A fundamental tool for deepening knowledge of our country's seabed, the result of years of joint activity between public research institutions and Italian universities.
To provide an organic representation of the main tectonic units and geological structures present in the Italian seas, from the abyssal depths to the submerged ridges, offering an updated and integrated picture of the geological structure of the submerged areas; this is the objective of the new The Structural Map of the Italian Seas, now available online, is a fundamental tool for understanding the geological structures that characterize the seabed of our country..
Made by Department of the Geological Survey of Italy of the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), in collaboration with the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR), the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics - OGS and the Universities of Genoa, Palermo, Rome Tre and Trieste, The Charter is the result of years of joint research between public research institutions and Italian universities.
The project was developed within the framework of the European EMODnet Geology (European Marine Observation and Data Network) programme., which collects and makes accessible, through a web portal, a large amount of marine geological data acquired over decades in European seas.
The Italian peninsula is almost entirely surrounded by marine basins of varying ages, depths, and geological characteristics. Beneath the surface of the Mediterranean Sea lies a complex system of submerged mountains and volcanoes, escarpments, and faults that, over millions of years, have shaped and molded the seabed, generating a wealth of highly diverse environments, crucial for the development of biodiversity, as well as major eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis. In this context, Mapping the submerged territory represents a fundamental step in increasing knowledge of the geological evolution of the Mediterranean and the processes that govern its dynamics.
The map was developed using data from the literature to provide a comprehensive description of the submerged areas and improve understanding of the geological relationships between the different areas into which the Earth's crust is divided (domains), in relation to the types of plates that comprise it and their mutual contacts. Foreland areas (continental areas not yet reached by tectonic movements), subduction zones (where one plate submerges beneath another), volcanic systems, back-arc basins (opening behind arrays of volcanoes induced by subduction), and Mesozoic ocean basins are identified. The harmonization and systematization of available information today provide a scientific reference tool, useful not only for research but also for marine environmental planning and management activities.
The data collected in fact assume a strategic value for the protection of the environment, for the planning and sustainability of infrastructures offshore accounts – such as cables, pipelines, and energy systems – and for safety against risks associated with volcanic and seismic activity, including earthquakes, tsunamis, and underwater landslides. The Charter could also contribute to the exploration of georesources present in the basins surrounding the Italian peninsula., closely linked to the geological history of each basin and to the contributions coming from adjacent emerged areas and from deep regions of the Earth's crust.
The new Structural Map of the Italian Seas is configured as a reference document for the scientific community and as a solid basis for the development of further studies and future research.The project is part of the European marine strategy, promoting the sharing of open and interoperable data to support scientific research and Blue Economy, including the search for alternative energy sources – for example, for the identification of sites for wind farms and geothermal plants – and for the search for drinking water and other applications.
Useful links:
National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV)
Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)
