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Genesis and evolution of a curved mountain front: paleomagnetic and geological evidence from the Gran Sasso range (central Apennines, Italy)
Author(s)
Language
English
Obiettivo Specifico
2.2. Laboratorio di paleomagnetismo
Status
Published
JCR Journal
JCR Journal
Peer review journal
Yes
Title of the book
Issue/vol(year)
1-4 / 362 (2003)
Publisher
Elsevier
Pages (printed)
183-197
Issued date
February 6, 2003
Abstract
The Gran Sasso range is a striking salient formed by two roughly rectilinear E–W and N–S limbs. In the past ∼90° counterclockwise (CCW) rotations from the eastern Gran Sasso were reported [Tectonophysics 215 (1992) 335], suggesting west–east increase of rotation-related northward shortening along the E–W limb. In this paper, we report on paleomagnetic data from Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary dykes and strata cropping out at Corno Grande (central part of the E–W Gran Sasso limb), the highest summit of the Apennine belt. Predominant northwestward paleomagnetic declinations (in the normal polarity state) from both sedimentary dykes and strata are observed. When compared to the expected declination values for the Adriatic
foreland, our data document no thrusting-related rotation at Corno Grande. The overall paleomagnetic data set coupled with the available geological information shows that the Gran Sasso arc is in fact a composite structure, formed by an unrotated-low shortening western (E–W trending) limb and a strongly CCW rotated eastern salient. Late Messinian and post-early Pliocene shortening episodes documented along the Gran Sasso front indicate that belt building and arc formation occurred during two distinct episodes. We suggest that the southern part of a late Messinian N–S front was reactivated during early–middle Pliocene time, forming a tight range salient due to CCW rotations and differential along-front shortening rates. The formation of a northward displacing bulge in an overall NW–SE chain is likely a consequence of the collision between the Latium-Abruzzi and Apulian carbonate platforms during northeastward propagation of the Apennine wedge, inducing lateral northward extrusion of Latium-Abruzzi carbonates towards ductile basinal sediment areas.
foreland, our data document no thrusting-related rotation at Corno Grande. The overall paleomagnetic data set coupled with the available geological information shows that the Gran Sasso arc is in fact a composite structure, formed by an unrotated-low shortening western (E–W trending) limb and a strongly CCW rotated eastern salient. Late Messinian and post-early Pliocene shortening episodes documented along the Gran Sasso front indicate that belt building and arc formation occurred during two distinct episodes. We suggest that the southern part of a late Messinian N–S front was reactivated during early–middle Pliocene time, forming a tight range salient due to CCW rotations and differential along-front shortening rates. The formation of a northward displacing bulge in an overall NW–SE chain is likely a consequence of the collision between the Latium-Abruzzi and Apulian carbonate platforms during northeastward propagation of the Apennine wedge, inducing lateral northward extrusion of Latium-Abruzzi carbonates towards ductile basinal sediment areas.
References
Adamoli, L., 1992. Evidenze di tettonica d’inversione nell’area
Corno Grande – Corno Piccolo (Gran Sasso d’Italia). Boll.
Soc. Geol. Ital. 111, 53– 66.
Adamoli, L., Bigozzi, A., Ciarapica, G., Cirilli, S., Passeri, L.,
Romano, A., Duranti, F., Venturi, F., 1990. Upper Triassic bituminous
facies and Hettangian pelagic facies in the Gran Sasso
range. Boll. Soc. Geol. Ital. 109, 219–230.
Alessandri, D., Scandone, P., Scarsella, F., 1968. Il Trias della
parete orientale del Corno Grande (Gran Sasso d’Italia). Boll.
Soc. Nat. Napoli 77, 239–246.
Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Swisher III, C.C., Aubry, M.-P., 1995.
A revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronostratigraphy:
geochronology time scales and global stratigraphic correlation.
Spec. Publ.-SEPM 54, 129– 212.
Besse, J., Courtillot, V., 1991. Revised and synthetic apparent polar
wander paths of the African, Eurasian, north American and Indian
plates, and true polar wander since 200 Ma. J. Geophys.
Res. 96, 4029–4050.
Bigi, S., Calamita, F., Paltrinieri, W., 1995a. Modi e tempi della
strutturazione della catena centroappenninica abruzzese dal
Gran Sasso alla costa adriatica. Studi Geologici Camerti, Special
Volume 1995/2, pp. 77– 85.
Bigi, S., Calamita, F., Centamore, E., 1995b. Caratteristiche geologico-
strutturali dell’area abruzzese ad oriente del Gran Sasso.
Studi Geologici Camerti, Special Volume 1995/2, pp. 67– 76.
Cavinato, G.P., De Celles, P.G., 1999. Extensional basins in the
tectonically bimodal central Apennines fold-thrust belt, Italy:
response to corner flow above a subducting slab in retrograde
motion. Geology 27, 955– 958.
Channell, J.E.T., 1992. Paleomagnetic data from Umbria (Italy):
implications for the rotation of Adria and Mesozoic apparent
polar wander paths. Tectonophysics 216, 365– 378.
Channell, J.E.T., 1996. Palaeomagnetism and palaeogeography of
Adria. In: Morris, A., Tarling, D.H. (Eds.), Palaeomagnetism
and Tectonics of the Mediterranean Region. Geol. Soc. Spec.
Publ. No. 105, pp. 119– 132.
Channell, J.E.T., Oldow, J.S., Catalano, R., D’Argenio, B., 1990.
Paleomagnetically determined rotations in the western Sicilian
fold and thrust belt. Tectonics 9 (4), 641– 660.
Cipollari, P., Cosentino, D., 1995. Miocene unconformities in the
Central Apennines: geodynamic significance and sedimentary
basin evolution. Tectonophysics 252, 375– 389.
Cipollari, P., Cosentino, D., Esu, D., Girotti, O., Gliozzi, E., Praturlon,
A., 1999. Thrust-top lacustrine– lagoonal basin development
in accretionary wedges: late Messinian (Lago Mare)
episode in the central Apennines (Italy). Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol.
Palaeoecol. 151, 149– 166.
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 1988. Progetto finalizzato
geodinamica. Note illustrative alla carta delle litofacies del Lazio-Abruzzo ed aree limitrofe. Accordi, G., Carbone, F. (Eds.),
Roma. 223 pp.
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 1991. Progetto finalizzato geodinamica.
Structural Model of Italy Map. Bigi, G., et al. (Eds.),
Roma. scale 1:500,000.
D’Agostino, N., Funiciello, R., Speranza, F., Tozzi, M., 1994. Caratteri
della tettonica distensiva nell’Appennino Centrale: l’area
di S. Stefano Sessanio-Calascio (L’Aquila). Boll. Soc. Geol. Ital.
113, 37– 53.
D’Agostino, N., Chamot-Rooke, N., Funiciello, R., Jolivet, L.,
Speranza, F., 1998. The role of pre-existing thrust faults and
topography on the styles of extension in the Gran Sasso range
(central Italy). Tectonophysics 292, 229– 254.
Dela Pierre, F., Ghisetti, F., Lanza, R., Vezzani, L., 1992. Palaeomagnetic
and structural evidence of Neogene tectonic rotation
of the Gran Sasso range (central Apennines, Italy). Tectonophysics
215, 335– 348.
Demarest, H.H., 1983. Error analysis for the determination of tectonic
rotation from paleomagnetic data. J. Geophys. Res. 88,
4321–4328.
Duermeijer, C.E., Nyst, M., Meijer, P.T., Langereis, C.G., Spakman,
W., 2000. Neogene evolution of the Aegean arc: paleomagnetic
and geodetic evidence for a rapid and young rotation phase.
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 176, 509– 525.
Elter, P., Giglia, G., Tongiorgi, M., Trevisan, L., 1975. Tensional
and compressional areas in recent (Tortonian to Present) evolution
of north Apennines. Boll. Geofis. Teor. Appl. 17, 3 –18.
Fisher, R.A., 1953. Dispersion on a sphere. Proc. R. Soc. Lond.
217, 195– 305.
Ghisetti, F., 1987. Mechanisms of thrust faulting in the Gran Sasso
chain, Central Apennines, Italy. J. Struct. Geol. 9, 955– 967.
Ghisetti, F., Vezzani, L., 1986. Carta geologica del gruppo M. Siella-
M. Camicia-M. Prena-M. Brancastello (Gran Sasso d’Italia,
Abruzzo), scale 1:15,000. SELCA, Florence, Italy.
Ghisetti, F., Vezzani, L., 1990. Carta geologica del Gran Sasso
d’Italia da Vado di Corno al Passo delle Capannelle, scale
1:25,000. SELCA, Florence, Italy.
Ghisetti, F., Vezzani, L., 1991. Thrust belt development in the
central Apennines (Italy): northward polarity of thrusting and
out-of-sequence deformations in the Gran Sasso chain. Tectonics
10, 904– 919.
Ghisetti, F., Vezzani, L., 1997. Interfering paths of deformation and
development of arcs in the fold-and-thrust belt of the central
Apennines (Italy). Tectonics 16, 523– 536.
Gradstein, F.M., Agterberg, F.P., Ogg, J.G., Hardenbol, J., van
Veen, P., Thierry, J., Huang, Z., 1994. A Mesozoic time scale.
J. Geophys. Res. 99, 24051– 24074.
Kirschvink, J.L., 1980. The least-square line and plane and the
analysis of paleomagnetic data. Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc.
62, 699– 718.
Lonergan, L., White, N., 1997. Origin of the Betic-Rif mountain
belt. Tectonics 16 (3), 504– 522.
Malinverno, A., Ryan, W.B.F., 1986. Extension in the Tyrrhenian
Sea and shortening in the Apennines as result of arc migration
driven by sinking of the lithosphere. Tectonics 5, 227–245.
Marroni, M., Monechi, S., Perilli, N., Principi, G., Treves, B., 1992.
Late Cretaceous flysch deposits of the Northern Apennines,
Italy: age of inception of orogenesis-controlled sedimentation.
Cretac. Res. 13, 487–504.
Marshak, S., 1988. Kinematics of orocline and arc formation in
thin-skinned orogens. Tectonics 7 (1), 73– 86.
McFadden, P.L., 1990. A new fold test for paleomagnetic studies.
Geophys. J. Int. 103, 163– 169.
Muttoni, G., Kent, D.V., Channell, J.E.T., 1996. Evolution of Pangea:
paleomagnetic constraints from the Southern Alps, Italy.
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 140, 97– 112.
Patacca, E., Sartori, R., Scandone, P., 1990. Tyrrhenian basin and
Apenninic arcs: kinematic relations since late Tortonian times.
Mem. Soc. Geol. Ital. 45, 425– 451.
Scarsella, F., 1955. Di un lembo di Paleogene trasgressivo sul Lias
inferiore sulla vetta del Corno Grande (Gran Sasso d’Italia).
Boll. Serv. Geol. Ital. 77, 573– 578.
Scarsella, F., 1958. Filoni sedimentari nel Calcare massiccio hettangiano
del Corno Grande (Gran Sasso d’Italia). Boll. Soc.
Geol. Ital. 77, 15–27.
Scheepers, P.J.J., 1994. Tectonic rotations in the Tyrrhenian arc
system during the Quaternary and late Tertiary. PhD thesis,
University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 352 pp.
Servizio Geologico d’Italia, 1963. Carta Geologica d’Italia, Foglio
no. 140 Teramo, scale 1:100,000. Roma, Italy.
Speranza, F., in press. Passive-margin heritage on thrust-system
development: evidence from Corno Grande (Gran Sassorange,
Italy). Boll. Soc. Geol. Ital.
Speranza, F., Sagnotti, L., Mattei, M., 1997. Tectonics of the Umbria
–Marche – Romagna Arc (central northern Apennines,
Italy): new paleomagnetic constraints. J. Geophys. Res. 102,
3153– 3166.
Tarling, D.H., 1983. Paleomagnetism, Principles and Applications
in Geology, Geophysics and Archeology Chapman & Hall, London
379 pp.
Van der Voo, R., 1993. Paleomagnetism of the Atlantic, Tethys and
Iapetus Oceans. Cambridge Univ. Press, New York. 411 pp.
Corno Grande – Corno Piccolo (Gran Sasso d’Italia). Boll.
Soc. Geol. Ital. 111, 53– 66.
Adamoli, L., Bigozzi, A., Ciarapica, G., Cirilli, S., Passeri, L.,
Romano, A., Duranti, F., Venturi, F., 1990. Upper Triassic bituminous
facies and Hettangian pelagic facies in the Gran Sasso
range. Boll. Soc. Geol. Ital. 109, 219–230.
Alessandri, D., Scandone, P., Scarsella, F., 1968. Il Trias della
parete orientale del Corno Grande (Gran Sasso d’Italia). Boll.
Soc. Nat. Napoli 77, 239–246.
Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Swisher III, C.C., Aubry, M.-P., 1995.
A revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronostratigraphy:
geochronology time scales and global stratigraphic correlation.
Spec. Publ.-SEPM 54, 129– 212.
Besse, J., Courtillot, V., 1991. Revised and synthetic apparent polar
wander paths of the African, Eurasian, north American and Indian
plates, and true polar wander since 200 Ma. J. Geophys.
Res. 96, 4029–4050.
Bigi, S., Calamita, F., Paltrinieri, W., 1995a. Modi e tempi della
strutturazione della catena centroappenninica abruzzese dal
Gran Sasso alla costa adriatica. Studi Geologici Camerti, Special
Volume 1995/2, pp. 77– 85.
Bigi, S., Calamita, F., Centamore, E., 1995b. Caratteristiche geologico-
strutturali dell’area abruzzese ad oriente del Gran Sasso.
Studi Geologici Camerti, Special Volume 1995/2, pp. 67– 76.
Cavinato, G.P., De Celles, P.G., 1999. Extensional basins in the
tectonically bimodal central Apennines fold-thrust belt, Italy:
response to corner flow above a subducting slab in retrograde
motion. Geology 27, 955– 958.
Channell, J.E.T., 1992. Paleomagnetic data from Umbria (Italy):
implications for the rotation of Adria and Mesozoic apparent
polar wander paths. Tectonophysics 216, 365– 378.
Channell, J.E.T., 1996. Palaeomagnetism and palaeogeography of
Adria. In: Morris, A., Tarling, D.H. (Eds.), Palaeomagnetism
and Tectonics of the Mediterranean Region. Geol. Soc. Spec.
Publ. No. 105, pp. 119– 132.
Channell, J.E.T., Oldow, J.S., Catalano, R., D’Argenio, B., 1990.
Paleomagnetically determined rotations in the western Sicilian
fold and thrust belt. Tectonics 9 (4), 641– 660.
Cipollari, P., Cosentino, D., 1995. Miocene unconformities in the
Central Apennines: geodynamic significance and sedimentary
basin evolution. Tectonophysics 252, 375– 389.
Cipollari, P., Cosentino, D., Esu, D., Girotti, O., Gliozzi, E., Praturlon,
A., 1999. Thrust-top lacustrine– lagoonal basin development
in accretionary wedges: late Messinian (Lago Mare)
episode in the central Apennines (Italy). Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol.
Palaeoecol. 151, 149– 166.
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 1988. Progetto finalizzato
geodinamica. Note illustrative alla carta delle litofacies del Lazio-Abruzzo ed aree limitrofe. Accordi, G., Carbone, F. (Eds.),
Roma. 223 pp.
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 1991. Progetto finalizzato geodinamica.
Structural Model of Italy Map. Bigi, G., et al. (Eds.),
Roma. scale 1:500,000.
D’Agostino, N., Funiciello, R., Speranza, F., Tozzi, M., 1994. Caratteri
della tettonica distensiva nell’Appennino Centrale: l’area
di S. Stefano Sessanio-Calascio (L’Aquila). Boll. Soc. Geol. Ital.
113, 37– 53.
D’Agostino, N., Chamot-Rooke, N., Funiciello, R., Jolivet, L.,
Speranza, F., 1998. The role of pre-existing thrust faults and
topography on the styles of extension in the Gran Sasso range
(central Italy). Tectonophysics 292, 229– 254.
Dela Pierre, F., Ghisetti, F., Lanza, R., Vezzani, L., 1992. Palaeomagnetic
and structural evidence of Neogene tectonic rotation
of the Gran Sasso range (central Apennines, Italy). Tectonophysics
215, 335– 348.
Demarest, H.H., 1983. Error analysis for the determination of tectonic
rotation from paleomagnetic data. J. Geophys. Res. 88,
4321–4328.
Duermeijer, C.E., Nyst, M., Meijer, P.T., Langereis, C.G., Spakman,
W., 2000. Neogene evolution of the Aegean arc: paleomagnetic
and geodetic evidence for a rapid and young rotation phase.
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 176, 509– 525.
Elter, P., Giglia, G., Tongiorgi, M., Trevisan, L., 1975. Tensional
and compressional areas in recent (Tortonian to Present) evolution
of north Apennines. Boll. Geofis. Teor. Appl. 17, 3 –18.
Fisher, R.A., 1953. Dispersion on a sphere. Proc. R. Soc. Lond.
217, 195– 305.
Ghisetti, F., 1987. Mechanisms of thrust faulting in the Gran Sasso
chain, Central Apennines, Italy. J. Struct. Geol. 9, 955– 967.
Ghisetti, F., Vezzani, L., 1986. Carta geologica del gruppo M. Siella-
M. Camicia-M. Prena-M. Brancastello (Gran Sasso d’Italia,
Abruzzo), scale 1:15,000. SELCA, Florence, Italy.
Ghisetti, F., Vezzani, L., 1990. Carta geologica del Gran Sasso
d’Italia da Vado di Corno al Passo delle Capannelle, scale
1:25,000. SELCA, Florence, Italy.
Ghisetti, F., Vezzani, L., 1991. Thrust belt development in the
central Apennines (Italy): northward polarity of thrusting and
out-of-sequence deformations in the Gran Sasso chain. Tectonics
10, 904– 919.
Ghisetti, F., Vezzani, L., 1997. Interfering paths of deformation and
development of arcs in the fold-and-thrust belt of the central
Apennines (Italy). Tectonics 16, 523– 536.
Gradstein, F.M., Agterberg, F.P., Ogg, J.G., Hardenbol, J., van
Veen, P., Thierry, J., Huang, Z., 1994. A Mesozoic time scale.
J. Geophys. Res. 99, 24051– 24074.
Kirschvink, J.L., 1980. The least-square line and plane and the
analysis of paleomagnetic data. Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc.
62, 699– 718.
Lonergan, L., White, N., 1997. Origin of the Betic-Rif mountain
belt. Tectonics 16 (3), 504– 522.
Malinverno, A., Ryan, W.B.F., 1986. Extension in the Tyrrhenian
Sea and shortening in the Apennines as result of arc migration
driven by sinking of the lithosphere. Tectonics 5, 227–245.
Marroni, M., Monechi, S., Perilli, N., Principi, G., Treves, B., 1992.
Late Cretaceous flysch deposits of the Northern Apennines,
Italy: age of inception of orogenesis-controlled sedimentation.
Cretac. Res. 13, 487–504.
Marshak, S., 1988. Kinematics of orocline and arc formation in
thin-skinned orogens. Tectonics 7 (1), 73– 86.
McFadden, P.L., 1990. A new fold test for paleomagnetic studies.
Geophys. J. Int. 103, 163– 169.
Muttoni, G., Kent, D.V., Channell, J.E.T., 1996. Evolution of Pangea:
paleomagnetic constraints from the Southern Alps, Italy.
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 140, 97– 112.
Patacca, E., Sartori, R., Scandone, P., 1990. Tyrrhenian basin and
Apenninic arcs: kinematic relations since late Tortonian times.
Mem. Soc. Geol. Ital. 45, 425– 451.
Scarsella, F., 1955. Di un lembo di Paleogene trasgressivo sul Lias
inferiore sulla vetta del Corno Grande (Gran Sasso d’Italia).
Boll. Serv. Geol. Ital. 77, 573– 578.
Scarsella, F., 1958. Filoni sedimentari nel Calcare massiccio hettangiano
del Corno Grande (Gran Sasso d’Italia). Boll. Soc.
Geol. Ital. 77, 15–27.
Scheepers, P.J.J., 1994. Tectonic rotations in the Tyrrhenian arc
system during the Quaternary and late Tertiary. PhD thesis,
University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 352 pp.
Servizio Geologico d’Italia, 1963. Carta Geologica d’Italia, Foglio
no. 140 Teramo, scale 1:100,000. Roma, Italy.
Speranza, F., in press. Passive-margin heritage on thrust-system
development: evidence from Corno Grande (Gran Sassorange,
Italy). Boll. Soc. Geol. Ital.
Speranza, F., Sagnotti, L., Mattei, M., 1997. Tectonics of the Umbria
–Marche – Romagna Arc (central northern Apennines,
Italy): new paleomagnetic constraints. J. Geophys. Res. 102,
3153– 3166.
Tarling, D.H., 1983. Paleomagnetism, Principles and Applications
in Geology, Geophysics and Archeology Chapman & Hall, London
379 pp.
Van der Voo, R., 1993. Paleomagnetism of the Atlantic, Tethys and
Iapetus Oceans. Cambridge Univ. Press, New York. 411 pp.
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