The morphoneotectonic structure of Parnis Mt. (Attica, Greece)

Abstract

The morphoneotectonic study of the Parais' mountain showed that the higher planation surfaces lay at the central area of the eastern Parais, while the rest of them lay lower towards the north, south and west, giving the impression of a mega-anticlinic structure, in accordance to the east-west trending water divide of the mountain. In addition, the open folds of the L. Cretaceous carbonates with axes trending E-W, appear to have folded the older isoclinal or closed folds whose axes plunge northwards or southwards respectively. The contour-map of the contact between the L. Cretaceous carbonates and the underlying formations (originally an unconformity, but now only observed as a thrust surface) reveals that this contact is curved in a mega-anticline shape, with an axis trending approximately E-W, and plunging westwards. Thus, we conclude that Parais Mt. is a complicated morphoneotectonic structure due to a long term active brittle-ductile deformation, expressed as a mega-anticline of an E-W axis with active fault zones with respective strike.