3D Architecture and evolution of the Po Plain - Northern Adriatic Basin since the Messinian salinity crisis through Pliocene-Pleistocene time

The Pliocene-Pleistocene tectonic and sedimentary evolution of the eastern Po Plain and northern Adriatic Foreland Basin (PPAF) (extended ca. 40,000 km2) was the consequence of the severe Northern Apennine compressional activity and climate-driven eustatic changes. According with the 2D seismic interpretation, facies analysis and sequence stratigraphy approach by Ghielmi et al. (2013 and references therein), these tectono-eustatic phases generated six basin-scale unconformities referred as Base Pliocene (PL1), Intra-Zanclean (PL2), Intra-Piacenzian (PL3), Gelasian (PL4), Base Calabrian (PS1) and Late Calabrian (PS2). Here, it is presented a new 3D model of the PPAF derived from the interpretation of these six unconformities by mean of a dense network of ca. 8,000 km of seismic lines, correlated with more than 200 well stratigraphies (complete dataset provided confidentially by ENI E&P). The initial 3D time-model has been time-to-depth converted using the 3D velocity model created with Vel-IO 3D, a tool for 3D depth conversions then, validated and integrated with depth domain dataset from bibliography and well log data. The resultant 3D depth-converted model pf the PPAF up today is the largest and detailed 3D model that describe the Plio-Pleistocene sequence in the northern Italian subsurface. From the model, it is possible to extract isobath and isopach maps that are fundamental outputs to inspect step-by-step the basin paleogeographic evolution occurred through alternating stages of simple and fragmented foredeep together with high sedimentary clastic flux and climate instability.