Field Trips

 

Three days of field excursions are planned for YORSGET 2022

Field day 1 - travel from Catania to Agrigento
The “post-kinematic” landscape, including the Plio-Quaternary forced regression across Sicily (?driven by “flexural rebound” from tectonic unloading in the orogenic hinterland).
Interplay between base-level variations and local fold amplification in controlling facies distributions - in Plio-Quaternary near-shore sediments and in Messinian evaporites.

Field day 2 - in and out of Agrigento
Tectonic contols on Messinian evaporite deposition and subsequent deformation of thrust-top basins. INCLUDES MINE VISIT - see critical safety notes

Field Day 3 - travel from Agrigento to Catania
Tectonic geomorphology - associated with the front of the “Gela Nappe” and the orogenic foreland of the Hyblean plateau.

Mobility and environment on the field excursions

The majority of field locations involve very little walking (a few hundred metres from the coach). However, excursion 1 involves two slightly longer walks, one of c 3 km (with c 200m ascent) and another of about 2 km (on the flat). On excursion 2, there is a walk of about 4 km along a beach.

Safety: full briefing documents will be available to registered participants ahead of the meeting. Note that individuals MUST bring appropriate hardhats for access to Realmonte mine and for the coastal outcrops on excursion 2.

Sicily in June and July is generally dry and hot. Temperatures are generally in the low 30s C, but can rise higher. Sun protection, especially wide-brimmed sun-hats are strongly advised.