Discussion Paper | Discussion Paper | Discussion Paper | Discussion Paper | Solid Earth Discuss., 6, 937–983, 2014 Open Access www.solid-earth-discuss.net/6/937/2014/ Solid Earth doi:10.5194/sed-6-937-2014 Discussions © Author(s) 2014. CC Attribution 3.0 License. This discussion paper is/has been under review for the journal Solid Earth (SE). Please refer to the corresponding final paper in SE if available. Did Adria rotate relative to Africa? D. J. J. van Hinsbergen1, M. Mensink1, C. G. Langereis1, M. Maffione1, L. Spalluto2, M. Tropeano2, and L. Sabato2 1Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Budapestlaan 4, 3584 CD Utrecht, the Netherlands 2Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Universitá degli Studi “Aldo Moro” di Bari, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy Received: 17 March 2014 – Accepted: 18 March 2014 – Published: 28 March 2014 Correspondence to: D. J. J. van Hinsbergen (
[email protected]) Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 937 Discussion Paper | Discussion Paper | Discussion Paper | Discussion Paper | Abstract The first and foremost boundary condition for kinematic reconstructions of the Mediter- ranean region is the relative motion between Africa and Eurasia, constrained through reconstructions of the Atlantic Ocean. The Adria continental block is in a downgoing 5 plate position relative to the strongly curved Central Mediterranean subduction-related orogens, and forms the foreland of the Apennines, Alps, Dinarides, and Albanides- Hellenides. It is connected to the African plate through the Ionian Basin, likely with lower Mesozoic oceanic lithosphere. If the relative motion of Adria vs. Africa is known, its po- sition relative to Eurasia can be constrained through the plate circuit, and hard bound- 10 ary conditions for the reconstruction of the complex kinematic history of the Mediter- ranean are obtained.