Late-and Post-Miocene Geodynamic Evolution of the Mesogea Basin (East Attica, Greece): Constraints From Sediment Petrography and Structures

Abstract

In Attica, from the Miocene through the Quaternary, successive generations of detachment faults caused exhumation and denudation of Alpine HP rocks and – later on -formation of sedimentary basins. The Mesogea low angle detachment fault separates the HP rocks exposed at the southern flank of the Penteli Mtfrom the Late - post-Late Miocene Mesogea basin. Combined sedimentary-petrologic and structural analyses reveal the following: (i) Late Miocene sediments include material from unmetamorphosed source areas suggesting that, until then, parts of the HP rocks were buried under the (largely unmetamorphosed) Pelagonian nappe unit, (ii) Post-Late Miocene sediments exclusively contain clasts from high-P source areas and show downward bending of the layering that accommodates slip along a lis trie fault surface. Close to the Penteli Mt, within the post-Late-Miocene sediments gravity sliding-blocL· of metamorphic rocks occur. All this indicates post-Late Miocene activity along this detachment fault controlled rapid surface uplift/relief formation, denudation and fast erosion of HP rocks in the Penteli Mt.

From Thermopiles to Marathon: Teaching the theory of evolution through a short tour to paleontology of Greece

“…It is an excellently preserved natural landscape with obvious details of trunks, leaves, and barks of fossil trees. Also, due to the tropical climate prevailing in the region and the high temperatures thousands of years ago, fossilized leaves of cinnamon, vine and coffee tree are observed (Mposkos et al, 2018). Thus, "it is considered as a unique natural monument, which belongs to the Greek mineralogical and geological heritage" (Voudouris et al, 2007).…”