Late Pleistocene soft-sediment deformation structures interpreted as seismites in paralic deposits in the city of Bari (Apulian Foreland, southrn Italy)

Late Pleistocene soft-sediment deformation structures are found in lagoonal and eolian sediments exposed in the city of Bari (Murge, Apulian foreland, southern Italy). Deformation structures are represented by load casts, ball-and-pillow, and flame structures. The mechanism of deformation is related with liquefaction and/or fluidization processes. After considering alternative explanations, we conclude that liquefaction and/or fluidization was most probably triggered by a paleoseismic event originating along the south Gargano fault, an active strike-slip zone about 50 km offshore from Bari.