Space/time tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Umbria-Romagna-Marche Miocene Basin (Northern Apennines, Italy): a foredeep model

Abstract

The space/time evolution of the Umbria-Romagna-Marche domains of the northern Apennine Miocene foredeep is proposed. In this period, the turbidite siliciclastic sedimentation is represented mainly by the Miocene Marnoso-Arenacea Formation, which generally ends with mainly marly deposits. From the internal Apennine sectors (Umbria-Romagna domain) to the external Adriatic Margin (Marche domain) the siliciclastic succession overlies hemipelagic marly deposits (Schlier Formation). The whole depositional area can be considered as a single wide basin with depocenter or main sedimentation areas progressively migrating eastwards. This basin is characterized by some morphological highs which did not constitute real dams for the sedimentary flows (turbidity currents). Multiple feeding (arkose, litharenites, calcarenites) from different sources is related to palaeogeographical and palaeotectonic reorganization of the most internal, previously deformed, Apennine areas. The activation of the foredeep stage is marked by the beginning of the siliciclastic sedimentation (Late Burdigalian in the most internal sector). This sedimentation ends in the most external sector in the Early Messinian, pointing to a depositional cycle of about 9-10 Ma. The diachronism of the base of the siliciclastic deposition proves to be almost 5 Ma. The syn-depositional compressional deformation, which shows a marked diachronism, affected the internal area of the foredeep in the Early-Middle Serravallian, and progressively migrated up to Late Miocene, involving more and more external sectors. The deformed siliciclastic sedimentary wedge constitutes an orogenic pile incorporated in the Apennine Chain, represented by different tectonic elements superimposed by means of NE-vergent thrusts. The main stratigraphic and tectonic events of the Toscana-Romagna-Marche Apennines are presented in a general framework, resulting also in a terminological revision.

Miocene tectono-sedimentary evolution of the eastern external Betic Cordillera (Spain)

“…The foredeep evolution in the EBZ (ProtoGuadalquivir foredeep stage) is comparable with the evolution of other external sectors of the Rif (Figure 10 (B2)), Tunisian Tell (Figure 10(B3)), and northern Apennine (Figure 10(B4)) Chains (Belayouni et al, 2013;Guerrera, Tramontana, & Donatelli, 2012;Sissingh, 2008;Vera, 2000) that are related to the evolution of several micro-blocks (Alboran, Kabylides, Peloritani and Calabria) resulting from the fragmentation of the Mesomediterranean Microplate (Guerrera & Martín-Martín, 2014a; and references therein), whose Miocene orogenic evolution is schematized in Figure 10(A).…”

“…The northern Apennine sector (Figure 10(B4)), which shows the youngest evolution (late LanghianMessinian) and also a regressive trend (Guerrera et al, 2012), is characterized by a deep basin-slope sedimentation (Bisciaro, Schlier, and Marnoso-arenacea Formations).…”

Miocene Oceanographic Evolution Based on the Sr and Nd Isotope Record of the Central Mediterranean

“…The Northern Apennine succession consists of Lower Jurassic to upper Miocene pelagic to hemipelagic sediments. During Oligo‐Miocene, a marly, pelagic to hemipelagic succession was deposited in the Northern Apennines, characterized by progressive increase in the siliciclastic fraction and decrease in bathymetry (Deino et al, ; Guerrera et al, ; Montanari, Bice, et al, ; Montanari, Beaudoin, et al, ; Montanari et al, ). During the late Miocene, the area became the foredeep of the Apennine orogeny, as reflected by deposition of the siliciclastic turbidites of the Marnoso‐Arenacea Formation (Carminati et al, ; Guerrera et al, ).…”

The Early Miocene “Bisciaro volcaniclastic event” (northern Apennines, Italy): a key study for the geodynamic evolution of the central-western Mediterranean

“…is composed of limestones, silicified limestones, and marly limestones with frequent volcaniclastic beds. The thickness ranges from 20 m to 100 m in different sectors of the Umbria-Romagna-Marche area, and the age is Aquitanian p.p.-Late Burdigalian, ranging from the upper part of the Globoquadrina dehiscens biozone to the lower part of the Globigerinoides bisphericus biozone (Guerrera et al 2012a; and references therein) even if the upper boundary of this formation is still undefined. Several radiometric datings can be found in the literature (Balogh et al 1993; and references therein) in good accordance with the temporal range indicated above.…”

“…(Bartonian p.p.-Aquitanian p.p. ) and underlies the Schlier Fm., ranging in age from a synchronous Late Burdigalian boundary to a markedly diachronous boundary varying in age from Early Langhian to Early Messinian (Guerrera et al 2012a). The lower boundary is characterized by the "Raffaello" marker bed that represents the first volcaniclastic bed occurring within the Miocene succession of the Umbria-Marche Basin Montanari et al 1994;cum bibl.).…”