Comment on “Fragmentation of the Adriatic Promontory: New Chronological Constraints From Neogene Shortening Rates Across the Southern Alps (NE Italy)” by Moulin & Benedetti

Abstract

Moulin and Benedetti (2018), https://doi.org/10.1029/2018tc00495810.1029/2018tc004958 present a new interpretation of the Neogene-Quaternary tectonic evolution of the Eastern Southern Alps (ESA) in Friuli. After the reinterpretation of literature field data by means of remote sensing analysis (Digital Elevation Model interpretation), they calculated deformation rates of the tectonic structures through age interpretation of geomorphological surfaces of the Veneto-Friuli piedmont plain. The authors linked the result of surface analysis to the thrust and fold architecture of the ESA basing on the Castellarin et al. (2006), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2005.10.013 interpretation of TRANSALP project and the Friuli geological map at the scale 1:150,000 (Carulli, 2006). Discussing their new architecture of the ESA, the Authors finally yielded rates of Europe-Adria plates convergence and suggest fragmentation of Adria over the last 1–2 Ma. The present comment is aimed at discussing several critical points concerning: the use of the geomorphological and chronological data; the misinterpretation of the Digital Terrain Model; the reconstruction of the balanced geological cross section. Moreover, the application of a structural model defined in a certain area to another without considering peculiar structural complexities available in the literature results is geologically and methodologically questionable.