Distribution of the marine and transitional terraces (Holocene) and geomorphological map of the Primera Angostura, Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, Straits of Magellan, Chile (1:50,000 scale map – Map n° 5/12 - Second Edition)

Previous studies, carried out by the “Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche, Ambientali e Marine” of the “Università di Trieste”, within the "Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide" (P.N.R.A.) and by the "Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra" of the "Università di Cagliari" within the cooperation project PVS - Regione Autonoma della Sardegna - Chile , on the Straits of Magellan were mainly directed at sedimentological research on the sea bottoms and coastal belt of the eastern section (Atlantic opening). Similar wide ranging research was carried out also on the coastal belt of the western section of the Strait (Pacific opening) from seavessels, since it was inaccessible by land which is typically sheer (fiords). The first coastal studies were connected with sedimentological studies of the bottom, but were limited to research on the source and transport of the sediments as well as a regional definition of morphostructural units. Subsequent research along the coastal belt was carried out in greater detail with mapping of morphological units. During this second phase, greater attention was given to the study of palaeo-shorelines and different terrace orders of presumed marine and transitional origin (Brambati at alii, 1993a; 1993b). On the basis of the initial geomorphological, geological and sedimentological result obtained. We made a zoning of the coastal belts along the Atlantic opening of the Strait which enabled us to print three sheets on a scale of 1:200,000 (De Muro et alii 1995, Brambati et alii 1995a and 1995b, Di Grande et alii 1995). Detailed studies and maps (scale 1:50,000) of the terraced sequences linked to Holo-Pleistocene glacio-eustatic variations are in course. The aim is to publish an Atlas accompanied by twelve geomorphological maps (of which this is the fifth) topographically based on 28 of the Chilean I.G.M. 1:50,000 scale maps of the area between Punta Dungeness and Bahía Inútil (Di Grande et alii 1996a, 1996b and 1996c, De Muro et alii 1996 and 2000). Keywords: , , Coastal Geomorphology, Paleoclimatology, Holocene, , Periantarctic Areas