Late Quaternary Evolution of a Submerged Karst Basin Influenced by Active Tectonics (Koločep Bay, Croatia)

Koločep bay is a 30 km elongated karst basin located between the Elafiti Islands and mainland with NW–SE general direction. The lies within seismically active southern Dalmatia zone. Irregular grid sub-bottom profiles two legacy reflection seismic have been used to determine overall morphology of establish stratigraphy its sedimentary infill. Three major seismic–stratigraphic units identified in upper ~50 m ~120-meter-thick sequence that above karstified limestone bedrock. polje was flooded due sea-level rise before 12.1 kyr BP. implies complex influences Late Glacial meltwater discharges, aeolian sand deposition, existence paleo–ponor/karst spring zones buried Pleistocene river channels. seismotectonic are deformed NW SE parts basin. central part has no signatures intensive tectonic activity during Holocene. A erosion event led formation older In basin, we evidence Holocene erosional scarps on seafloor bay.