Structural setting and tectonic evolution of the Apennine Units of northern Calabria

Abstract

A new structural-stratigraphic synthesis of the Apennine units of northern Calabria is presented. The Meso-Cenozoic successions are grouped into two tectonic units, named Pollino-Ciagola Unit (PCU) and Lungro-Verbicaro Unit (LVU), comprising terrains formerly attributed to five different tectonic units. Fe-Mg carpholite and blue amphibole record HP-LT metamorphism in the LVU, followed by progressive decompression leading to final greenschist facies re-equilibration during dominantly extensional deformation. Final tectonic emplacement of the LVU over the PCU post-dated the metamorphism of the LVU and was accompanied by intense ductile deformation along zones of strain localisation in footwall rocks. All of the units were later affected by folding and minor thrusting during subsequent Apennine tectonics. To cite this article: A. Iannace et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).  2005 Published by Elsevier SAS on behalf of Académie des sciences. Résumé Mise en place structurale et évolution tectonique des Unités apenniniques en Calabre septentrionale. Une nouvelle synthèse structurale et stratigraphique des Unités apenniniques de Calabre septentrionale est ici présentée. Les successions mésocénozoïques sont regroupées en deux unités tectoniques, désignées sous le nom de Pollino-Ciagola (PCU) et Lungro-Verbicaro (LVU), comprenant des formations antérieurement attribuées à cinq unités tectoniques différentes. La carpholite Fe-Mg et l'amphibole bleue témoignent d'un métamorphisme HP-LT dans la LVU, suivi par une décompression, conduisant à un rééquilibrage final en faciès schistes verts, pendant la déformation à dominante extensionnelle. L'emplacement tectonique final de la LVU sur la PCU post-date le métamorphisme de la LVU et a été accompagné d'une déformation ductile intense le long de zones de tension dans les roches du compartiment chevauché. Toutes ces unités ont été ultérieurement plissées et légèrement charriées lors de la tectonique apenninique.

How to assess landslide activity and intensity with Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI): the PSI-based matrix approach

“…The carbonate succession is covered, in disconformity, by a Paleocene-Lower Miocene open shelf turbiditic calcarenites and coarse calcareous breccias. The upper element is composed of alpine metasedimentary rocks that mostly comprise schistes, fillads, and calceshistes (Scisti del Fiume Lao Formation); these deep basinal metapelitic rocks highly tectonized, outcrop throughout the investigated area and have been included in the ophiolite-bearing Frido Unit of the Calabrian borderland, overlying platform carbonates (Ferranti et al 2009;Iannace et al 2005;Van Dijk et al 2000). Upper PliocenePleistocene undisturbed terrigenous deposits fill the area, covered by recent Quaternary continental deposits (Cucci and Cinti 1998).…”

“…The Alpine basement assemblage, previously deformed, structurally overlies the Appennine carbonate succession and its Paleogene-Lower Miocene cover (Van Dijk et al 2000;Ferranti et al 2009). The outcropping lower unit is made of a thick Triassic dolomite interval and a Jurassic cherty limestone succession of variable thickness (Iannace et al 2005). Dolomites and well-stratified limestones are in stratigraphic continuity and derive from the Mesozoic carbonate platform; this unit represents a deformed complessively 4,000-m thick sequence, which now forms the backbone of the Pollino Range (Cucci and Cinti 1998) and outcrops eastward within the area of interest (Fig.…”

‘Verrucano’ and ‘Pseudoverrucano’ in the Central-Western Mediterranean Alpine Chains: palaeogeographical evolution and geodynamic significance

“…In the internal units of these orogenic sectors, cropping out in the Calabrian-Peloritanian Arc, terrains comparable with the Verrucano of the Tuscan Metamorphic Units are recognizable only in the Bagni and AftMontagnareale Unit. Terrains correlatable to the Verrucano are present also in the San Donato and Verbicaro Units (Amodio Morelli et al 1976), recently redefined as the Lungro-Verbicaro Unit (Iannace et al 2004b(Iannace et al , 2005. This latter unit has been traditionally attributed to the Adria-Apulia margin and, therefore, considered as an external Apenninic unit.…”

“…In both the Sant'Agata and Cetraro areas the succession evolves to vacuolar brecciated dolostones passing to bedded evaporites, followed by Norian Hauptdolomit and Rhaetianlowermost Jurassic metalimestones with frequent slumps, slump breccias and reddish metapelites. Iannace et al (2004aIannace et al ( , 2005 have pointed out the huge thickness (over 1200 m) of Ladinian-Norian carbonates in the Lungro-Verbicaro Unit. Within the Western Mediterranean, successions showing equivalent facies and thickness for the same interval occur only in the Alpujarride Units of the Betic Cordillera.…”

“…The Lungro-Verbicaro Unit (Iannace et al 2004b(Iannace et al , 2005) is widely exposed in northern Calabria (Fig. 4).…”