The Holocene evolution of the Volturno River coastal plain (southern Italy)

The aim of this paper is to provide detailed reconstruction of facies architecture for the latest Pleistocene-Holocene succession of Volturno River Delta (Fig. 1) through an integrated study based upon facies analysis, microfossil investigations and dating from cores. A peculiar feature of Volturno coastal plain is its proximity to volcanic complexes. In particular, quiescent Vesuvius Volcano is less than away, and other volcanic centres nearby (Roccamonfina volcano, Phlegrean Fields) are just 30-40 km away. Owing to this particular location, the Volturno coastal plain experienced several eruptions in its recent geological history. This is documented by the presence, within the Late Quaternary record, of two ignimbrite layers dated to about 39 and 15 ky BP, respectively. These pyroclastic layers represent unequivocal stratigraphic markers that can be physically tracked across the whole basin.