The territory of Albania presents wide outcrops of soluble rocks, with typical karst landforms an... more The territory of Albania presents wide outcrops of soluble rocks, with typical karst landforms and the presence of remarkable carbonate aquifers. Many karst areas are located near the coasts, which results in a variety of environmental problems, mostly related to marine intrusion. This paper focuses on the brackish springs of Albania, which exhibit temperatures approximately equal to the yearly air temperature at their location. Total dissolved solids of the springs are higher than 1000 mg/L, their waters are not drinkable, and they are rarely used for other purposes. The groundwater of the alluvial aquifers of Albania, particularly those of Pre-Adriatic Lowland, are often brackish too, but these will not be addressed here. Brackish springs of Albania are mainly of karst origin and can be classified into two groups: springs in evaporitic rock, mainly gypsum, and springs in carbonate rock. The hydro-chemical facies of the first group are usually Ca-SO4, locally with increased concent...
It Spunnulata, inteso nel significato di rottura di una superfice topografica, e un termine diale... more It Spunnulata, inteso nel significato di rottura di una superfice topografica, e un termine dialettale usato nella Penisola Salentina (Nardo, Sud Italia) per descrivere un elemento geomorfologico del paesaggio costiero che si manifesta come uno sprofondamento in genere ampio, ma non particolarmente profondo. Le "spunnulate", che hanno dimensioni variabili da poche a diverse decine di metri, sono forme che possono essere ascritte alla categoria delle doline di crollo. Molte di esse non raggiungono il livello di falda, altre creano bacini e laghetti salmastri, poche sono direttamente collegate col mare aperto attraverso gallerie sommerse. L'area in esame e circoscritta a una piccola striscia allungata della costa di Sant'Isidoro (Nardo), dove la piana costiera e interpretabile come il risultato morfologico di un'azione combinata di fattori carsico-marini. La struttura geologica dell'area in esame e rappresentata alla base da calcari e da dolomie del Cretaceo ...
The Coastal Sulfuric Acid Cave System of Santa Cesarea Terme (Southern Italy)
Santa Cesarea Terme in Salento is the only area in which hypogenic caves have been recognized in ... more Santa Cesarea Terme in Salento is the only area in which hypogenic caves have been recognized in the Apulia region. In this spa area, the rising of sulfidic thermal waters that mix with both recent fresh infiltration waters and coastal salt water has formed four active sulfuric acid speleogenesis (SAS) caves. These caves are characterized by the typical set of sulfuric acid meso- and micromorphologies, and also by the presence of both gypsum and native sulfur. In all caves, biofilms are visible in the sulfidic thermal waters and on the cave walls.
Italy is a country hosting a large number of hypogenic sulfuric acid (SAS) speleogenesis caves, m... more Italy is a country hosting a large number of hypogenic sulfuric acid (SAS) speleogenesis caves, mostly located along the Apennine chain, but also in Campania (along the coastline of Capo Palinuro), Apulia (along the coastline of Santa Cesarea Terme) and Sicily. Besides the typical morphologies related to their special geochemical origin (cupolas, replacement pockets, bubble trails, etc), these caves often host abundant secondary mineral deposits, mainly gypsum, being the result of the interaction between the sulfuric acid and the carbonate host rock. Native sulfur deposits are also well visible on the ceiling and roof, and peculiar sulfuric acid minerals such as jarosite, alunite, and other sulfates like copiapite, pickeringite, tschermigite, tamarugite (probably related to the weathering of native clay minerals) have been found in those caves. The presence of typical SAS minerals, together with the morphologies, testifies the influence of rising acidic waters, that likely interact ...
This work describes the geochemical and hydrogeological characteristics of Santa Cesarea Terme, a... more This work describes the geochemical and hydrogeological characteristics of Santa Cesarea Terme, an active sulfuric acid speleogenetic system located along the Adriatic coastline (Apulia, southern Italy). It represents a very peculiar site, where rising thermal and acidic waters mix with seawater creating undersaturated solutions with respect to CaCO3, able to dissolve and corrode limestone and create caves. The Santa Cesarea Terme system is composed of four caves: Fetida, Sulfurea, Gattulla, and Solfatara. Hypogene morphologies and abundant deposits of native sulfur (especially in Gattulla Cave) and sulfate minerals are present in these caves. Fetida and Gattulla caves were investigated primarily because they are easily accessible throughout the whole year through artificial entrances, the other caves being reachable only from the sea. Geochemical analysis of water, monitoring of cave atmosphere, and measurement of the stable isotopes of S, O, and H helped to identify the main proce...
Salento Peninsula (Apulia, southern Italy) is characterised by many active sinkholes, which repre... more Salento Peninsula (Apulia, southern Italy) is characterised by many active sinkholes, which represent the main geological hazard. The stretch of coastline between the village of Casalabate and Le Cesine wildlife reserve is highly affected, with a system of dunes separating the low beach from extensive wetlands, which were subject to uncontrolled urban development after reclamation. The overall morphology is characterized by flat topography, whilst from a hydrogeological standpoint, the mixing of inland freshwater with advancing brackish water favours the higher aggressivity with respect to soluble rocks, and the development of enhanced dissolution (hyperkarst). The relict landscapes within the protected areas still allow for the recognition of actively occurring sinkholes, which cause damage to houses, the road network and infrastructures. In this article the case of Aquatina di Frigole is described, where in the last 15 years numerous sinkholes have formed, with the processes still...
Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering Technology, 2020
Apulia (southeastern Italy) is an elongated peninsula, located between the Ionian and the Adriati... more Apulia (southeastern Italy) is an elongated peninsula, located between the Ionian and the Adriatic seas, characterized by a semi-arid climate. It is an almost entirely karst region, with very limited availability of surface freshwater resources. The groundwater, the only water resource of Apulia, is affected by severe pollution problems related to both antropogenic and seawater intrusion phenomena. This is further exacerbated by the strong tourist vocation of the area, with heavy pressure by touristic water demand, especially during summertime. The Apulian geography and related freshwater problems require a thorough knowledge about karst processes, with specific regard to springs and aquifers. Despite this, in recent decades the attention on regional karst water resources was quite limited, and there is the huge need to implement new research in this field, aimed at reaching a better understanding of the Apulian karst. In this work we present a review on the main Apulian karst sprin...
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2018
Karst landscapes and karst aquifers, which are composed of a variety of soluble rocks such as sal... more Karst landscapes and karst aquifers, which are composed of a variety of soluble rocks such as salt, gypsum, anhydrite, limestone, dolomite and quartzite, are fascinating areas of study. As karst rocks are abundant on the Earth's surface, the fast evolution of karst landscapes and the rapid flow of water through karst aquifers present challenges from a number of different perspectives. This collection of 25 papers deals with different aspects of these challenges, including karst geology, geomorphology and speleogenesis, karst hydrogeology, karst modelling, and karst hazards and management. Together these papers provide a state-of-the-art review of the current challenges and solutions in describing karst from a scientific perspective.
Full Proceedings of the Thirteenth Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, 2013
Many built-up areas of Sicily (southern Italy) are affected by such type of risk. In particular, ... more Many built-up areas of Sicily (southern Italy) are affected by such type of risk. In particular, Marsala (western end of Sicily, Figure 1) was affected in the past decades by several collapse phenomena which caused extensive damage to infrastructures and population. These phenomena are related to the presence of underground quarries for the extraction of calcarenites used as building materials. These cavities are carved at depth varying from several meters to roughly 25 m on a single or superimposed layer, following the excavation techniques of chambers and passages separated by rock pillars. However, excavation typically occurred without any planning. With time, the underground quarries were progressively abandoned for several reasons (i.e., interaction with the percolating waters, decay of the physical-mechanical properties of the rock, high costs, difficulties and risk excavation work). Nowadays in many cavities signs of instability can be clearly recognized along ceilings, walls and pillars. These instabilities easily propagate upwards causing sinkhole and subsidence phenomena according to the mechanisms described in Parise & Lollino (2011), thus creating consistent damages to buildings and infrastructures. A sinkhole, occurred in June 2011 and related to an underground quarry in the eastern sector of Marsala, is described in this paper as a case study (Figure 2). The site was selected for the availability of topographic data of the underground quarry, prior to the formation of the
Although outcropping rarely in Italy, evaporite (gypsum and anhydrite) karst has been described i... more Although outcropping rarely in Italy, evaporite (gypsum and anhydrite) karst has been described in detail since the early 20 th century. Gypsum caves are now known from almost all Italian regions, but are mainly localised along the northern border of the Apennine chain (Emilia Romagna and Marche), Calabria, and Sicily, where the major outcrops occur. Recently, important caves have also been discovered in the underground gypsum mines in Piedmont. During the late 80s and 90s several multidisciplinary studies were carried out in many gypsum areas, resulting in a comprehensive overview, promoting further research in these special karst regions. More recent and detailed studies focused on the gypsum areas of Emilia-Romagna and Sicily. Sinkholes related to Permian-Triassic gypsum have been studied in Friuli Venezia Giulia. This article reviews the state of the art regarding different aspects of evaporite karst in Italy focusing on the main new results.
Preface to the Special issue on" Pure and Applied Karst Geomorphology
Reference EPFL-ARTICLE-172611View record in Web of Science Record created on 2011-12-16, modified... more Reference EPFL-ARTICLE-172611View record in Web of Science Record created on 2011-12-16, modified on 2016-08-09
Sprofondamenti di origine antropica nell’area di Marsala (Sicilia occidentale) analizzati mediante rilievi in sito e analisi numerica dei processi di instabilità nelle cave sotterranee
The last sinkhole at Marsala: the 21 November, 2013, event
Marsala area, in the western end of Sicily, has been historically interested by quarry activities... more Marsala area, in the western end of Sicily, has been historically interested by quarry activities, both at surface and underground. The carved rocks are Lower Pleistocene calcarenites, defined as \u201cCalcarenite di Marsala\u201d and referred to the Marsala syntheme. These calcarenites are composed of three main lithofacies with vertical and lateral passages: a)coarse to fine yellow bio- and lithoclastic calcarenites, rich in macrofossils; b) sands; and c) gray sandy clays. According to previous authors, the calcarenitic lithofacies can be divided into three lithotypes: i) coarse calcarenites and calcirudites strata, from 10 to 100 cm thick; ii) fine to coarse calcarenites with thickened grains; iii) medium to coarse calcarenites in irregular strata with intercalations of thin silt beds. The subterranean quarries, now abandoned, show increasing instability signs becoming in time a risk factor for several causes, among which: a) breakdowns due to poor (weak) strength of rock and to large size of voids; b) progressive weathering of rock; c) relationship between the horst rock discontinuities and pillars and/or walls of the underground quarries. These factors contributed to enlargement of the subterranean voids and to their upward propagation, thus triggering several sinkholes. The fast urbanization of the city masked many subterranean quarries causing the loss of memory of their location. In the last decades, numerous sinkholes occurred both in urban areas and in areas designated for agricultural use, creating extensive damage to buildings and infrastructures. The latest sinkhole episode occurred in the Amabilina area, at the eastern suburbs of Marsala. Here, in the late afternoon of November 21st, 2013 a sinkhole of impressive dimensions formed affecting an agricultural area, where until a few minutes before the owner was working. The area is located in the neighborhood of small rural buildings, housing and factories. The depression shows an elliptical perimeter (100 770 m) and a depth of at least 15 m. At the bottom, some rooms up to 5 m high of an underground quarry, are visible. Since the first investigation, it was clear that the sinkhole was caused by pillars failure and the upward propagation of the voids. This last factor increased as soon as the void reached the portion of the calcarenitic lithofacies rich in fossils. From the evidences collected a few days after the event, it was possible to reconstruct the time sequence in the formation of the sinkhole. The collapse started due to the propagation of voids and a first failure of some pillars, and was subsequently followed by a second event, which caused a widening of the depression, due to the redistribution of the stress resulting after early failures
Sinkhole development occurs in many areas of the world where soluble rocks crop out. Sinkholes ar... more Sinkhole development occurs in many areas of the world where soluble rocks crop out. Sinkholes are generally the surface expression of the presence of caves and other groundwater flow conduits in carbonate rocks, which are solutionally enlarged secondary permeability features. Their formation may be either natural or caused by man's activities. In both cases, heavy consequences have to be registered on the anthropogenic environment and related infrastructures. Knowledge of the mechanism of formation of this subtle geohazard is therefore necessary to planners and decision makers for performing the most appropriate and suitable programs of land use and development. The Apulia region of southern Italy is characterized for most of its extension by carbonate rocks, which makes it one of the most remarkable example of karst in the Mediterranean Basin. Based on analysis of literature and in situ surveys, including caving explorations, we have identified in Apulia three main types of possible mechanisms for sinkhole formation: 1) collapse of a chamber in a natural cave or in man-made cavities; 2) slow and gradual enlargement of doline through dissolution; 3) settlement and internal erosion of filling deposits of pre-existing dolines. Since sinkhole formation very often affects directly the human settlements in Apulia, and have recently produced severe damage, some considerations are eventually presented as regards the interrelationships between sinkholes and the anthropogenic environment.
In Sicily, karst is well developed and exhibits different types of landscapes due to the wide dis... more In Sicily, karst is well developed and exhibits different types of landscapes due to the wide distribution of soluble rocks in different geological and environmental settings. Karst affects both carbonate rocks, outcropping in the northwest and central sectors of the Apennine chain and in the foreland area, and evaporite rocks, mainly gypsum, that characterize the central and the southern parts of the island. The carbonate and gypsum karsts show a great variety of surface landforms, such as karren, dolines, poljes, blind valleys, and fluvio-karst canyons, as well as cave systems. Karst areas in Sicily represent extraordinary environments for the study of solution forms. In addition, they are of great environmental value because they contain a variety of habitats that hold species of biogeographic significance. Unfortunately, karst areas are increasingly threatened by human activity, mainly in the form of grazing and other agricultural practices, wildfires, quarrying, urbanization, building of rural homes, and infrastructure development. The value of karst features has been recognized by the Sicilian Regional Government since 1981 when it enacted laws to create several nature reserves to preserve the peculiar karst landscapes, including caves. At present, the state of conservation of karst areas in Sicily may be considered to be at an acceptable level, yet numerous issues and difficulties need to be overcome for the effective protection and enhancement of karstlands.
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Papers by Mario Parise