INTERMONTANE BASINS IN CENTRAL-SOUTHERN ITALY A multidisciplinary approach to the study of the Montereale Basin (Central Apennines, Italy) Edi Chiarini • Elena La Posta • Francesca Cifelli • Chiara D’Ambrogi • Valeria Eulilli • Fernando Ferri • Maurizio Marino • Massimo Mattei • Luca Maria Puzzilli Received: 18 December 2013 / Accepted: 18 June 2014 / Published online: 31 July 2014 Ó Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei 2014 Abstract This multidisciplinary study conducted in the area covered by sheet 348 ‘‘Antrodoco’’ of the Geological Map of Italy contributes to the knowledge on an undis- sected intermontane basin located at the transition between the Gran Sasso and the Laga structural–paleogeographic domains in the highly seismic Apennine axial zone. Geo- morphological analysis is used to infer the role of exten- sional faults and to provide a relative chronology of the capture phenomena that have led to a substantial reduction of the catchment area since the Early Pleistocene. Geo- physical and stratigraphic data have been integrated into a 3D model, enabling evaluation of the thickness and geometry of the Quaternary sedimentary infilling. A stratigraphic study, chronologically constrained according to paleomagnetic results and 14 C datings, highlights the occurrence of a major unconformity related to changes in the drainage network and suggests that during the Early Pleistocene, the Montereale Basin experienced an initial aggradation phase conditioned by the activity of local tectonic structures and then evolved under the influence of prevailing external factors. Finally, this study represents a complete and integrated approach. This approach makes possible, for the first time, the imposition of a number of firm constraints on the geometry and evolution of this under-explored intermontane basin, located in a key posi- tion along the Apennines. Keywords Upper Aterno River valley Á Geomorphological analysis Á Magnetostratigraphy Á Gravity model Á Geoelectrical survey Á 3D reconstruction Á Quaternary evolution 1 Introduction The Montereale Basin (hereafter referred to as MB) lies east of the Apennine main divide, along the tectonically active axial belt of the Apennine chain (northern Abruzzo, Central Italy, Fig. 1), between the better known inter- montane basins of Pizzoli-Arischia and Campotosto- Amatrice whose evolution has been related, respectively, to the activity of the Pizzoli (Galadini and Messina 2001, 2004; Bosi et al. 2004) and of the Mt. Gorzano faults (Blumetti et al. 1993; Galadini and Galli 2003). These faults are known to have caused historical and instrumental earthquakes in the area (Boncio et al. 2004; Lavecchia et al. 2012). The presence of a fault-generated mountain front on the north-eastern side of the MB has long captured the attention of Quaternary geologists and paleoseismologists, but until now extensive research on the Quaternary basin evolution has never been undertaken, probably due to the unfavourable conditions and the absence of any firm evidence. Indeed, the sedimentary infill is largely undis- sected, and on its western side, the basin has a wide, flat This peer-reviewed article is part of a coordinated collection of scientific researches on the comparative evolution of intermontane basins of the central-southern Apennines. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12210-014-0311-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. E. Chiarini (&) Á E. La Posta Á C. D’Ambrogi Á V. Eulilli Á F. Ferri Á M. Marino Á L. M. Puzzilli Dipartimento Difesa del Suolo, Servizio Geologico d’Italia–ISPRA, Rome, Italy e-mail: edi.chiarini@isprambiente.it F. Cifelli Á M. Mattei Dipartimento di Scienze, Universita ` Roma Tre, Rome, Italy 123 Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei (2014) 25 (Suppl 2):S177–S188 DOI 10.1007/s12210-014-0311-3