The VECTOR Project: Ombrone River Delta’s area

The Ombrone River delta and the facing marine area between Monti dell'Uccellina and the Bruna River mouth, is one of the 5 study areas within research line 2 (Vulcost) and 3 (Varcost) of the VECTOR Project. The area has long been investigated through multidisciplinary studies (micropaleontology, seismostratigraphy, geomorphology etc), aimed to reconstruct the evolution of depositional systems during the last climatic/eustatic cycle. One of the maln objectives of the VECTOR Project is to analyse the most recent stratigraphic interval in order to define the possible sedimentary response to short-lived (at the scale of the last few millennia or centuries) changes in sedimentary supply and sea level. Supply fluctuations depend on the impact of climate on the drainage area and its effect on sediment yield- These data,once available, represent important constraits for evaluating the environmental response to possible rapid changes for the near future. Analyses performed in the studv area include: -geomorphological analysis of the entire area; -detailed geomorphology of coastal ponds ("chiari" in the local terminology) -lithologic analysis of the uppermost (few metres) interval of the coastal area and characterization of the dune-beach system evolution during sea level change and shoreline migration; -appraisal of the rainfall, the liquid capacities and the torbid outflow and the eventual recent variations; - identification and estimate of the freouencv of storm and flood events based on sedimentologic and multi-proxy analyses (stable isotopes, heavy metals, foraminifers assemblages); - detailed seismostratigraphy of the highstand deposit in order to identify discrcte subunits and/or key stratigraphic surfaces characterised by high-correlabilitv and relatable to depositional events detectable through other proxies. -Identification of hyperpichnal flows based on morpho-bathimetry, and sedimentologic analysis. The above analyses will be targeted to define the possible scenarios for the evolution of the coastal and deltaic environment within the next 25, 50 and 100 years.