Extensional deformation structures within a convergent orogen: The Val di Lima low-angle normal fault system (Northern Apennines, Italy)

The Chianti Mountains is an important sector of an E-verging regional thrust-related fold (the so-called Tuscan Nappe) extending along the whole length of the Northern Apennines. This thrust system involves the Tuscan Sequence superposing the Macigno sandstones onto Cervarola-Falterona sandstones, both of which are sedimented in adjacent foredeep basins. Detailed field mapping and analysis of superposition relations among tectonic structures, as well as correlation between structures and syntectonic deposition, has allowed Chianti Mountain evolution to be interpreted in terms of three main stages of deformation.The D1 stage resulted in the NE-directed synsedimentary thrusting of the Macigno onto the Cervarola-Falterona sandstones, while large NE to ENE-vergent thrust-related folds developed during the two successive deformation stages (D2 and D3). Fault-propagation folds developed during the D2 stage, and were affected by the Main Chianti Mountains Thrust (MCMT) during the successive D3 stage. In particular, the D3 stage has been correlated to the development, during the Pliocene period, of the hinterland Upper Valdarno Basin, which was previously considered to be an extensional basin. In fact, this continental basin formed along the eastern margin of the Chianti Mountains, ahead of the MCMT that also produced a shortening of the basin fill. With the beginning of the Quaternary period, the tectonic regime switched to extensional, as manifested by the development of a normal fault system on the opposite basin margin.The data presented here allow us to infer that the Chianti Mountains thrust system (D2 and D3) developed during a time interval spanning from the Late Miocene (∼12 Ma) until the Late Pliocene (∼2 Ma) periods. In the Northern Apennines, polyphase thrusting recorded by cover rocks has been related to the activity of basement thrusts, which have been recently evidenced by geophysical data. In this context, the two latest stages of deformation recognised in the Chianti Mountains have been attributed to the activity of the Abetone–Cetona crustal thrust, the deformational effects of which propagated forward in the sedimentary cover.

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On the mechanical behaviour of a low-angle normal fault: the Alto Tiberina fault (Northern Apennines, Italy) system case study

Solid Earth ◽

10.5194/se-7-1537-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 1537-1549 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Luigi Vadacca ◽

Emanuele Casarotti ◽

Lauro Chiaraluce ◽

Massimo Cocco

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Behaviour ◽

Hanging Wall ◽

Normal Fault ◽

Active Role ◽

Northern Apennines ◽

Fault System ◽

Tectonically Active ◽

Main Fault ◽

Microseismic Activity ◽

High Degree

Abstract. Geological and seismological observations have been used to parameterize 2-D numerical elastic models to simulate the interseismic deformation of a complex extensional fault system located in the Northern Apennines (Italy). The geological system is dominated by the presence of the Alto Tiberina fault (ATF), a large (60 km along strike) low-angle normal fault dipping 20° in the brittle crust (0–15 km). The ATF is currently characterized by a high and constant rate of microseismic activity, and no moderate-to-large magnitude earthquakes have been associated with this fault in the past 1000 years. Modelling results have been compared with GPS data in order to understand the mechanical behaviour of this fault and a suite of minor syn- and antithetic normal fault segments located in the main fault hanging wall. The results of the simulations demonstrate the active role played by the Alto Tiberina fault in accommodating the ongoing tectonic extension in this sector of the chain. The GPS velocity profile constructed through the fault system cannot be explained without including the ATF's contribution to deformation, indicating that this fault, although misoriented, has to be considered tectonically active and with a creeping behaviour below 5 km depth. The low-angle normal fault also shows a high degree of tectonic coupling with its main antithetic fault (the Gubbio fault), suggesting that creeping along the ATF may control the observed strain localization and the pattern of microseismic activity.

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On the mechanical behaviour of a low angle normal fault: the Altotiberina fault (Northern Apennines, Italy) system case study

10.5194/se-2016-48 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Luigi Vadacca ◽

Emanuele Casarotti ◽

Lauro Chiaraluce ◽

Massimo Cocco

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Behaviour ◽

Numerical Models ◽

Hanging Wall ◽

Normal Fault ◽

Active Role ◽

Northern Apennines ◽

Fault System ◽

Tectonically Active ◽

Main Fault ◽

Microseismic Activity

Abstract. Geological and seismological observations have been used to parameterize 2D numerical models to simulate the interseismic deformation of a complex extensional fault system located in the Northern Apennines (Italy). The geological system is dominated by the presence of the Altotiberina fault (ATF), a large (60 km along strike) low-angle normal fault 20° dipping in the brittle crust (0–15 km). The ATF is currently interested by a high and constant rate of microseismic activity and no moderate-to-large magnitude earthquakes have been associated to it for the past 1000 years. Modelling results have been compared with GPS data in order to understand the mechanical behaviour of this fault and a suite of minor syn- and antithetic normal fault segments located in the main fault hanging-wall. The results of the simulations demonstrate the active role played by the Altotiberina fault in accommodating the on going tectonic extension in this sector of the chain. The GPS velocity profile constructed through the fault system cannot be explained without including the ATF's contribution to deformation, indicating that this fault although misoriented has to be considered tectonically active and with a creeping behaviour below 5 km of depth. The low angle normal fault also shows a high degree of tectonic coupling with its main antithetic fault (the Gubbio fault) suggesting that creeping along the ATF may control the observed strain localization and the pattern of microseismic activity.

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Tectonic structure and evolution of the upper plate of Vlahokerasia Metaporphic core (Central Peloponnesus)

Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece ◽

10.12681/bgsg.17016 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 217 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ε. ΣΚΟΥΡΤΣΟΣ ◽

Α. ΑΛΕΞΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ ◽

Σ. ΛΕΚΚΑΣ

Keyword(s):

Cross Section ◽

Normal Fault ◽

Opposite Polarity ◽

Early Miocene ◽

Fault System ◽

Lower Plate ◽

Normal Faults ◽

Fault Plane Solutions ◽

Extensional Deformation ◽

Metamorphic Core

The geological structure of Vlahokerasia metamorphic core is consisted by a series of imbricated tectonic units, the occurrence of which, from the bottom to the top is as follows: Marbles, Phylites-Quartzites, Tripolitza and Pindos unit. Nevertheless, it has often been observed that some units are juxtaposed, not on the immediate tectonically underlying unit but on even lower units (i.e. Pindos unit lies directly on the Phyllites-Quartzites unit). The first two units, which have undergone Late Oligocene - Early Miocene HP/LT metamorphism, represents the lower plate of the metamorphic core, whereas the latter two (Pindos and Tripolitza units) correspond to the upper plate. The rocks of the upper plate are mainly characterized by a relatively small thickness (<300m) and they are strongly tectonized by two sets of normal faults. The main fault system trends in a ΝW orientation whereas the second one, which is younger, intersects the first set in a NNE orientation. Fault plane solutions performed on the previous-mentioned fault scarps showed a NE-SW oriented extensional stress distribution. In order to study the extensional tectonics, which has obviously influenced the fabric of the whole upper plate, a cross-section parallel to the main extensional axis and very close to the detachment surface has been constructed. The restoration of the cross-section showed that the extension of the upper plate was a result of the function of two sets of 'domino faults' of, relatively, opposite polarity. The gradual activation of these two sets of faults caused a severe thinning of the upper plate, expressed by a horizontal extensional deformation in the order of 302-422 %. Based on the existing radiochronological data, derived from the lower plate and on the age of the postalpine formations, which cover uncomformably the older structures, we assume that the extensional deformation of the upper plate took place during Early Miocene-Lower Pliocene. Regarding the post-alpine sediments, they have been deposited into basins created during the activity of a NW-oriented normal fault system, which cut through the older extensional features.

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