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Slope dynamics of Lake Albano (Rome, Italy): insights from high resolution bathymetry
Author(s) -
Bozzano Francesca,
Mazzanti Paolo,
Anzidei Marco,
Esposito Carlo,
Floris Mario,
Fasani Gianluca Bianchi,
Esposito Alessandra
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.1832
Subject(s) - subaerial , geology , landslide , bathymetry , debris , geomorphology , landform , fault scarp , rockfall , landslide classification , debris flow , mass wasting , paleontology , oceanography , tectonics
New detailed data about the morphology of the submerged slopes of Lake Albano (Rome, Italy) have been collected by a sonar multibeam survey financed by the Italian Department of Civil Protection. These data allow for investigation of the subaqueous slope dynamics of the lake, which partially fills a volcanic depression, and the elucidation of the relationships between subaqueous and subaerial slope processes. Subaerial, submerged and combined subaerial/submerged landslide‐related morphologies were detected around the inner slopes of the lake. In the submerged slopes, several gravity‐induced landforms were recognized: landslide scar areas, landslide accumulations, erosional chutes and channels, block fields, isolated blocks, scarps and slope breaks. An attempt to evaluate the state of activity of the submerged slopes was carried out by taking into consideration the relative freshness of some selected landforms. Interpretation of bathymetric data, as well as direct surveys of the subaerial slopes, was used to assess the morphometric features and interpret the type of movement of the landslides. We propose a comprehensive classification based on the landslide's size and type of movement. We recognized rock fall/topples, debris flows, rock slides and slump, complex rock slides/channelled flows and debris slide and slump. The volume of the main landslides ranged between 10 1 and 10 3 m 3 , while a few rock and debris slides have volumes ranging between 10 3 and 10 5 m 3 . Two large palaeo‐landslides with volumes on the order of 10 6 m 3 were identified in the southern and northern part of the lake, respectively. Velocities of the recognized landslides range from rapid to extremely rapid. Two main landslide hazard scenarios have been depicted from the results of the integrated analysis of both subaerial and submerged gravity‐induced landforms. The most hazardous scenario involves extremely rapid large volume events (>10 6 m 3 ) that could, if they interacted with water, induce catastrophic tsunamis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.