Tethys–Atlantic interaction along the Iberia–Africa plate boundary: The Betic–Rif orogenic system

Vergés, Jaume; Fernández, Manel

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2012.08.032

Cited by 226 publications

(227 citation statements)

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“…As observed in the Alps-Apennine systems, and also in the Betic realm, the subduction process developed during several stages characterized by changes in polarity (Lonergan and White [90]; Martin-Martin et al [93]; Carminati et al [100]; Verges and Fernandez [101]). The Eo-Alpine subduction, active during Late Cretaceous-Paleocene, was dipping southeastward and plausibly continued up to the continental collision between the south Iberian-European margin and the Mesomediterranean microplate, ultimately leading to obduction of some BOA eclogitized sequences on the western continental margin of the Betic Ocean, formed by the present Caldera Unit of the MC.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…The Eo-Alpine subduction, active during Late Cretaceous-Paleocene, was dipping southeastward and plausibly continued up to the continental collision between the south Iberian-European margin and the Mesomediterranean microplate, ultimately leading to obduction of some BOA eclogitized sequences on the western continental margin of the Betic Ocean, formed by the present Caldera Unit of the MC. Then, plate convergence reactivated during Eocene with a reversed polarity characterized by active subduction with remarkable slab passive sinking and roll-back, which allowed extension on the Betic margin originating exhumation of deep mantle rocks and favouring, from Oligocene to Late Miocene, the development of tholeiitic dykes, was followed by extensive calcalkaline and ultrapotassic magmatism (Carminati et al [100]; Verges and Fernandez [101]; Torres-Roldan et al [102]; Doblas et al [103]). The concomitant back arc extension occurring in this Neogene tectonomagmatic phase dismembered the Mesomediterranean microplate, whose remnants progressively migrated to their current settings (Alboran, Kabilies, Peloritani massif and Calabria), mainly due to the opening of the oceanic Algerian-Provençal basin and Tyrrhenian Sea.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Betic Ophiolites and the Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Tethys

et al. 2017

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Abstract:The Betic Ophiolites consist of numerous tectonic slices, metric to kilometric in size, of eclogitized mafic and ultramafic rocks associated to oceanic metasediments, deriving from the Betic oceanic domain. The outcrop of these ophiolites is aligned along 250 km in the Mulhacén Complex of the Nevado-Filábride Domain, located at the center-eastern zone of the Betic Cordillera (SE Spain). According to petrological/geochemical inferences and SHRIMP (Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro-Probe) dating of igneous zircons, the Betic oceanic lithosphere originated along an ultra-slow mid-ocean ridge, after rifting, thinning and breakup of the preexisting continental crust. The Betic oceanic sector, located at the westernmost end of the Tethys Ocean, developed from the Lower to Middle Jurassic (185-170 Ma), just at the beginning of the Pangaea break-up between the Iberia-European and the Africa-Adrian plates. Subsequently, the oceanic spreading migrated northeastward to form the Ligurian and Alpine Tethys oceans, from 165 to 140 Ma. Breakup and oceanization isolated continental remnants, known as the Mesomediterranean Terrane, which were deformed and affected by the Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene Eo-Alpine high-pressure metamorphic event, due to the intra-oceanic subduction of the Jurassic oceanic lithosphere and the related continental margins. This process was followed by the partial exhumation of the subducted oceanic rocks onto their continental margins, forming the Betic and Alpine Ophiolites. Subsequently, along the Upper Oligocene and Miocene, the deformed and metamorphosed Mesomediterranean Terrane was dismembered into different continental blocks collectively known as AlKaPeCa microplate (Alboran, Kabylian, Peloritan and Calabrian). In particular, the Alboran block was displaced toward the SW to occupy its current setting between the Iberian and African plates, due to the Neogene opening of the Algero-Provençal Basin. During this translation, the different domains of the Alboran microplate, forming the Internal Zones of the Betic and Rifean Cordilleras, collided with the External Zones representing the Iberian and African margins and, together with them, underwent the later alpine deformation and metamorphism, characterized by local differences of P-T (Pressure-Temperature) conditions. These Neogene metamorphic processes, known as Meso-Alpine and Neo-Alpine events, developed in the Nevado-Filábride Domain under Ab-Ep amphibolite and greenschists facies conditions, respectively, causing retrogradation and intensive deformation of the Eo-Alpine eclogites.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Betic Ophiolites and the Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Tethys

et al. 2017

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“…This change in slab geometry below 400 km depth suggests the existence of at least two subduction stages: first the subduction of Ligurian-Thetis lithosphere in a NW-dipping (e.g. Faccenna et al, 2004) or a SE-dipping direction (Vergés and Fernandez, 2012), followed by east-dipping subduction and westward slab rollback. This change in subduction is also in agreement with the observed ages and directions of extension in the Alboran region.…”

Section: Accepted M Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 97%

Subduction and volcanism in the Iberia–North Africa collision zone from tomographic images of the upper mantle

et al. 2015

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Subduction and volcanism in the Iberia-North Africa collision zone from tomographic images of the upper mantle, Tectonophysics (2015Tectonophysics ( ), doi: 10.1016Tectonophysics ( /j.tecto.2015 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT2 AbstractNew tomographic images of the upper mantle beneath the westernmost Mediterranean suggest that the evolution of the region experienced two subduction-related episodes. First subduction of oceanic and/or extended continental lithosphere s, now located mainly beneath the Betics at depths greater than 400 km, took place on a NW-SE oriented subduction zone. This was followed by a slab-tear process that initiated in the east and propagated to the west, leading to westward slab rollback and possibly lower crustal delamination. The current position of the slab tear is located approximately at 4W, and to the west of this location the subducted lithosphere is still attached to the surface along the Gibraltar arc. Our new P-wave velocity model is able to image the attached subducted lithosphere as a narrow high-velocity body extending to shallow depths, coinciding with the region of maximum curvature of the Gibraltar Arc, the occurrence of intermediate-depth earthquakes, and anomalously thick crust. This thick crust has a large influence in the measured teleseismic travel time residuals and therefore in the obtained Pwave tomographic model. We show that removing the effects of the thick crust significantly improves the shallow images of the slab and therefore the interpretations based on the seismic structure.

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“…Gutscher et al (2009) and Martínez-Loriente et al (2014) proposed the prolongation of this oceanic crust to the east under the Gibraltar arc ( Fig. 1) (Spakman and Wortel, 2004;van Hinsbergen et al, 2014;Vergés and Fernàndez, 2012). Ma) modified after Schettino and Turco (2011), Seton et al (2012), and Sibuet et al (2012).…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crustal structure of the SW Iberian passive margin: The westernmost remnant of the Ligurian Tethys?

et al. 2017

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At present, the SW Iberian margin is located along the convergent Iberia-Nubia plate boundary. In Mesozoic times, the margin was located at the triple junction of the Ligurian Tethys, Central Atlantic and Northern Atlantic. The characterization of its crustal structure has allowed us to propose a configuration for this triple junction and to determine the role that this transform margin played within the plate kinematic system. In this paper we present an integrated study based on the interpretation of a 2D regional multichannel seismic survey consisting of 58 profiles, tied with onshore geology and exploratory wells, and on gravimetric modeling performed over four NW-SE trending profiles.

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Tethys–Atlantic interaction along the Iberia–Africa plate boundary: The Betic–Rif orogenic system

Cited by 226 publications

References 225 publications

The Betic Ophiolites and the Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Tethys

The Betic Ophiolites and the Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Tethys

Subduction and volcanism in the Iberia–North Africa collision zone from tomographic images of the upper mantle

Crustal structure of the SW Iberian passive margin: The westernmost remnant of the Ligurian Tethys?

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