Department of Earth Sciences

University of Torino, Italy

Geological mapping

and

production of maps

at different scales (from 1:10.000 to

1:250.000)

represent a significant activity in my research

I mapped different sectors of the Apennines thrust-and-fold belt working in different project

related to both research acivity, external funded projects and national geological project of

regional cartography (CARG project).

n. 14 Geological Maps has been realized (see

Publications

). Some of the most significant

and recently realized maps are listed in the following:

Blue squares indicate sectors of

the Apennines fold-and-thrust

belt mapped at different scales.

Geological Map of the External Ligurian Units in western Monferrato

(Tertiary Piedmont Basin, NW Italy).

Festa A., and Codegone G., 2013, Journal of Maps. doi:

10.1080/17445647.2012.757711. 1 Sheet (scale 1:10.000).

The Map, at 1:10,000 scale, describes in detail the tectono-

stratigraphic setting of the External Ligurian Units in the sector of

the Alps-Apennines junction. These Units consist of a Late

Cretaceous chaotic succession represented by the Argille varicolori

and the overlaying Monte Cassio Flysch. The late Eocene –

Miocene episutural succession of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin rests

unconformably on the External Ligurian Units. The mapped

crosscutting relationships between stratigraphic unconformities and

faults allow to describe a complex tectono-stratigraphic setting that

is the product of four tectonic stages.

See:

Journal of Maps (Taylor and Francis) - Link

Free download (only Geological Map, about 4,8 MB)

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Carta Geologica d'Italia alla scala 1:50:000 - Foglio 156 "Torino Est”

Geological Map of Italy at 1:50,000 scale - Sheet 156 “Torino Est”

Festa A., Boano P., Irace A., Lucchesi S., Forno M.G., Dela Pierre F., Fioraso G., and Piana F., 2009, ISPRA,

Istiituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientate. Ed. Litografia Geda, Nichelino (TO), 1 Sheet (1:50,000

scale).

This Geoological Map corresponds to Sheet n. 156 of the

Geological Map of Italy at 1:50.000 scale (CARG Project). It is

located at the northwestern termination of the Norhern Apennines,

in the Piedmont region close to Turin. It describes the tectono-

stratigraphic setting of the northern part of the Tertiary Piedmon

Basin, a late Eocene - late Miocene episutural basin resting

unconformbly onto both metamorphosed Alpine Units and

unmetamorphosed Northern Apennine Units (External Ligurian

Units).

See also i

llustrative notes

: Monaco et al. (2009) - Note Illustrative

della Carta Geologica d'Italia alla scala 1:50:000 - Foglio 535

"Trebisacce". ISPRA, Istiituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca

Ambientate. Ed. S.El.Ca. Firenze, 104 p.

Free download at: http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/Media/carg/note_illustrative/535_Trebisacce.pd

See: ISPRA web page - Link

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Carta Geologica del Molise

Geological Map of Molise

Vezzani L., Ghisetti F., and Festa A., 2004, Ed. S.El.Ca. Firenze. 1 Sheet (scale 1:100,000).

see

Festa A. Ghisetti F., and Vezzani L., 2006, Note Illustrative della Carta geolocia del Molise (Scala 1:100.000).

Ed. Litografia Geda, Nichelino (TO). 95 p. ISBN 88-902635-0-4.

The Geological Map of Molise at scale 1:100.000 completes

two decades of field research in the central Apennines. This

project has led to new cartographic coverage over a wide

area of several thousands of km square comprising the

outermost domains of the thrust belt. The Geological Map of

Molise covers a representative portion of the accretionary

wedge of the central Apennines, preserved in a structural

low. This area is dominated by the low-competence

successions of the far-traveled Sicilide thrust sheet

(Cretaceous-middle Miocene), thrusted over Mesozoic-

Tertiary carbonate units and over late Miocene siliciclastic

deposits telescoped with the carbonate substratum of the

Adriatic margin. Internal deformation of individual units is

heterogeneous, reflecting competence contrasts between sedimentary packages, large-scale rotation of units

during tectonic transport, and out-of-sequence propagation of thrust fronts. This system of tectonic units is largely

allochtonous above the buried Pliocene foredeep and Adriatic foreland, as testified by boreholes, seismic profiles

and gravimetry.

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See:

Journal of Maps (Taylor and Francis) - Link

Free download

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Geological Map of the Villalvernia - Varzi Line between Scrivia and Curone valleys

(NW Italy).

Festa A., Fioraso G., Bissacca E., and Petrizzo M.R.,

2015, Journal of Maps, 11(1).

doi: 10.1080/17445647.2014.959569. 1 Sheet (scale

1:20.000).

In the northwestern part of Northern Apennines,

between Curone and Staffora Valleys, the tectonic

superposition between the External Ligurian Units (i.e.,

the ophiolitic-bearing chaotic complex of the Groppallo

Unit and the non-ophiolitic Cassio Unit), the Middle

Eocene – Miocene wedge-top basin Epiligurian Units

succession, and the Late Messinian – Pliocene Po Plain

succession, records the multistage tectono-stratigraphic

evolution from subduction to continental collision. Our geological map, at 1:20,000 scale, allows us to define six

main tectonic stages on the basis of (i) the crosscutting relationships between main faults and local to regional

stratigraphic unconformities, and (ii) the differentiation among different types of chaotic rock unit

(olistostromes and broken formations) deposited since Late Cretaceous to late Messinian. This approach provides

a new understanding on the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of this sector, and its meaning in the evolution of

the northwestern part of Northern Apennines.

See:

Journal of Maps (Taylor and Francis) - Link

Free download (only Geological Map, about 6 MB)

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Geological Map of the Aventino River Valley (Eastern Majella, Central Italy)

Accotto C., Coscarelli F., Malerba E., Palazzin G., and Festa A., 2014, Journal

of Maps. doi: 10.1080/17445647.2014.899524. 1 Sheet (scale 1:25.000).

The Apenninic fold-and-thrust belt in Italy represents one of several

interconnected circum-Mediterranean orogens developed after the Late

Cretaceous – early Cenozoic closure of Tethys and convergence between the

European and African plates. The Geological Map of the Aventino River Valley,

at 1:25,000 scale, provides original mapping of the outermost sector of

Central Apennines in the Abruzzi region. Focusing on detailed mapping of the

crosscutting relationships between the main regional thrust faults and

tectonically driven stratigraphic unconformities, the map describes the

complex structural and stratigraphic relationships between the Outer Abruzzi

units (i.e. Porrara Unit), Apulia – Adriatic deformed units (i.e. Majella and

Casoli Units), and the allochthonous Molise and Sicilide units. These tectono-

stratigraphic relationships result from four main tectonic stages that occurred

sequentially over a short time interval from late Messinian to early Pliocene.

See:

Journal of Maps (Taylor and Francis) - Link

Free download

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Geological Map of the Curone and Staffora Valleys (Northern Apennines, Italy)

Barbero, E., Festa, A., Fioraso, G., and Catanzariti, R.,

2017, Journal of Maps, 13(2).

doi: 10.1080/17445647.2017.1398114. 1 Sheet (scale

1:20.000).

The External Ligurian and Epiligurian Units in the

Northern Apennines of Italy are tectonically juxtaposed

with the Tertiary Piedmont Basin along the Villalvernia –

Varzi Line, which represents a regional scale fault zone,

E-striking. Our map, at 1:20,000 scale, describes the

tectono-stratigraphic evolution of this sector that

resulted from multistage faulting along that fault zone.

Four main tectonic stages are defined on the basis of

the crosscutting relationships between mapped faults

and stratigraphic unconformities: late Priabonian – Rupelian, Chattian – early Miocene, late Serravallian –

Tortonian, and late Messinian – early Pliocene. Our results demonstrate that since the late Burdigalian, the

Villalvernia – Varzi Line was sealed by the gravitational emplacement of a chaotic rock body. The deposition of

the late Serravallian – early Messinian succession is controlled by NW-striking strike-slip faults that crosscut to

the west the Villalvernia – Varzi Line. Extensional tectonics related to regional scale N-dipping tilting

characterized the late Messinian – early Pliocene time interval.

Free Download

Geological-structural map of the Central-Southern Apennines, Italy.

Vezzani L., Festa A. and Ghisetti. F., 2010,

Vezzani et al. (Eds), Geology and Tectonic evolution of the Central-

Southern Apennines, Italy. Geological Society of America Special Paper 469, 58 p. ISBN 978-0-8137-2469-0. doi:

10.1130/2010.2469. 2 Sheets (1:250,000 scale).

The Geological-Structural Map of the Central-

Southern Apennines (Italy) provides entirely

revised and original cartography for a large

sector of the orogenic belt that stretches along

peninsular Italy. New data collected by the

authors over the past 20 years, together with

field revisions of published data, and available

subsurface data are synthesized in two

geological map sheets at scale 1:250,000 giving

a regional overview of the stratigraphy,

geometry, and structure of the Apenninic fold-

and-thrust belt. The Apennines comprise a

variety of lithotectonic assemblages that evolved

through interaction between the African and

European plates in the central Mediterranean,

with: (i) Mesozoic development of the Tethyan

domain; (ii) Cretaceous-Eocene oceanic

subduction; (iii) Oligocene-Miocene and

Pliocene convergence, continental collision and

shortening; and (iv) late Miocene–present

extensional collapse of the contractional edifice.

The geological maps and the Special paper

illustrate a number of critical orogenic

processes, including: (1) control of

paleogeographic position and stratigraphy on the fi nite geometry of the thrust belt; (2) the history of progressive

deformation and translation of far-traveled tectonic units; (3) selective reactivation of inherited structures during the

sequence of superposed tectonic events; (4) the evolution of syntectonic and posttectonic sedimentary basins; and,

(5) the propagation paths of thrust faults. The paper, together with the geological map and cross sections, provide a

regional overview of the progressive tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the thrust belt, with focus on the geometry of

the imbricate wedge and its subsurface geometry. Emphasis is also given to the relationships between active

faulting and historical seismicity.

See: Geological Society of America Books - Link

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