Recent tectonic and magmatic features off the coast of Naples

The interpretation of high-resolution seismic profiles and Side Scan Sonar images permitted the recognition and mapping of a complex fault pattern and shallow intrusions on the sea floor off the coast of Naples. This documentation contribute to improve hazard assessment in this critical area. The acoustic substrate is composed of Neapolitan Yellow Tuff in the west (12 ka BP) and Somma-Vesuvius products (post-14 ka BP) in the east, and is overlain by Transgressive and Highstand Systems Tract deposits. Faults offset the acoustic substrate and overlying deposits. They display normal (NE, NW-and N-S trending systems) and left-lateral kinematics (E-trendine system). The shallow intrusions are domes and dikes, generally raising from the sea floor. These magmatic bodies are arranged into two clusters, respectively offshore Vesuvius and in Naples harbour. They often appear to be associated with recent normal faults. The recent faults documented off the coast of Naples follows the fault systems that characterised the Quaternary tectonic evolution of the Campanian margin. On the other hand, the radial symmetry (N-S, E-W, NE, NW) of fault pattern suggests a stress field linked to magmatic processes (large scale doming) that characterized the Neapolitan area during the late Quaternary.