Evidence of coseismic deformation in the Taormina region (northeast Sicily): New data from the Capo Schisò area

In this paper the results of a detailed mapping of geological and archaeological indicators of raised Holocene shorelines, around Capo Schisò volcanic headland a few kilometers south of Taormina (north-eastern Sicily), are discussed. The detailed survey of the promontory of Capo Schisò has confirmed the existence of three paleoshorelines at different altitudes. The shoreline1 is represented by a fossiliferous beach deposit, which is heavily eroded and only few small sections, about 40 cm thick, at elevation ranging between ~3 and ~5 m, are visible. The shoreline2 was found a max altitude of ~2.90 m and is represented by algal rims, remnants of barnacle bands and serpulid concretions and by a fossiliferous beach deposit. The shoreline3 includes remnants of algal rims, serpulid concretions, remnants of fossil barnacle bands and a beachrock and reaches an elevation of ~1.60 - 1.80 m a.s.l. New radiocarbon dating results, compared with published data suggest an average uplift rate of 1.7-1.8 mm/yr and the occurrence of three co-seismic uplift events in the last 5 ka (~4.0, ~2.0 and =1.0 ka ago). Abrupt displacements are attributed to coand post-seismic footwall uplift along the offshore Taormina normal fault.