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The Internal Northern Apennines, the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea and the Sardinia-Corsica Block

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The Internal Northern Apennines, the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea and the Sardinia-Corsica Block Special Volume of the Italian Geological Society for the IGC 32 Florence-2004 THE INTERNAL NORTHERN APENNINES, THE NORTHERN TYRRHENIAN SEA AND THE SARDINIA-CORSICA BLOCK CARMIGNANI L., CONTI P., CORNAMUSINI G., MECCHERI M. Centro di Geotecnologie, Università di Siena, via Vetri Vecchi 34, 52027 –Valdarno (Arezzo), Italy Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Siena, via Latrina 8, 53100 – Siena, Italy. ABSTRACT: In this paper we review the evolution of the internal 2. The Eastern Corsica-Northern Apennines system area of the Northern Apennines, northern Tyrrhenian Sea and originated as an accretionary wedge, produced by the Sardinia-Corsica block, focusing on the post-collisional subduction of the Apulia microplate under the evolution. The discussion follows the Author’s point of view, Sardinia-Corsica massif during the Late Eocene-Early but for the reader interested in a deeper knowledge of the geology of the area many in text citations are added and a Miocene.. At the same time tectonic units, with mostly comprehensive reference list is presented. African (top-NE in present-day coordinates) transport We first shortly introduce the stratigraphy of the area, in the direction, developed in the Apennines, while framework of the geodynamic evolution of the western margin European (top-W) transport direction is observed in of the Apulia microplate, the adjacent Ligurian ocean and the Corsica (PRINCIPI & TREVES, 1984; TREVES, 1984; European Sardinia-Corsica microplate. After a general overview CARMIGNANI et alii, 1995). In this model the Balearic of the nappe structure resulting from collisional tectonics is (or Algero-Provençal) basin and the Tyrrhenian Sea presented for the whole area. The post-collisional evolution is opened in successive phases, in the Early Miocene and discussed in more details, and we separately present data Late Miocene respectively. relative to the Sardinia-Corsica block, the northern Tyrrhenian Sea, northern Tuscany and southern Tuscany. We distinguish: a) Other ideas and interpretations are proposed by other a Late Oligocene-Early Miocene collisional stage, with authors and most of them are reported in the following continuing collision of the European continent with the Apulia (for a more complete overview of the geodynamic microplate; b) an Early-Middle Miocene stage linked to the evolution of the area the reader is referred to: opening of the Algero-Provençal basin; c) a Late Tortonian- MALINVERNO & RYAN, 1986; ZITELLINI et alii, 1986; Quaternary stage linked to the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea. ROYDEN et alii, 1987; KASTENS et alii, 1988; PATACCA & SCANDONE, 1989; SARTORI, 1989; KASTENS & MASCLE, 1990; MASCLE & REHAULT, 1990; PATACCA et alii, 1990; INTRODUCTION SARTORI, 1990; BARTOLE et alii, 1991; HAAN & ARNOTT, 1991; LAUBSCHER et alii, 1992; CARMIGNANI et alii, The Northern Apennines are a fold-thrust belt 1994b; KELLER et alii, 1994; ALBARELLO et alii, 1995; originated during the Tertiary by the collision between the BARTOLE, 1995; CARMIGNANI et alii, 1995; FACCENNA et Apulia (or Adriatic) microplate related to the African alii, 1997; CARMINATI et alii, 1998; GUEGUEN et alii, plate (fig. 1), and the Briançonnais microplate (Sardinia- 1998; JOLIVET et alii, 1998; BRUNET et alii, 2000; Corsica massif), related to the European plate JOLIVET & FACCENNA, 2000; CARMIGNANI et alii, 2001a; (BOCCALETTI et alii, 1971; SCANDONE, 1979; 2001b; EDEL et alii, 2001; FINETTI et alii, 2001; LUCENTE MANTOVANI et alii, 1985; DERCOURT et alii, 1986; & SPERANZA, 2001; SARTORI, 2001; SARTORI et alii, STAMPFLI et alii, 1991; 2001). Two main different 2001; VAI & MARTINI, 2001; GELABERT et alii, 2002). hypotheses exist regarding the relationship between the Sardinia-Corsica massif and the Alpine and Apennine STRATIGRAPHY chain: 1. The nappes in Northeastern Corsica are considered to In the Northern Apennines-Sardinia-Corsica orogenic be the southern continuation of the Western Alps wedge we recognise tectonic units originated, from the (“Alpine Corsica”). Only later the Sardinia-Corsica Africa continent, from the European margin and relics of massif acted as hinterland of the Apennine chain the Tethys oceanic crust. A palinspastic reconstruction of (BOCCALETTI et alii, 1971; MATTAUER & PROUST, the European-Apulia continental margin in the Late 1976; DURAND-DELGA, 1984). Jurassic is illustrated in fig.2. CARMIGNANI L. et alii Fig. 1 - Plate reconstruction for the western Mediterranean area, after Stampfli et alii (1998; 2001) and Gueguen et alii (1998), modified. Asterisks roughly indicate position of Tuscany; A-A’ is the trace of fig. 2 reconstruction. Transcurrent fault in the Tyrrhenian Sea in (f) indicates the 41°N parallel lineament. The European margin is now outcropping in Sardinia 1:500000 and 1:200000 geologic maps of Sardinia and and in Corsica, and is made up of a Variscan basement, Corsica). In the whole, it is a classic European- locally covered by Carboniferous-Permian continental Briançonnais type succession. deposits and Triassic carbonate sediments. Ocean-derived successions outcrop in northern A main transgression marks the starting of the Jurassic Corsica, in the Tuscan archipelago and in Italy. In Corsica platform carbonate sedimentation, followed by they are characterised by Jurassic ophiolites and their Cretaceous limestones and Tertiary limestones, Jurassic-Early Cretaceous sedimentary cover, overlain by conglomerates and turbidite sandstones (see CARMIGNANI Cretaceous-Oligocene flysch sequences. The oceanic et alii, 2001b, for a complete reference list and enclosed realm is named in the Italian geologic literature “Ligurian 60 THE INTERNAL NORTHERN APENNINES, THE NORTHERN TYRRHENIAN SEA AND THE SARDINIA-CORSICA BLOCK domain”, and is part of the Alpine Tethys (ELTER et alii, 3. The Massa Unit, now structurally interposed between 1966; ELTER & PERTUSATI, 1973; ELTER, 1975; the Tuscan Nappe and the “Autochthon” Auct., BORTOLOTTI et alii, 2001b; MARRONI et alii, 2001). It is exclusively made of rocks from Paleozoic to Triassic furthermore separated in: age. 1. Internal Ligurian Domain, characterised by the The continental origin of the Tuscan Domain is presence of Jurassic ophiolites and their Late Jurassic- testified by the pre-Mesozoic rocks, the Tuscan Paleozoic Cretaceous sedimentary cover (cherts, Calpionella basement, substrate of the Tuscan successions (review in limestone and Palombini shales) associated with a CONTI et alii, 1991; PANDELI et alii, 1994). This Cretaceous-Paleocene siliciclastic turbidite sequence Paleozoic basement is characterised by metasedimentary (Lavagna slates, Gottero sandstones and Bocco/Colli- and metavolcanic sequences showing similarities with the Tavarone shaly complex). successions of the Variscan chain in Sardinia (GATTIGLIO 2. External Ligurian Domain, characterised by the & MECCHERI, 1987; CONTI et alii, 1993). presence of Cretaceous-Paleocene calcareous- During Late Carboniferous/Permian a trans- dominant flysch sequences (Helminthoid flysch) extensional regime characterised the Tuscan domain with associated with complexes or pre-flysch formations development of narrow continental sedimentary basins called “basal complexes”. The pre-Cretaceous bounded by faults and characterised by unconformities substrate is represented in part by ophiolites and in and abrupt changes in sedimentary facies (RAU & part by continental crust, therefore it is a domain that TONGIORGI, 1974). During the Middle Triassic evidence joined the oceanic area to the Apulia continental of further crustal attenuation is provided by the Anisian- margin (fig.2). Ladinian extensional basins in which marine platform Moving toward the Africa continent the “Subligurian sediments (Diplopora-bearing marbles) are associated Domain” is distinguished. This is a Paleogene sequence with alkaline basaltic flows and breccias. This sequence (Canetolo Unit), intensely deformed, whose original testifies that a Triassic aborted rifting stage affected the extent and substratum are unknown. This sequence was Tuscan Domain (MARTINI et alii, 1986). probably deposited in an area of transition between the The continental sedimentation was later re-established oceanic and the Apulia continental crust. through the deposition of the Upper Ladinian(?)-Carnian The western margin of the Apulia continental margin Verrucano sediments. These deposits grade upward to outcropping in the Italian peninsula is represented by the shallow water carbonates (Norian Dolomites “Grezzoni”) Tuscan Domain, where we can further distinguish (fig.2): or evaporites (“Calcare Cavernoso”) during the renewal 1. The Internal Tuscan Domain (Tuscan Nappe), with of the rifting process. Shallow water carbonatic deposition non-metamorphic (to low-grade metamorphic) occurred all over the continental margin during the formations of Late Triassic to Early Miocene age. Rhaetian to Early Liassic. Locally it was interrupted by 2. The External Tuscan Domain (“Autochthon” Auct. uplift, emersion and development of scree breccias tectonic unit in the Alpi Apuane area), affected by (Rhaetian-Liassic boundary). greenschist facies metamorphism, with a Mesozoic- Early to Middle Jurassic block faulting and Tertiary succession that covers a Paleozoic basement progressive subsidence of the Apulia continental margin with Hercynian deformation. were associated with the dismembering of the carbonate Fig. 2 - Palinspastic reconstruction of the western continental margin of Apulia, Tethys ocean and adjoining European margin during the late Jurassic (after
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