The origin and role of volcanism in passive continental rifts remains poorly understood relative to other volcano-tectonic settings. The western Sicilian Channel in the central Mediterranean Sea represents an area of pronounced crustal extension with a variety of volcanic landforms closely associated with extensional and strike-slip faults. The main goal of this study is to analyze how volcanism has developed in conjunction with tectonic structures in the western Sicilian Channel. We have extensively mapped the seafloor and sampled volcanic structures along the Sicilian Channel Rift Zone and the Capo-Granitola-Sciacca Fault Zone in July 2023. The obtained data and collected samples will provide new insights into the role of magmatism in regions of continental extension, and will allow us to develop a tectonic and magmatic framework for the western Sicilian Channel.

Figure: Bathymetric map of the Sicilian Channel with main structural and geomorphic features labelled. PG: Pantelleria Graben; MG: Malta Graben; LG: Linosa Graben; GN: Gela Nappe; AB: Adventure Bank; GB: Graham Bank; TB: Terribile Bank; NB: Nerita Bank; NaB: Nameless Bank; PB: Pinne Bank; SMTF: Sicilian-Maghrebian Thrust Front: ME; Malta Escarpment; CGSFZ: Capo-Granitola-Sciacca Fault Zone: CGFS: Capo-Granitola-Sciacca Fault System; SFS: Sciacca Fault System.
Figure: Multibeam echosounder bathymetry data (unprocessed) from a new volcanic centre discovered in the Sicilian Channel.

Collaborators:

Jörg Geldmacher (GEOMAR), Meret Felgendreher (University of Kiel), Giulia Matilde Ferrante (OGS), Jonathan Ford (OGS), Jacqueline Grech Licari (Victoria University of Wellington), Folkmar Hauff (GEOMAR), Silke Hauff (GEOMAR), Alastair Hodgetts (University of Edinburgh), Jakob Lang (GEOMAR), Kerys Meredew (University of Birmingham), Christian Timm (GEOMAR), Maxim Portnyagin (GEOMAR), Sebastian Watt (University of Birmingham),, Kaj Hoernle (GEOMAR), Christian Berndt (GEOMAR), Emanuele Lodolo (OGS), Dario Civile (OGS)

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