INGV participates in the communication campaign on the Aeolian Islands promoted by the Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) and the Aeolian Islands Preservation Fund (AIPF) to draw attention to the effects of sea level increase on the coasts caused by climate change, tectonics and volcanic activity
Second appointment for the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) with the #ProteggiLeEolie information campaign aimed at making the Aeolian sea known and raising citizens' awareness of the protection of the marine environment, biodiversity and the coasts of this UNESCO heritage archipelago since 2000.
In addition to seismic and volcanic monitoring of the Aeolian Islands, INGV is dedicated to studying the effects of sea level rise along the coasts, also through multidisciplinary projects funded by the European Union such as SAVEMEDCOASTS (www.savemedcoasts.eu), recently completed. The combination of phenomena such as the increase in sea level induced by global warming and the subsidence connected to the intense seismic and volcanic activity typical of this corner of the Mediterranean has as its ultimate consequence the rapid retreat of the coasts of the archipelago.
"Information campaigns such as #ProteggiLeEolie represent important opportunities to communicate to the population what is happening" explains Marco Anzidei, INGV researcher and coordinator of the SAVEMEDCOASTS project which carried out part of the activities in Lipari.
Clear signs of the phenomenon of coast retreat are highlighted not only by the continuous narrowing of the coastal strip, but also by maritime works from the Roman era such as the Sottomonastero port of Lipari and the Basiluzzo landing quay, today submerged respectively at a depth of about 9 and 3 foot. From oceanographic surveys, geophysical analyzes and geo-archaeological observations of these artifacts it has been possible to establish that in Sottomonastero the coast line from the Roman era is today about 12 meters deep, while in Basiluzzo it lies about 4,5 meters below the sea level. These differences in depth are due to the variability of tectonic and volcanic activity which acted differently over time and space depending on the location.
Unlike the Sottomonastero port, which cannot be directly observed due to the port maritime traffic which prevents visits for safety reasons, the Basiluzzo site is easily visible from the surface and can be visited underwater. These two sites, in addition to being of great archaeological interest, show how the coasts of the Aeolian Islands have changed considerably over the last two millennia, and particularly in recent years.
“The Aeolian Islands are located in a very active Mediterranean area from a geological point of view”, continues Anzidei. “Climate changes and ground movements linked to movements of the earth's crust are the main cause of sea level rise. The phenomenon is causing the acceleration of coastal erosion and some beaches of Lipari, such as that of Baia Portinenti, have already disappeared".
If the projections estimated by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicate an increase in sea level of up to about 1 meter on a global scale by 2100, on the Aeolian Islands - and on Lipari in particular - due to subsidence, the expected increase for by the end of the century it could even reach 1,6 metres.
“Knowing the ongoing phenomenon allows us to define scenarios capable of describing the advance of the sea on the coasts, providing indispensable information for political decision-makers to adopt adequate measures to mitigate potential socio-economic and environmental losses. The challenge is therefore to continue to protect human activities, the economy and the coastal environment of the Aeolian Islands in order to preserve our splendid archipelago”, concludes Marco Anzidei.
#ingv #ProteggiLeEolie #lipari #climatechanges #savemedcoasts
Link to the article on the INGVambiente Blog
Photo 1 – The submerged remains of the circular portico of the Sottomonastero port of Lipari (note the base of a column). Photo: Marco Anzidei
Photo 2 – A detail of the pavement of the pier. The diver is Roberto La Rocca of the Superintendency of the Sea of the Sicily Region. Photo: Marco Anzidei
Photo 3 – The Roman pier covered by sediments. The large box refers to the area in which Photo 2 was taken. The small box, on the other hand, refers to the area of the portico in Photo 1. The dashed area corresponds to the area excavated by the propellers of the hydrofoils which brought to light part of the pier