Marine passageways (seaways and straits) are essential for oceanographic circulation as they have enabled connectivity between adjoining water bodies like oceans and seas worldwide and throughout geological times (Li et al., 2015; Rossi et al., 2023). Despite their importance, very little has been written about the sedimentology of modern and ancient straits (Dalrymple, 2023). This gap could be attributed to the complex interaction of tidal, wave and fluvial processes, as well as the complex structural configuration of strait settings (Beelen et al., 2023). The aim of this study is to provide a detailed depositional interpretation of Early Pleistocene mixed arenites of the Paleo-Strait of Messina, based on comprehensive sedimentological data combined with innovative techniques. Understanding the full range of phenomena and the complex dynamics of mixed arenites forming in strait systems or similar environments is crucial to create progressively more reliable depositional models and paleogeographic reconstructions.
Figure description for this map is: A) Overview of the area of the Strait of Messina with zones representing the onland Pleistocene deposits (in yellow), B) detailed location of outcrops within the study area.
Logging of the sediments in the study area during fieldwork in October 2024
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