Anomolous multi-origin marine notch sites: Three case studies in the central Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

We present and discuss the genesis, age and evolution of indented landforms carved at sea level in correspondence of carbonatic headlands in three sites of the central Mediterranean coasts, between Marseille (France) and Balzi Rossi (Italy), the island of Tavolara (Sardinia, Italy) and the promontory of Tindari (Sicily, Italy). The shape of these anomalous notches landforms can be referred to is very similar to tidal notches, despite their genesis and morphometric parameters are different from those suggested by other Authors for the central Mediterranean area. Two of these sites are located in tectonically stable areas, while the third falls is located in an uplifting area. Those The notches we investigated along the coast of southern France, are submerged notch-type landforms located in the vicinities surroundings of current modern tidal notches. At Tavolara island, these anomalous notches are placed at about 25 m b.s.l. these landforms and have the shape of “mushroom-like notches”. Finally, those investigated along the metamorphic-carbonatic promontory of Tindari, are marine and abrasional notches, that have been uplifted, likely during the Holocene