IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i3p1082-d484457.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Preliminary Recognition of Geohazards at the Natural Reserve “Lachea Islet and Cyclop Rocks” (Southern Italy)

Author

Listed:
  • Giovanna Pappalardo

    (Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, 95129 Catania, Italy)

  • Simone Mineo

    (Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, 95129 Catania, Italy)

  • Serafina Carbone

    (Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, 95129 Catania, Italy)

  • Carmelo Monaco

    (Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, 95129 Catania, Italy
    CRUST—Interuniversity Center for 3D Seismotectonics with Territorial Applications, 66100 Chieti, Italy
    Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio Etneo, 95125 Catania, Italy)

  • Domenico Catalano

    (CUTGANA Centro Universitario per la Tutela e la Gestione degli Ambienti Naturali e degli Agro-Ecosistemi, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy)

  • Giovanni Signorello

    (CUTGANA Centro Universitario per la Tutela e la Gestione degli Ambienti Naturali e degli Agro-Ecosistemi, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy)

Abstract

In this study, we present a preliminary recognition of geohazards at the natural reserve archipelago “Lachea Islet and Cyclop Rocks” by integrating infrared thermography (IRT) and morphological-aerial interpretation. The study area, located in the wider setting of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Mount Etna (eastern Sicily), is a worldwide renowned tourist destination suffering from a limited fruition due to the instability of rock masses. The peculiar setting of the area, represented by steep sea rocks and an islet, requires the employment of remote surveying methodologies for the preliminary slope characterization in the perspective of safe ground surveys. In this paper, IRT analysis allowed the recognition of signs of past rockfalls, as well as the presence of loose rock material likely laying in unstable conditions, thanks to the variation of the surface temperature characterizing the slope. The combination of IRT outcomes with morphological-aerial data allowed recognizing the potential source areas of future rockfalls, which were modeled through trajectory simulations. Results showed that a relevant strip of sea surrounding the studied sea rock could be crossed by falling blocks, suggesting the need of instituting a forbidden area for a safe fruition of the reserve. Furthermore, IRT allowed for the recognition of some peculiar features linked to the presence of tectonic lines. Such correspondence was validated by a comparison with literature structural data, proving the potential of such remote methodological approach. This represents a new aspect of the application of IRT to other fields of geosciences, thus representing a starting point for the scientific development of new technological branches.

Suggested Citation

  • Giovanna Pappalardo & Simone Mineo & Serafina Carbone & Carmelo Monaco & Domenico Catalano & Giovanni Signorello, 2021. "Preliminary Recognition of Geohazards at the Natural Reserve “Lachea Islet and Cyclop Rocks” (Southern Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:3:p:1082-:d:484457
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/3/1082/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/3/1082/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Simone Mineo & Giovanna Pappalardo & Michele Mangiameli & Santo Campolo & Giuseppe Mussumeci, 2018. "Rockfall Analysis for Preliminary Hazard Assessment of the Cliff of Taormina Saracen Castle (Sicily)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-18, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sajid Ali & Rashid Haider & Wahid Abbas & Muhammad Basharat & Klaus Reicherter, 2021. "Empirical assessment of rockfall and debris flow risk along the Karakoram Highway, Pakistan," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 106(3), pages 2437-2460, April.
    2. Simone Mineo & Giovanna Pappalardo, 2019. "Sustainable Fruition of Cultural Heritage in Areas Affected by Rockfalls," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Simone Mineo & Giovanna Pappalardo & Salvatore Onorato, 2021. "Geomechanical Characterization of a Rock Cliff Hosting a Cultural Heritage through Ground and UAV Rock Mass Surveys for Its Sustainable Fruition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, January.
    4. Zhong-Min Ji & Tian-Li Chen & Fa-Quan Wu & Zhen-Hua Li & Qing-He Niu & Ke-Yi Wang, 2023. "Assessment and prevention on the potential rockfall hazard of high-steep rock slope: a case study of Zhongyuntai mountain in Lianyungang, China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 115(3), pages 2117-2139, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:3:p:1082-:d:484457. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.