Depth and modes of Pliocene–Pleistocene crustal extension of the Apennines (Italy)

Abstract

Since early Pliocene times the Apenninic chain has been dissected by normal faults propagating towards the Adriatic foreland. In the Tyrrhenian Sea extension involved deep crustal sections, whereas in the ‘Central Apennines Downfaulted Area’ it affected the shallow crust. The Tyrrhenian back‐arc domain is connected to the overall flexural retreat of the Adriatic–Apulia plate in front of the Apenninic collisional wedge. In the outer Apenninic belt thin‐skinned delamination and gravitational collapse occurred in the hanging wall of a thickened wedge, overthrusting the uplifted, buoyant crust of the Apulia foreland. Differential sinking velocity of the foreland plate results from the inherited competence contrast between the rigid Gargano–Apulia carbonate platform to the south, and the low‐competence lithology of the pelagic sequence of the Adriatic basin to the north. During late Messinian–early Pliocene times this palaeogeographical boundary acted as a lithospheric tear, separating segments of the Apulia plate subjected to different subduction modes.

Belt-Parallel Shortening in the Northern Apennines and Seismotectonic Implications

“…It is worth noting that all major ridges involved in the proposed deformation pattern have undergone a complete erosion of the Ligurian units that were previously located at the top of the Apennine thrust stack [53]. Indeed, such stack has been preserved only in the sectors not involved in oroclinal bending, such as the Ligurian and Emilian Apennines [54] [55].…”

Possible Location of the Next Major Earthquakes in the Northern Apennines: Present Key Role of the Romagna-Marche-Umbria Wedge

“…The motion of Adria is accommodated by tectonic activity at the eastern (Hellenides, On the western side of Adria, the tectonic context is more complex (Figure 3 Pleistocene is the strong uplift of the whole belt, involving both main ridge axes, intramontane extensional trough and foredeep basins [34]- [42].…”

U and Th content in the Central Apennines continental crust: A contribution to the determination of the geo-neutrinos flux at LNGS

“…With time geodynamical processes have produced the geological structure of the Central Apennines where the LNGS is located (Fig. 2) (Ghisetti and Vezzani, 1999;Bigi and Costa Pisani, 2005;Finetti et al, 2005a;Scisciani and Calamita, 2009). …”

“…Structural elements are represented by a complex system of overturned anticlines and related thrusts (Vezzani and Ghisetti, 1998;Ghisetti and Vezzani, 1999;Speranza et al, 2003;Calamita et al, 2006). The result of these movements is a juxtaposition of the northern margin of the LazioAbruzzi carbonate platform and its related pelagic Umbria-Marche Basin onto the external Apenninic foredeep (Bernoulli, 2001;Bosellini, 2004;Parotto and Praturlon, 2004;Finetti et al, 2005a).…”