SESS 2_16022011_TPR3.pub


  

 

  

 

 

 

Il Quaternario 
Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences 
24, (Abstract AIQUA, Roma 02/2011),  

Congresso AIQUA 
Il Quaternario Italiano: conoscenze e prospettive 

Roma 24 e 25 febbraio 2011 

PRELIMINARY CONTRIBUTION OF THE GEOMORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS 
IN THE EVALUATION OF RECENT TECTONIC CONTROL 

IN THE TAMMARO RIVER CATCHMENT (CAMPANIA – MOLISE) 
 

Elena Cartojan, Paolo Magliulo & Alessio Valente 
Università degli Studi del Sannio, Benevento 

Corresponding author: E. Cartojan <elena.cartojan@unisannio.it>  
 
ABSTRACT: Cartojan E., Magliulo P. & Valente A., Preliminary contribution of the geomorphological analysis in the 
evaluation of recent tectonic control in the Tammaro River catchment (Campania – Molise). (IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2011) 
The aim of this study is to highlight the preliminary results derived to the integrated geomorphological analysis of the 
Tammaro River catchment (Campania – Molise) in order to recognize the role played by the recent tectonic activity in 
development and the evolution of the hydrographic network.  
 

RIASSUNTO: Cartojan E., Magliulo P. & Valente A., Contributo preliminare dell’analisi geomorfologica nella valutazione 
dedel controllo della tettonica recente sul bacino del Fiume Tammaro (Campania – Molise). (IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2011) 
L’obiettivo del presente lavoro è quello di illustrare i primi risultati ottenuti dall’analisi geomorfologica integrata del baci-
no del Fiume Tammaro (Campania - Molise), finalizzata al riconoscimento di un eventuale influenza da parte della tet-
tonica recente sullo sviluppo e sull’evoluzione del reticolo idrografico. 
 

Key words: Quantitative geomorphology, Geographic Information System, Hypsographic Integral, Recent tectonic, 
Campania – Molise. 
 

Parole chiave: Geomorfologia quantitativa, Sistema Informativo Geografico, Integrale Ipsografico, Tettonica recente, 
Campania – Molise. 

1. INTRODUCTION 
 
The aim of this study is to highlight the role played 
by the recent tectonic activity in the Tammaro 
River basin (Campania - Molise) as revealed by 
the organization and the evolution of the hydro-
graphic network. The geomorphic processes cur-
rently occurring in the basin, represented by land-
slides and linear erosion, have also been taken 
into account. Different types of investigation, such 
as quantitative geomorphic analysis, hypsometric 
analysis and statistical azimuthal distribution of 
river courses, integrated into a GIS environment, 
have been used. They have provided some pre-
liminary results concerning the widest and hierar-
chically highest sub-basins of Tammaro River 
catchment. 
Study area. The Tammaro River, ~78 km-long, 
starts from a series of relieves belonging to the 
Matese massif, located in the Molise region. It is a 
7th order tributary of the Calore River and receives 
22 major tributaries. The basin is NW-SE elon-
gated and is ~ 670 km2-wide; it shows a slightly 
concave side towards SW. The morphology of the 
basin is markedly asymmetrical, as the southwest-
ern side displays the highest slope angles. Thus, 
both the altitude and the slope angle ranges are 
irregularly distributed on the two sides of the basin. 
As a consequence, also the evolution and the hier-
archy of the hydrographic network are different 
(Fig. 1). From a geological point of view, the outer 
units of the southern Apennine chain are present in 

the studied basin. They are mostly made up by 
deposits accumulated in the basins deformed by 
tectonic phases occurred between Tortonian and 
Pliocene (CASNEDI et al. 1982). These deposits 
mainly consist of sandstone and/or clay alternated 
with marl and limestone, belonging to the Sannio 
and Fortore tectonic units (PESCATORE et al. 2008 
cum bibl.). The Quaternary deposits are repre-
sented by scree-talus and alluvial deposits: the 
oldest are fine-grained and of fluvio-lacustrine ori-
gin, while the most recent are medium- or coarse-
grained (BERGOMI et al. 1975). The area is also 
affected by a complex pre-Quaternary fault sys-
tem, with a NW-SE and NE-SW orientation, which 
strongly affects the physiography and hydrography 
(PESCATORE et al. 2008). Some recent tectonic 
features, E to W and N to S elongated, also occurs 
(PESCATORE et al. 1996). These features are rarely 
evident in the field, because of the prevalence of 
poorly conservative lithotypes (APAT, 2007), often 
involved into landslides. 
 
2. TOOLS AND METHODS  
 
Data were collected using a GIS (Geographical 
Information System) software by digitizing the 
drainage network on the basis of geo-referenced 
maps. These maps belong to the topographic map 
of Italy at 1:50,000-scale (nn. 405, 406, 418, 419, 
432). In such way, it was possible to create a data-
base containing all the information and the results 
concerning the selected sub-basins, which were 

 
 
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88  

investigated using different methods. In particular, 
the morphometric features of the each sub-basin 
have been defined by means of geomorphic quan-
titative analysis (CICCACCI et al. 1980; 1988; LUPIA 
PALMIERI et al. 2001). At first, the hydrographic net-
work has been ordered according to the method of 
STRAHLER (1954); then, the bifurcation ratio (Rb), 
the direct bifurcation ratio (Rbd) and the bifurcation 
index (HORTON, 1945; AVENA et al., 1967) were 
calculated. Furthermore, in order to define more 
objectively the degree of hierarchy, the following 
parameters have been calculated: the hierarchical 
anomaly number (Ga), the hierarchical anomaly 
density (ga) and hierarchical anomaly index (Da) 
(AVENA et al., 1967). Finally, using the percentage 
method of STRAHLER (1952) the hypsographic 
curves of each basin were built and their relative 
hypsometric index values (HI Hypsometric Integral) 
were calculated by using the method of Elevation-
Relief Ratio Relationship (KELLER & PINTER., 
2002). The hypsometric analysis provides useful 
information for the morphodynamic characteriza-
tion of a given landscape (LUPIA PALMIERI et al., 
2001), while the value of the hypsometric integral 
allows the parameterization of the basin in relation 
to the Davis’ cycle of erosion. 
 
3. DATA ANALYSIS 
 
Figure 2 and Figure 3 show high values of the bi-
furcation ratio for the streams of Sanzano (Rb = 

5.43) and Reinello (Rb = 7,44). In general terms, 
values higher than 5 indicate that, almost certainly, 
basins are strongly controlled by tectonics 
(CICCACCI et al., 1980). Such a conclusion is also 
corroborated by the bifurcation index values (R), 
that are higher than 2 in both cases (2.55 and 
2.10, respectively), indicating a low hierarchy in the 
geometry of the basins. For all the investigated sub
-basins, low values of the hierarchical anomaly 
density (ga) and hierarchical anomaly index were 
generally found. They are usually typical of well-
organized catchments and this is in strong contrast 
to the R and Rb values listed above. This discrep-
ancy can be explained taking into account the lack 
of objectivity of the bifurcation ratios, which do not 
consider the influence of hierarchical anomalies. 
By combining this analysis with the study of hypso-
graphic curves (Fig. 4) and related indices, a pre-
dominance of convex curves, with HI> 0.55, was 
noted. Such HI value is attributed by CICCACCI et 
al. (1988) to basins in a “phase of disequilibrium” 
or in a "juvenile" stage (sensu STRAHLER, 1952), 
and therefore it is associated with a prevailing ver-
tical erosion by the watercourses. However, the 
presence of inflection within the hypsographic 
curves suggests that the morphogenetic processes 
are very complex, differing along the watercourse, 

Fig. 1, DEM (Digital Elevation Model) of the Tammaro 
River catchment.  
Modello Digitale di Elevazione del bacino idrografico 
del F. Tammaro. 

Fig. 2, Morphometric parameters: A) Surface; P) Perime-
ter; N) Number of streams; Rb) Bifurcation ratio; Rbd) 
Direct bifurcation ratio; R) Bifurcation index. 
Parametri morfometrici: A) Area; P) Perimetro; N) Nume-
ro di aste fluviali; Rb) Rapporto di biforcazione; Rbd) 
Rapporto di biforcazione diretto; R) Indice di biforcazione  

 

Fig. 3, Morphometric parameters: Ga) Hierarchical 
anomaly number; ga) Hierarchical anomaly density; ∆a) 
Hierarchical anomaly index; D) Drainage density; Tu) 
Suspended sediment yield (t/square km/year); HI) Hyp-
sometric Integral 
Parametri morfometrici: Ga) Numero di anomalia gerar-
chica; ga) Densità di anomalia gerarchica; ∆a) Indice di 
anomalia gerarchica; D) Densità di drenaggio; Tu) Tra-
sporto torbido unitario medio annuo; HI)Integrale Ipso-
metrico 

E. Cartojan, P. Magliulo & A. Valente  



  

 89 

 
 
Ms. received: 
Testo ricevuto il 

with a predominant areal erosion on slopes in the 
upper parts of the basins and an increase of linear 
erosion in the lower parts. 
In conclusion, the preliminary results obtained from 
the present analysis are in agreement with previ-
ous studies dealing with recent tectonics (NAPPI et 
al., 2007). Such studies pointed out the presence 
of a NW-SE trending active structural side, that is 
highlighted by the longitudinal profiles showed in 
Fig. 4A, that display a clear knickpoint at the alti-
tude of 600÷700 m. 
 
REFERENCES  
 
APAT (2007) – Note illustrative della Carta Geologica 

d’Italia alla scala 1:50.000, foglio 432 Benevento, a 
cura di Chiocchini U., SE.L.CA, Firenze  

AVENA G. C., GIULIANO G. & LUPIA PALMIERI E. (1967) – 
Sulla valutazione quantitativa della gerarchizzazione 
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BERGOMI G., MANFREDINI M. & MARTELLI G. (1975) - Note 
illustrative della Carta Geologica d’Italia. Foglio 173. 
Servizio Geologico d’Italia, 83  

CASNEDI R., CRESCENTI U. & TONNA M. (1982) - Evolu-
zione dell’avanfossa adriatica meridionale nel Plio-
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CICCACCI S., FREDI P., LUPIA PALMIERI E. & PUGLIESE F. 
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CICCACCI S., D’ALESSANDRO L., FREDI P. & LUPIA PALMIE-
RI E. (1988) - Contributo dell’analisi geomorfologica 

quantitativa allo studio dei processi di denudazione del 
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HORTON R. E. (1945) – Erosional development of 
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KELLER E. A. & PINTER N. (2002) – Active Tectonics: 
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LUPIA PALMIERI E., BIASINI A., CAPUTO C., CENTAMORE E., 
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NAPPI R., ALESSIO G., BELLUCCI SESSA E. & VILARDO G. 
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PESCATORE T., PINTO F., RENDA P., SENATORE M.R., 
TRAMUTOLI M. & VALENTE A. (1996) - Avanfosse mioce-
niche dell’Appennino meridionale (Italia). Rend. Acc. 
Sc. Fis. Mat., 63, 85-121, Napoli. 

PESCATORE T.S., DI NOCERA S., MATANO F., PINTO F., 
QUARANTIELLO R., AMORE O., BOIANO U., CIVILE D. 
FIORILLO L. & MARTINO C. (2008) - Geologia del settore 
centrale dei monti del Sannio: nuovi dati stratigrafici e 
strutturali. Mem. Descr. Carta Geol. d’It., 77-94. 

STRAHLER A. N. (1952) – Hypsometric (area-altitude) 
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STRAHLER A. N. (1954) – Quantitative Geomorphology of 
Erosional Landscapes. C.R. 19 th Intern. Geol. Cong., 
Algers, sect. 13, part. 3, 341-354.  

Fig. 4, A) Longitudinal profiles of the analysed sub-basin; B) Normalized hypsografic curves. 
A) Profili longitudinali dei sub-bacini analizzati; B) Curve ipsometriche normalizzate. 

 
 
 January 15, 2011 
 15 gennaio 2011 

Preliminary contribution of the geomorphological ...