| The Mediterranean region affords an opportunity to investigate interactions between tectonic, geomorphic, and climatic processes acting in concert above subduction zones at different evolutionary stages. The predominantly subaerial northern Apennine margin is now characterized by continent-continent collision, whereas oceanic subduction continues along the primarily submarine Hellenic margin.; Chapter 1 presents a new Apennine terrace chronostratigraphy from fluvial deposits of the Bidente and Musone Rivers. A terrace genesis model supported by 14C dating indicates that formation of strath and fill terraces is controlled by glacial-interglacial climate change modulated by basin lithology. Increasing river incision rates through the Quaternary likely reflect acceleration in rock uplift and an increase in foreland topographic relief, both consistent with active shortening and continued growth of the Apennine orogenic wedge. Significant seismic risk may exist along blind thrust faults beneath the frontal portion of the northern Apennines.; Chapter 2 provides evidence in support of a weakly-coupled Hellenic subduction interface beneath the island of Crete. Despite accommodating about 36 mm/yr of convergence between Africa and Eurasia, there is a paucity of well-documented great subduction thrust earthquakes from this margin. GPS data provide evidence, corroborated by topographic and free-air gravity measurements, of episodic "stick" along an otherwise weakly-coupled plate boundary. If correct, earthquake hazards primarily reside along faults contained within the upper crust, including the extensional South Cretan Fault, which I propose accommodates the 6000 m of relief across the escarpment of western Crete and is possibly responsible for the great earthquake of July 21, AD 365 (Mw c8.3).; Chapter 3 presents a marine terrace chronostratigraphy extending back 125 ka for western Crete. The stratigraphy is anchored by 14C dating. Terraces older than the limit of radiocarbon are correlated to known eustatic changes. Derived Long-term (104 years) coastal uplift of Crete is between 1 and 2 mm/yr. The MIS 5.1 terrace decreases in elevation 26 m in 55 km, while a bioerosion notch uplifted and titled by the AD 365 earthquake decreases 5.7 m across the same distance. This is permissible of similar- magnitude recurrence on the causative fault ∼5 times in the past 75 ka. |
