternary or has migrated laterally through time [5,12,13]. This uncertainty is consistent with the diachronous along-strike evolution of deformation from the northern Bradano foredeep, where contraction has waned and transcurrent regimes dominate, to the still-active Calabrian Arc subduction front [29,30,31,32].
The long-term structural model of the central Mediterranean includes a Mesozoic phase dominated by widespread extension, responsible for the development of neritic carbonate platforms and intervening deep basins [33,34,35,36,37,38]. Since the Early Miocene, a progressive northeastward migration of the southern Apennines accretionary prism occurred, driven by the rollback of the subducting Ionian–Apulian slab and flexural retreat of the foreland basin [39,40,41,42,43,44]. This process produced a foredeep system with eastward-young depocenters, growth strata, and piggyback basins [8,45].
A key contribution to understanding the offshore setting and the evolution of this area was provided by [11], who integrated ~1100 km of seismic lines and 17 exploration wells to build a 3D tectono-stratigraphic model of the Apennine accretionary wedge. This model described an NE-verging imbricate thrust system shaped by alternating episodes of frontal propagation and tectonic strain accumulation, with syn-tectonic sedimentation, growth strata, and structural segmentation linked to the reactivation of inherited Mesozoic discontinuities. The internal structural style includes transpressional and transtensional structures (e.g., the Amendolara transpressional system), highlighting strain partitioning between thrust and strike-slip components [46,47].
In the broader Ionian setting, the Calabrian Arc prism continues offshore as a thick (>4000 m) wedge of deformed sediments [48], subdivided into NE and SW lobes separated by an NW–SE high-deformation crustal zone [49,50,51,52]. The Apennine accretionary prism is bounded laterally by the Malta Escarpment to the south and the Apulian Platform to the north and includes thrust, strike–slip, and dip–slip normal fault systems (e.g., Catanzaro, Spartivento, and Bovalino) [46]. Seismic and geodetic data across the GoT suggest active contraction, with slip rates along the basal detachment ranging from 4 to 7 mm/yr [53,54,55].
From a stratigraphic perspective, the Ionian basin hosts a thick Neogene to Quaternary succession, including Messinian evaporites (Gessoso-Solfifera Fm.), Pliocene marine clays (Santerno Fm.), and Holocene marine deposits (PtH unit), calibrated by boreholes such as Flora, Francesca, Letizia, and Metapontum 001 (Figure 1c) [11,23]. The Messinian evaporites act as a regional detachment level, facilitating gravitational spreading, mud volcanism, and fluid migration [49,56]. In the northeastern GoT, the Livia 001 well provides key stratigraphic constraints for the shallow units discussed in this study and is used to calibrate the high-resolution seismo-stratigraphic framework through a simplified well-to-seismic tie (Figure 2).

3. Materials and Methods

3.1. Geophysical Dataset and Seismic Stratigraphy

An integrated dataset of multibeam bathymetry and high-resolution seismic profiles was acquired across the outer continental shelf and slope in the northeastern sector of the GoT (Figure 1c). These data were used to reconstruct seafloor morphology and constrain the shallow subsurface stratigraphy of the study area.
Two multibeam surveys were conducted in the study area: (i) in 2005, within the Italian CARG Project [57,58], aboard the R/V Coopernaut Franca (University of Sannio and Sapienza University of Rome) and (ii) in 2010, during the oceanographic cruise “MAGIC Conisma11/2010” within the MaGIC Project (Marine Geohazards along the Italian Coasts) [59,60], aboard the R/V Minerva Uno. Overall, approximately 1600 km2 of bathymetric data were collected, and the final bathymetric surface was gridded at 10 × 10 m resolution and referenced to mean sea level (MSL).
Bathymetric data were collected using a RESON SeaBat 8160 MBES system (50 kHz), capable of acquiring 126 across-track beams over a 130° swath (with a maximum swath width of approximately 4× the water depth) with 1.2° beam spacing. The system is characterized by an across-track beam width of 1.5° at the nadir and selectable along-track beam widths (1.5–6.0°), with beam stabilization up to ±15° (pitch) and ±20° (roll). At the nadir, a 1.5° beam width corresponds to an approximate seafloor footprint of ~0.026× water depth (e.g., ~0.9 m at 34 m, ~13 m at 500 m, ~26 m at 1000 m), increasing toward the outer beams due to oblique incidence.
Data were processed using CARIS HIPS & SIPS (Teledyne CARIS), including sound–velocity correction, tide correction (with MSL referencing), beam refraction, and 3D visualization. The workflow included spike removal, surface cleaning, and generation of a digital terrain model (DTM) to ensure an accurate representation of the surveyed seabed. Post-processing and quality control were performed at the Department of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, within the framework of the inter-institutional collaboration established for the CARG/MaGIC projects.
Seismic profiles were processed and interpreted in the IHS Kingdom® Suite (version 2018; IHS Markit, now S&P Global), following a seismic sequence-stratigraphic framework [61,62,63,64,65]. Reflector geometries, bounding discontinuities, and acoustic facies were used to define the main seismic units and key stratigraphic surfaces and support the correlation between profiles.
Positioning and navigation for both MBES and seismic acquisition were ensured by a Trimble GeoExplorer® GNSS (Westminster, CO, USA) receiver with real-time differential correction via the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System [66]. Horizontal positioning accuracy was typically on the order of ~1–3 m in real-time mode. Navigation data were used to georeference bathymetric grids and seismic profiles.

3.2. Seismic Stratigraphy Well Tie (Livia 001)

To strengthen the chronostratigraphic and lithostratigraphic attribution of the interpreted seismic units, the seismic stratigraphy was cross-checked against available borehole information. In particular, the Livia 001 well was used as a reference for a simplified tie to the nearest Sparker profile (Long 5), where Sparker penetration allows imaging of the PtH–SNT interval. The well-based depth column, the corresponding two-way travel time (TWT) representation, and the schematic tie-point projection onto the seismic profile are summarized in Figure 2. This tie was used to ensure consistency between interpreted seismic horizons and well-derived stratigraphic tops within the limits imposed by Sparker bandwidth and penetration at the tie location.

3.3. Morphostructural Features

Morphostructural mapping was performed on DTM derived from the MBES data, subsampled at a resolution of 10 m. Analyses and cartographic outputs were produced in the QGIS environment (v. 3.44 “Solothurn”). Bathymetric contours were extracted at 20 m intervals and combined with hillshade visualization to support the identification of morphostructural features. Morphological lineaments were mapped based on their seafloor evidence (slope breaks, aligned escarpments, linear depressions, or ridges). These lineaments are considered fault-generated but cannot be confirmed as fault scarps, making the inclusion of kinematic information inappropriate. The resulting lineament map and the associated directional statistics (rose diagram) are presented in Figure 3.

3.4. Submarine Channel Network Extraction and Strahler Analysis

A channel network analysis was conducted to quantitatively assess the orientation of submarine channels and their order-dependent patterns. The channel network was extracted from the DTM using GRASS GIS hydrological tools (within QGIS), following a standard flow-routing workflow (sink filling where needed, flow direction, and flow accumulation). Extracted channel segments were then classified by Strahler order to evaluate how and if channel orientations vary with network hierarchy. Directional analysis of the extracted channel network was performed in QGIS using the Line Direction Histogram plugin (v3.2; https://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/LineDirectionHistogram, accessed on 27 January 2026), computing azimuth distributions weighted by segment length (bin size = 10°). Orientation statistics were computed for each channel order and summarized using rose diagrams.

4. Results

4.1. Seismostratigraphic Framework and Seismic Facies

High-resolution Sparker seismic profiles image a shallow, laterally continuous stratified sedimentary succession along the northeastern Gulf of Taranto continental margin and across the headwall of the Taranto Canyon (Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6). The analysis of reflector configuration, bounding discontinuities, and seismic facies distribution—integrated with the Livia 001 well tie (Figure 2a–c) and selected ViDEPI profiles (Figure 2d)—supports the subdivision of the imaged succession into four main seismic units: the late Pleistocene–Holocene unit (PtH), the Santerno Formation (SNT), the Calcarenite di Gravina (GRA), and the Cupello Limestones (CPL).
The PtH unit occurs immediately below the seafloor and typically exhibits medium to high amplitude, laterally continuous reflectors, and a predominantly parallel to sub-parallel internal configuration. Within the PtH unit, the profiles locally display acoustically disturbed intervals, ranging from chaotic to semi-transparent facies. These intervals are expressed as lens-shaped to tabular bodies with disrupted to poorly organized internal reflections and irregular basal surfaces (Figure 4b, Figure 5b and Figure 6b). Such bodies are preferentially developed within the upper part of the succession and are particularly frequent along canyon headwalls, flanks, and slope sectors adjacent to the Taranto Canyon, where they may appear stacked and laterally amalgamated over short distances.
All investigated profiles also display recurrent sub-vertical acoustic anomalies within the shallow succession (Figure 4c, Figure 5c and Figure 6c). These features are expressed as narrow to broad, columnar zones characterized by acoustic blanking or attenuation, reduced reflector amplitude, and local loss of reflector continuity, vertically disrupting otherwise coherent stratification. They mainly affect the PtH unit and, in several cases, extend downward toward the PtH–SNT boundary (Figure 4c, Figure 5c and Figure 6c). Spatially, they occur both in intercanyon slope sectors and near canyon margins, including intervals where reflector continuity is locally reduced and internal facies variability is higher.
The underlying SNT unit exhibits predominantly parallel to sub-parallel reflectors of moderate amplitude and good lateral continuity (Figure 4b, Figure 5b and Figure 6b). Compared to the PtH unit, acoustically disturbed facies are less common within SNT, which is characterized by a more uniform internal reflector configuration. A laterally persistent reflector marks the upper boundary of the SNT, separating the PtH from the underlying stratified succession and remaining traceable across the profiles.
The top of the GRA unit is identified by a sharp, high-amplitude reflector traceable across all profiles (Figure 4b, Figure 5b and Figure 6b). Internal reflections within GRA display moderate continuity and a medium-frequency behavior. The lowermost CPL unit is imaged as a package of lower-amplitude, laterally discontinuous reflections, locally affected by reduced signal penetration and acoustic attenuation (Figure 4b, Figure 5b and Figure 6b).
Based on the picked unit boundaries, the PtH thickness ranges between ~350 and 530 ms TWT, corresponding to approximately ~315–475 m assuming an average acoustic velocity of 1800 m/s [11] (Table 1). The SNT unit shows lower thickness values and locally reaches ~45–65 ms TWT, corresponding to ~50–72 m using an average velocity of 2200 m/s [11] (Table 1). The combined thickness of the GRA and CPL units exceeds ~300 ms TWT, corresponding to a minimum thickness of ~450 m based on average velocities of 2500 m/s and 3000 m/s, respectively (Table 1).
Several steeply dipping discontinuities are visible in the profiles (Figure 4b, Figure 5b and Figure 6b). These are expressed by reflector terminations, clear vertical separation, and localized bending of reflectors. Locally, these discontinuities affect the PtH and/or SNT units and coincide with changes in reflector continuity and subtle internal deformation of bedding. One prominent steeply dipping zone is repeatedly observed as a laterally confined corridor of disrupted and truncated reflections, traceable from the shallow succession to the deepest imaged unit (CPL; Figure 4b, Figure 5b and Figure 6b). Sub-vertical acoustic anomalies are locally adjacent to these discontinuities and/or occur within intervals characterized by increased reflector disruption and facies variability (Figure 4c, Figure 5c and Figure 6c).

4.2. Morpho-Structural Lineaments from Multibeam Bathymetry

The morpho-structural map derived from the undersampled 10 m resolution multibeam DTM (Figure 3a) shows a dense set of linear seafloor features across the outer shelf, shelf break, and upper to lower slope, including the Taranto Canyon. Mapped lineaments include aligned slope breaks, linear escarpments, elongated depressions, and ridge-like features identifiable on the map (Figure 3a).
Figure 3b (length-weighted rose diagram) summarizes the directional distribution of lineaments, highlighting multiple dominant orientation families. Two main azimuth clusters are evident, with a major NE–SW to NNW–SSE trend and a secondary NW–SE trend (Figure 3b). Spatially, NE–SW lineaments are more prominent in the northeastern part of the mapped area, whereas the central–southern sectors show a broader spread of orientations, with a clearer representation of NW–SE to NNW–SSE trends (Figure 3a,b). Cross-cutting relationships between lineaments of different orientations are observable in several sectors (Figure 3a), where linear features terminate against or are interrupted by differently oriented elements.

4.3. Submarine Channel Network Extraction and Strahler Stream Orders

The multibeam DTM enables the extraction of a submarine channel network across the study area and its classification by Strahler order (Figure 7). Lower-order channels (first to second) display highly dispersed orientations, consistent with the high density of short channel segments at 10 m DTM resolution (Figure 7b,c). From the third order upward, directional clustering becomes more evident. Third-order segments show a dominant NE–SW cluster with a secondary population rotated toward ESE–WNW (Figure 7d). Fourth-order channels retain a predominant NE–SW cluster together with a distinct NW–SE component (Figure 7e). Fifth-order channels show a more balanced distribution between NE–SW and NW–SE trends (Figure 7f). Sixth-order channels are dominated by NW–SE orientations relative to NE–SW (Figure 7g). Seventh-order channels show a mixed distribution between NE–SW and NW–SE trends (Figure 7h). Eighth-order channels, although fewer and more continuous, are dominated by NW–SE orientations (Figure 7i). Overall, the length-weighted rose diagrams document order-dependent variations in channel segment orientations across the network hierarchy, with recurrent NE–SW and NW–SE families expressed across multiple orders (Figure 7).

5. Discussion

High-resolution Sparker profiles integrated with 10 m multibeam bathymetry provide a robust basis for discussing the late Pleistocene–Holocene evolution of the outer shelf–upper slope domain in the northeastern Gulf of Taranto (GoT), a key transition sector between the Southern Apennines frontal thrust system and the Calabrian subduction prism. In this setting, the shallow seismo-stratigraphic framework (PtH, SNT, GRA, and CPL), calibrated by the Livia 001 well tie and placed in a regional context through comparison with deep-penetration seismic interpretation (Figure 2), allows a consistent link between near-surface stratigraphic architecture and the inherited structural template described by regional tectono-stratigraphic reconstructions [11].
The PtH unit represents the uppermost depositional interval and exhibits the strongest internal variability across the study area, whereas the underlying SNT unit shows a comparatively more regular reflector configuration dominated by laterally continuous, sub-parallel reflections. This contrast is consistent with late Quaternary glacio-eustatic sea-level fluctuations and associated changes in sediment supply and accommodation, which are widely documented in the Mediterranean and along the Apulian–Ionian margin [67,68,69,70]. The short-distance lateral variability observed within PtH suggests that late Quaternary accumulation in the canyon–slope system was spatially heterogeneous rather than uniformly aggradational at the scale of the investigated margin segment.
A key feature of the PtH interval is the occurrence of acoustically disturbed, laterally discontinuous bodies that cluster along canyon headwalls, flanks, and adjacent slope-break sectors. Their seismic character (chaotic to semi-transparent facies and disrupted internal reflections) and geometry (lens-shaped to tabular bodies with irregular basal surfaces) match the first-order seismic expression commonly attributed to mass-transport deposits (MTDs) in comparable continental margin settings [14,15,16,17,18,19,71,72,73]. Given the bandwidth and resolution limits of Sparker data, this interpretation is intended as a facies-based classification grounded on geometry and acoustic character, consistent with established criteria [62,63], rather than as a detailed diagnosis of individual failure mechanisms.
Steep discontinuities affecting the PtH–SNT interval provide additional control on stratigraphic architecture and the distribution of disturbed facies. Where constrained by reflector terminations and localized bending, shallow discontinuities most commonly display dip–slip normal faulting with minor vertical separation. In foredeep margin and outer wedge settings, shallow normal faulting and small offset deformation can develop through flexural bending, differential compaction, and gravitational readjustment of the uppermost sedimentary cover, particularly above a mechanically heterogeneous and structurally segmented substrate [6,42]. In the GoT, this framework is consistent with regional interpretations documenting thrust propagation, segmentation, and along-strike variability in deformation style across the transition between the Apennine wedge and the Calabrian arc domain [10,11,46,47,74,75]. Importantly, the present dataset does not demonstrate large-magnitude emergent thrusting within the Sparker window; instead, it indicates localized shallow deformation affecting the PtH–SNT interval, which may contribute to the development of short-wavelength accommodation zones and influence depositional patterns and slope stability.
Sub-vertical acoustic anomalies are recurrent within the PtH–SNT interval and are expressed as chimney-like zones of attenuation/blanking with reduced reflector amplitude and local loss of reflector continuity (Figure 4c, Figure 5c and Figure 6c). Their spatial association with steep discontinuities and with intervals characterized by higher internal facies variability suggests preferential vertical pathways within the shallow succession. Because Sparker data alone do not allow robust discrimination of fluid composition, it is more rigorous to describe these features as fluid escape acoustic anomalies, without implying a specific origin. Similar acoustic expressions have been linked elsewhere to focused fluid flow, transient pore-pressure changes, and sediment-property contrasts in late Quaternary successions (e.g., [18,70,71,72]. Focused fluid migration can act as a preconditioning factor for slope instability by locally reducing effective stress and sediment strength, especially where fluid pathways intersect mechanically heterogeneous intervals and structurally segmented sectors [18,68,70,71,72].
Independent geomorphic evidence from multibeam bathymetry supports a structurally conditioned framework guiding seafloor morphology and sediment routing. The mapped morphostructural lineaments, extracted from the DTM (Figure 3), define dominant NE–SW and secondary NW–SE to WNW–ESE orientation families. The channel network analysis shows that higher-order channel segments preferentially align with the same main azimuth families, suggesting that structural anisotropy influences canyon development and channel organization at the margin scale [20,21]. This correspondence is best interpreted in terms of shared orientation families rather than a one-to-one correspondence between individual lineaments and specific channels because channel pathways also respond to local gradients, confinement, and autogenic reorganization within the canyon–slope system.
At the basin scale, the shallow patterns documented offshore are compatible with independent geomorphic indicators of Late Quaternary tectonic activity in adjacent onshore sectors, including marine terrace staircases and evidence of differential vertical motions along the Ionian coastal belt [76,77,78,79]. Although the present dataset does not constrain deformation rates, it provides new high-resolution evidence that the late Pleistocene–Holocene stratigraphic record in the northeastern GoT is locally affected by shallow deformation, structural segmentation, and focused vertical pathways. Collectively, these observations refine the shallow expression of regional tectono-stratigraphic models [11,73] by showing that in this transition zone, deformation may be expressed indirectly through localized normal fault geometries and reflector bending, structurally influenced organization of seafloor lineaments and channel pathways, and spatial coupling between discontinuities, fluid escape acoustic anomalies, and repeated sediment remobilization. This interpretation is consistent with regional evidence of active deformation and segmentation in the Ionian domain and Calabrian arc system [32,46,47,48,49], while remaining conservative with respect to the magnitude and kinematics of shallow structures imaged by the Sparker dataset.

6. Conclusions

High-resolution Sparker seismic profiles integrated with 10 m multibeam bathymetry and tied to the Livia 001 well define a four-unit shallow seismo-stratigraphic framework (PtH, SNT, GRA, and CPL) for the outer shelf–upper slope of the northeastern Gulf of Taranto and document marked along-slope variability within the PtH–SNT interval.
The PtH unit shows the strongest internal heterogeneity and contains numerous acoustically disturbed bodies concentrated along canyon margins and slope-break sectors, consistent with repeated sediment remobilization within the canyon–slope system. Recurrent sub-vertical fluid escape acoustic anomalies and steep discontinuities affecting PtH and locally SNT indicate localized vertical pathways and shallow deformation expressed by reflector terminations, minor vertical separation, and localized bending.
With the correspondence between morphostructural lineament families and higher-order channel orientations, these observations support a structurally conditioned template that influences seafloor morphology and sediment routing. In the Apennine–Calabrian transition zone, the predominance of shallow normal fault geometries is consistent with strain partitioning and gravitational readjustment of the shallow cover above a deeper contractional system reconstructed in regional models [11,73], refining the shallow expression of deformation and providing a framework for future work on deformation rates, fluid circulation, and slope instability dynamics.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, A.M. and B.M.; methodology, A.M. and B.M.; validation, S.C. and M.R.S.; analysis, A.M. and B.M.; resources, M.R.S., S.C. and B.M.; writing—original draft preparation, A.M. and B.M.; writing—review and editing, A.M., B.M., S.C. and M.R.S.; supervision, M.R.S. and S.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

The research was supported by FRA 2024 and 2025 (Fund of Academic Research; PIs: S. Ciarcia, M.R. Senatore and B. Massa).

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Italian National Research Project, MaGIC (Marine Geological Hazard along the Italian Coast), funded by the Italian Civil Protection Department and the Scientific Coordinator, Francesco Latino Chiocci, of the “Sapienza”—University of Rome. The authors thank all editors and reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Figure 3. (a) Morphostructural map of the northeastern Gulf of Taranto based on the 10 m multibeam bathymetric DTM. Bathymetric contours are shown at 20 m intervals. Red lineaments represent morpho-structural lineaments mapped from multibeam dataset (e.g., aligned scarps, slope breaks, and linear ridges/depressions) and are interpreted as potential morphological expressions of structural inheritance and/or shallow deformation. (b) Rose diagram showing the azimuthal distribution of mapped lineaments (statistics computed on lineament azimuths and weighted by lineament length). Dominant orientation sets are highlighted, with prevailing NE–SW and NW–SE trends.
Figure 3. (a) Morphostructural map of the northeastern Gulf of Taranto based on the 10 m multibeam bathymetric DTM. Bathymetric contours are shown at 20 m intervals. Red lineaments represent morpho-structural lineaments mapped from multibeam dataset (e.g., aligned scarps, slope breaks, and linear ridges/depressions) and are interpreted as potential morphological expressions of structural inheritance and/or shallow deformation. (b) Rose diagram showing the azimuthal distribution of mapped lineaments (statistics computed on lineament azimuths and weighted by lineament length). Dominant orientation sets are highlighted, with prevailing NE–SW and NW–SE trends.
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Figure 4. High-resolution Sparker seismic profile Long 5 across the Taranto Canyon sector (location in Figure 1c). (a) Processed seismic section; the depths are related to the seafloor. (b) Interpreted section showing the main seismo-stratigraphic units (PtH, SNT, GRA, and CPL) and key bounding reflectors. Acoustically disturbed intervals within the PtH unit, expressed by chaotic to transparent facies and lens-shaped/tabular bodies with irregular basal surfaces, are interpreted as mass-transport deposits (MTDs). (c) Sub-vertical acoustic anomalies (zones of reduced amplitude/blanking and local loss of reflector continuity) are highlighted as fluid escape/acoustic anomaly facies.
Figure 4. High-resolution Sparker seismic profile Long 5 across the Taranto Canyon sector (location in Figure 1c). (a) Processed seismic section; the depths are related to the seafloor. (b) Interpreted section showing the main seismo-stratigraphic units (PtH, SNT, GRA, and CPL) and key bounding reflectors. Acoustically disturbed intervals within the PtH unit, expressed by chaotic to transparent facies and lens-shaped/tabular bodies with irregular basal surfaces, are interpreted as mass-transport deposits (MTDs). (c) Sub-vertical acoustic anomalies (zones of reduced amplitude/blanking and local loss of reflector continuity) are highlighted as fluid escape/acoustic anomaly facies.
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Figure 5. High-resolution Sparker seismic profile Long 6 across the northeastern Gulf of Taranto slope (location in Figure 1c). (a) Processed seismic section; the depths are related to the seafloor. (b) Interpreted section highlighting the seismo-stratigraphic subdivision into PtH, SNT, GRA, and CPL units and associated reflector geometries. Chaotic to semitransparent bodies within PtH are interpreted as MTDs, showing disrupted internal reflections and irregular basal surfaces. (c) Sub-vertical acoustic anomalies characterized by acoustic blanking/attenuation and reduced reflector continuity are indicated as fluid escape/acoustic anomaly facies, locally extending toward the PtH–SNT boundary.
Figure 5. High-resolution Sparker seismic profile Long 6 across the northeastern Gulf of Taranto slope (location in Figure 1c). (a) Processed seismic section; the depths are related to the seafloor. (b) Interpreted section highlighting the seismo-stratigraphic subdivision into PtH, SNT, GRA, and CPL units and associated reflector geometries. Chaotic to semitransparent bodies within PtH are interpreted as MTDs, showing disrupted internal reflections and irregular basal surfaces. (c) Sub-vertical acoustic anomalies characterized by acoustic blanking/attenuation and reduced reflector continuity are indicated as fluid escape/acoustic anomaly facies, locally extending toward the PtH–SNT boundary.
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Figure 6. High-resolution Sparker seismic profile Long 7 imaging the outer shelf–upper slope transition in the northeastern Gulf of Taranto (location in Figure 1c). (a) Processed seismic section; the depths are related to the seafloor. (b) Interpreted section showing the distribution of PtH and SNT reflectors and the deeper carbonate units (GRA and CPL) where imaged. The PtH interval includes acoustically disturbed chaotic to transparent bodies interpreted as MTDs, particularly in proximity to slope breaks and canyon-related relief. (c) Sub-vertical acoustic anomalies (acoustic blanking/attenuation) are marked as fluid escape/acoustic anomaly facies.
Figure 6. High-resolution Sparker seismic profile Long 7 imaging the outer shelf–upper slope transition in the northeastern Gulf of Taranto (location in Figure 1c). (a) Processed seismic section; the depths are related to the seafloor. (b) Interpreted section showing the distribution of PtH and SNT reflectors and the deeper carbonate units (GRA and CPL) where imaged. The PtH interval includes acoustically disturbed chaotic to transparent bodies interpreted as MTDs, particularly in proximity to slope breaks and canyon-related relief. (c) Sub-vertical acoustic anomalies (acoustic blanking/attenuation) are marked as fluid escape/acoustic anomaly facies.
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Figure 7. Submarine channel network directional analysis by Strahler order in the study area. (a) Extracted submarine channel network draped on the shaded relief DTM (blue polylines). (b–i) Channel segments grouped by Strahler order (first to eighth), shown together with a rose diagram summarizing the segment orientation distributions for each order. Rose diagrams report length-weighted frequencies of segment azimuths (i.e., weighted by segment length).
Figure 7. Submarine channel network directional analysis by Strahler order in the study area. (a) Extracted submarine channel network draped on the shaded relief DTM (blue polylines). (b–i) Channel segments grouped by Strahler order (first to eighth), shown together with a rose diagram summarizing the segment orientation distributions for each order. Rose diagrams report length-weighted frequencies of segment azimuths (i.e., weighted by segment length).
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Table 1. Main characteristics of the seismic units identified in the study area. The table summarizes the stratigraphic attribution, internal seismic facies, reflector configuration, and estimated thicknesses expressed in two-way travel time (TWT; milliseconds) and meters. Depth conversion was performed using average acoustic velocities from [11]. Seismic facies classification follows the criteria from [62,63].
Table 1. Main characteristics of the seismic units identified in the study area. The table summarizes the stratigraphic attribution, internal seismic facies, reflector configuration, and estimated thicknesses expressed in two-way travel time (TWT; milliseconds) and meters. Depth conversion was performed using average acoustic velocities from [11]. Seismic facies classification follows the criteria from [62,63].
Seismic
Unit		Dominant Seismic
Facies		Internal
Configuration/
Geometry		Reflector Attributes (Amplitude/Continuity/Frequency)InterpretationEstimate Mean
Thickness
(ms TWT)		Estimated Thickness (m)
PtHPredominantly stratified package with interbedded acoustically disturbed bodies (chaotic to transparent) and local sub-vertical acoustic anomalies (blanking/attenuation columns)Laterally continuous layering with lens-shaped to tabular disturbed bodies (stacked/amalgamated locally); irregular basal surfaces; local truncations; vertical columns disrupting reflectorsMedium–high amplitude; generally high continuity; locally reduced amplitude/continuity within disturbed bodies and vertical anomalies; medium–high frequencyUppermost mixed shelf–upper slope succession with local remobilized sediment bodies and fluid escape indicators within the shallow stratigraphy~405~365
SNTLaterally persistent stratified package with minor disturbed intervals; overall more uniform than PtHParallel to sub-parallel reflectors; tabular geometry; gently dipping regional surfaces; locally subtle thickness changesModerate amplitude; high continuity; medium frequency; low proportion of chaotic/transparent faciesPredominantly fine-grained marine succession (hemipelagic/pelitic deposits)~55~60
GRAThin–moderate package defined by sharp high-amplitude top and internally layered reflectorsTabular to gently wedge-shaped where preserved; locally affected by minor deformation; commonly reduced internal resolutionHigh-amplitude top reflector; internal medium amplitude; moderate continuity; medium frequencyShallow marine carbonate (calcarenitic) unit/high-impedance carbonate layer~28~35
CPLHigh-impedance acoustic basement/low-resolution carbonate substrate; locally affected by multiples and limited penetrationMassive/indistinct acoustic basement; truncations; locally disrupted by steep discontinuities; penetration-limitedVery low to absent internal reflectivity; discontinuous to chaotic basement response; strong attenuation belowCompetent carbonate substratum (structural/acoustic basement in Sparker window)≥~280≥~420
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Meo, A.; Massa, B.; Ciarcia, S.; Senatore, M.R. Ongoing Deformation at the Southern Apennine Front: Insights from the Gulf of Taranto (Italy). Geosciences 2026, 16, 141. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16040141

AMA Style

Meo A, Massa B, Ciarcia S, Senatore MR. Ongoing Deformation at the Southern Apennine Front: Insights from the Gulf of Taranto (Italy). Geosciences. 2026; 16(4):141. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16040141

Chicago/Turabian Style

Meo, Agostino, Bruno Massa, Sabatino Ciarcia, and Maria Rosaria Senatore. 2026. "Ongoing Deformation at the Southern Apennine Front: Insights from the Gulf of Taranto (Italy)" Geosciences 16, no. 4: 141. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16040141

APA Style

Meo, A., Massa, B., Ciarcia, S., & Senatore, M. R. (2026). Ongoing Deformation at the Southern Apennine Front: Insights from the Gulf of Taranto (Italy). Geosciences, 16(4), 141. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16040141

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