Holocene contourite sequences from the upper continental slope off Capo Vaticano (southern Tyrrhenian Sea): a very high resolution record of the modified-LIW

The upper continental slope offshore Capo Vaticano (southern Tyrrhenian Sea) is characterized by well developed contourite deposits, forming elongated sediment drifts. Contourite deposits and associated erosive elements indicate the presence of a northward-directed paleo-bottom current, likely similar to the present-day modified-Levantine Intermediate Water outflowing from the Messina Strait. In this work, we show results from an integrated analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles and core data (grain size, micropaleontological analysis of benthic and planktonic foraminiferal assemblages, tephro-stratigraphic analysis, AMS radiocarbon dating) on contourite deposits located at 150-160 m water depth.