Neogene to Quaternary rifting and inversion in Corsica: Retreat and collision in the western Mediterranean

Abstract

[1] Stratigraphic, structural, and fission track data have been integrated in order to unravel the Neogene to Quaternary tectonic evolution of northeastern Corsica. Results indicate that during early to middle Miocene the study area was affected by a rapid cooling at low temperatures accompanied by exhumation and rifting. Basin inversion occurred during the Tortonian, again followed by extension in the Messinian to early Pliocene. Compressional deformations are finally recorded by early Pliocene to Quaternary deposits. Alternating rifting and inversion events are recorded not only in northeastern Corsica but also in many periTyrrhenian regions. This alternation can be explained in terms of intraplate propagation of the compressional stress related to the Africa-Europe convergence and to a discontinuous slab retreat along the Apennine subduction system. A pause in the slab retreat implies a break of the back arc extension in the upper plate, and it allows a temporary propagation of Africa-Europe compression. Citation: Fellin, M. G., V. Picotti, and M. Zattin (2005), Neogene to Quaternary rifting and inversion in Corsica: Retreat and collision in the western Mediterranean, Tectonics, 24, TC1011,

Survival of Ancient Landforms in a Collisional Setting as Revealed by Combined Fission Track and (U-Th)/He Thermochronometry: A Case Study from Corsica (France)

“…However, our results (unimodal track length distributions with long MTLs) are consistent with track length data reported by other studies in Corsica (Zarki- Jakni et al 2004;Fellin et al 2005a). Shrub vegetation in Corsica is affected by annual wildfires that might cause He loss in the upper ∼30 cm of exposed bedrock (Mitchell and Reiners 2003) or rejuvenate AFT age (Reiners et al 2007).…”

“…A great deal of AFT and ZFT data have been reported from Corsica (Carpé na et al 1979;Lucazeau and Mailhé 1986;Mailhé et al 1986;Jakni et al 2000;Cavazza et al 2001;Zarki-Jakni et al 2004;Fellin et al 2005aFellin et al , 2006Danišík et al 2007). More recently, zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He data from Alpine Corsica were reported (Fellin et al 2005b).…”

“…AFT and (U-Th)/He data record rapid cooling during the Early to Middle Miocene, related to the exhumation of Alpine units as triggered by extensional tectonics (Fellin et al 2005a(Fellin et al , 2005b.…”

Alpine metamorphic and tectonic evolution of the Inzecca‐Ghisoni area (southern Alpine Corsica, France)

“…Similar compositions were found for syn-D1 blue amphiboles in the parautochthonous granite at Castiglione, to the north of Corte (unpublished data by Morelli 2003). In the Popolasca area (north of Corte), the occurrence of Bartonian nummulites in the parautochthonous metaconglomerates (Bezert and Caby 1989) and the apatite fission track data (Fellin et al 2005 and references therein) constrain the D1 event to a short time span between Late Eocene and Early Oligocene (between 40-37 and 30 Ma). These data agree with the 39 Ar/ 40 Ar age of 40 AE 2 Ma (Late Eocene), obtained by Maluski (in Amaudric du Chaffaut and Saliot 1979) for the blue-amphiboles in the doleritic dykes of Corte.…”

Tectonics and quaternary evolution of the Northern Apennines watershed area (upper course of Arno and Tiber rivers, Italy)

“…This modification in tectonic evolution could be attributed to different geodynamic models, such as detachment of the Adriatic slab (Carminati et al 1999), discontinuous slab retreat (e.g. Fellin et al 2005), or increased strain within the lithospheric thrust wedge imaged underneath the chain axial zone. Such a major geodynamic change, whose assessment is beyond the scope of this paper, is also revealed by a marked stress variation recorded in the whole Apennines (Hippolyte et al 1994;Piccardi et al 1997).…”