The Po Plain is a molasse foredeep bounded by two mountain chains: Apennines and Alps. Apenninic thrusting is still active, whereas the Alpine one ended by Early Pliocene times. The continental deposits form a veneer at the surface and form the topset of a prograding complex. The Po River divides the plain into two sectors with different sedimentary facies and body geometries. To the south, the alluvial fan and plain deposits are small, embedded in clays, and show elongate shapes. To the north, sedimentary bodies are laterally extensive, tabular and with minor amounts of fine-grained sediments. This difference could be due to: (a) different climatic conditions during Quaternary ice ages on the two sides of the basin: (b) different structural settings in the two sectors of the basin, that produce a higher subsidence rate to the south; (c) different lithologies in the source areas (i.e. Alps and Apennines).
