Reconstruction of the 1908 Messina gravity flow (central Mediterranean Sea) from geophysical and sedimentological data

Earthquakes, tsunamis and gravity flows are common processes offshore Eastern Sicily pose a significant hazard to coastal communities infrastructure. The 1908 Messina earthquake tsunami resulted in >60,000 casualties. It caused large turbidity current, which broke the Malta-Zante telegraph cable. Yet, this flow remains poorly characterised terms of its route behaviour. A comprehensive analysis multibeam echosounder data, sub-bottom profiles, sediment cores has been carried out improve our understanding about activity within conduit systems western Ionian Basin reconstruct characteristics (e.g., erosion, velocity, source region). Three main canyon-channel can be distinguished study area. easternmost system (C3) appears most active transport. There numerous erosional depositional bedforms, including large-scale scours (>100 m-long), turbidite waves channel wall collapses that not overprinted by younger events. other two (C1, C2) do show many bedforms indicative repeated recent activity. Indeed, transport majority discharged into (C1) is limited <25 km downslope from continental slope, while central (C2) facilitates deposition flows. C3 is, thus, suggested have passageway flow. also leads directly three cable break locations. likely areas for north-eastern southern Calabria. Bedforms indicate thickness >170 m along upper portion > 140 lower close breaks. An average velocity 5.6 6.3 ms−1 reconstructed, given timing breaks length system. may locally decelerated accelerated bypassing morphologic highs knickpoints. These new findings significantly passageways, depositional/erosional behaviour, thickness, velocity) provide important insights events general, especially those with run-out. This knowledge needed assess potential hazards associated these