On the syn-orogenic basins of the Alps-Apennines tectonic system in NW Italy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Piana ◽  
Anna d'Atri ◽  
Andrea Irace
Keyword(s):  
Tectonic Evolution ◽  
Middle Eocene ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Late Oligocene ◽  
The Alps ◽  
Nw Italy

<p>The Alps and the westernmost part of Apennines physically join in NW Italy (Piemonte), where the Apennine thrusts interfered, since Late Oligocene, with both the inner boundary faults of the uplifting Alps axial belt and the outer fronts of the Alpine antithetic retrobelt (the Southern Alps). As the two orogenic belts had been intergrowing since the late Oligocene, coeval syn-orogenic basins developed on both, either as separate depocenters or, more frequently, to form a continuous sedimentary domain, strongly controlled by the tectonic evolution of the Alps-Apennines orogenic system.  These syn-orogenic basins both recorded the main stages of the Alps (neoAlpine events) and Apennines tectonic evolution, whose evidence (mostly represented by regional-scale unconformities) can be correlated within each basin and across them. Correlations (in terms of sharing common geologic events) can be found also with the middle Eocene to lower Oligocene basal part of the Alpine foreland basin succession, which extended continuously on the external side of the Western Alps. This contribution will briefly discuss this complex matter in an integrated Alpine-Apennines perspective and in the frame of the post-Eocene evolution of the Western Mediterranean area.</p>

Oligocene-Miocene tectonics of the SW Alps and western Apennines coupled orogenic belts, as recorded by their internal and external syn-orogenic basins

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Barale ◽  
Piana Fabrizio ◽  
Bertok Carlo ◽  
d'Atri Anna ◽  
Irace Andrea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Regional Scale ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Northern Apennines ◽  
Kinematic Evolution ◽  
Ligurian Alps ◽  
Internal Side ◽  
Miocene Tectonics

<p>The Oligocene-Miocene evolution of the westernmost part of the Northern Apennines was constrained firstly by Oligocene E-W regional sinistral shearing and then by Early Miocene shortening and Middle to Late Miocene NW-SE dextral transpression affecting the southern termination of the Western Alps arc (Maritime and Ligurian Alps) and the substrate of the Tertiary Piemonte Basin (TPB), which started to be incorporated, in the same time span, in the Northern Apennines belt</p><p>In other words, the dynamics accommodating the different motion of the WNW-directed Adria and SW Alps with respect to the ENE-directed Ligurian-Corso-Sardinian block also controlled the evolution of TPB and its Ligurian substrate since at least the Aquitanian, when a regional conterclockwise rotation began and a deep reshaping of the basin occurred, due to predominant NE-SW shortening concomitant with the Northern Apennines thrust fronts propagation (Burdigalian). On the other side, the infilling of the SW Alps foreland basin was partially controlled also by the resedimentation of non-metamorphic Cretaceous-Paleocene Ligurian units previously deposited along the Briançonnais-Dauphinois continental margin. The subsequent Late Burdigalian to Serravallian extension in the internal side of the SW Alps allowed the creation of accomodation space and the deposition of relevant thickness of sediments in the TPB, during the coeval progressive uplifting of Alpine crystalline and metamorphic units (e.g. the Argentera Massif and Dora-Maira Unit). This Alpine process constrained the shape and evolution of the TPB syn-orogenic sub-basins and their subsequent tectonic paths within the NW Apennines belt, while it was being built. The steps of this Alps-Apennines evolution have been clearly recorded by a set of regional scale, Oligocene to Pleistocene unconformities that can be continuously traced at surface in the southern part of the Piemonte region and in the subsurface of the western Po plain.</p><p>We thus remark that the evolution of the westernmost part of the Apennines can be studied largely referring to the Alpine geodynamics, since, although the Alps and the Apennines are two distinct geomorphologic and geophysical entities at the scale of the Western Mediterranean area, they share common synorogenic basins and consistent kinematic evolution in their junction zone of NW Italy.</p>

Thrust sequences in the central part of the External Hellenides

2003 ◽  
Vol 140 (6) ◽  
pp. 661-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
SPILIOS SOTIROPOULOS ◽  
EVANGELOS KAMBERIS ◽  
MARIA V. TRIANTAPHYLLOU ◽  
THEODOR DOUTSOS
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Middle Eocene ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Late Oligocene ◽  
Seismic Profiles ◽  
Additional Load ◽  
Long Period ◽  
Thrust Load

The model of a foreland propagating sequence already presented for the External Hellenides is significantly modified in this paper. New data are used, including structural maps, cross-sections, stratigraphic determinations and seismic profiles. In general, thrusts formed a foreland propagating sequence but they acted simultaneously for a long period of time. Thus, during the Middle Eocene the Pindos thrust resulted in the formation of the Ionian–Gavrovo foreland and acted in tandem with the newly formed Gavrovo thrust within the basin until the Late Oligocene. The Gavrovo thrust consists of segments, showing that out-of-sequence thrusting was important. Thrust nucleation and propagation history is strongly influenced by normal faults formed in the forebulge region of the Ionian–Gavrovo foreland basin. Shortening rates within the Gavrovo–Ionian foreland are low, about 1 mm/year. Although thrust load played an important role in the formation of this basin, the additional load of 3500 m thick clastics in the basin enhanced subsidence and underthrusting.

Kinematic reconstructions of the Western Mediterranean area since Triassic time: possible scenarios and their implications for the Apennines

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eline Le Breton
Keyword(s):  
Tectonic Evolution ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Tectonic Setting ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Magnetic Anomalies ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Plate Boundaries ◽  
The Past ◽  
The North ◽  
Kinematic Evolution

<p>The Western Mediterranean-Alpine belt is remarkable for its tectonic complexity, i.e. strong arcuation of plate boundaries, fast trench retreat, upper-plate extension and switch of subduction/collision polarity around the Adriatic plate (Adria). The kinematic evolution of the Western Mediterranean area is enigmatic due to the intermittently motion of small continental plates (Adria, Iberia and Sardinia-Corsica) that are caught between two major plates (Africa and Europe), converging since Cretaceous time. Reconstructing the past motion of these micro-plates is challenging due to the strong deformation of their boundaries but is key to understand the geodynamic evolution of the whole area.</p><p>The Neogene tectonic evolution is well constrained using magnetic anomalies and transform zones in the Atlantic Ocean for the motion of Europe, Iberia and Africa, and by reconstructing the amount of convergence along fold-and-thrust belts (Apennines, Alps, Dinarides, Provence) and coeval divergence along extensional basins (Liguro-Provencal and Tyrrhenian basins, Sicily Channel Rift Zone) for the motion of Adria and Sardinia-Corsica. Those reconstructions show that Adria had a slight independent motion from Africa and rotated counter-clockwise of about 5º relative to Europe since 20 Ma. However, uncertainties increase and debates arise as one goes back in time. The main debates concern the past motion of Iberia and where its motion relative to Europe is being accommodated in Mesozoic time. Different kinematic scenarios have been proposed depending on the interpretation of paleomagnetic dataset of Iberia, magnetic anomalies in the North Atlantic, and geological-geophysical record of deformation in the Pyrenees and between Iberia and Sardinia-Corsica. Those scenarios have different implications for the tectonic evolution of the Apennines, especially for the Permian-Triassic paleo-tectonic setting of Sardinia, Calabria and Adria, and for the extent and timing of closure of the Liguro-Piemont Ocean. It is important to discuss those implications to better understand subduction processes in the Apennines and their driving forces.</p>

Structural and metamorphic evolution of the Ambin massif (western Alps): toward a new alternative exhumation model for the Briançonnais domain

2007 ◽  
Vol 178 (6) ◽  
pp. 437-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerome Ganne ◽  
Jean-Michel Bertrand ◽  
Serge Fudral ◽  
Didier Marquer ◽  
Olivier Vidal
Keyword(s):  
Tectonic Evolution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Shear Bands ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Ductile Deformation ◽  
Movement Direction ◽  
Lower Grade ◽  
Structural Investigations

Abstract The basement domes of the central part of western Alps may result either from a multistage tectonic evolution with a dominant horizontal shortening component, an extensional behaviour, or both. The Ambin massif belongs to the “Briançonnais” domain and is located within the HP metamorphic zone. It was chosen for a reappraisal of the tectonic evolution of the Internal Alps in its western segment. Structural investigations have shown that Alpine HP rocks were exhumed in three successive stages. The D1 stage was roughly coeval with the observed peak metamorphic conditions and corresponds to a non-coaxial regime with dominant horizontal shortening and north movement direction. Petrological observations and P-T estimates show that the exhumation process was initiated during D1, the corresponding mechanism being still poorly understood. The D2 stage took place under low-blueschist facies conditions and culminated under greenschist facies conditions. It developed a retrogressive foliation and pervasive shear-zones at all scales that locally define major tectonic contacts. D2 shear zones show a top-to-east movement direction and correspond actually to large-scale detachment faults responsible for the juxtaposition of less metamorphic units above the Ambin basement and thus to a large part of the exhumation of HP rocks toward the surface. D2 shear zones were subsequently deformed by D3 open folds, large antiforms (e.g. the Ambin dome) and associated brittle-ductile D3 shear-bands. The D1 to D3 P-T conditions and P-T path of the blueschists occurring in the deepest part of the Ambin dome, was estimated by using the multi-equilibrium thermobarometric method of the Tweeq and Thermocalc softwares. Peak pressure conditions, estimated at about 14–16 Kb, 500oC, are followed by a nearly-isothermal decompression that occurred concurrently with the major D1–D2 change in the ductile deformation regime. Eastwards, the Schistes Lustrés units exhibit a similar geometry on top of the Gran Paradiso dome but exhibit opposite D2 movement direction. Lower-grade units are lying above higher-grade units, the shear zones occurring in between being similar to Ambin’s D2 detachments. Thus at regional scale, the D2 detachments seem to form together with the Ambin shear-zones, a network of conjugate detachments. Such a pattern suggests that the exhumation history is mostly controlled by a D2+D3 crustal-scale vertical shortening resulting in the thinning of the previous tectonic pile formed during D1. The slab-break off hypothesis may explain such an extensional behaviour within the western Pennine domain. It is suggested that the thermo-mechanical rebound of the residual European slab initiated between 35 and 32 Ma the fast exhumation of the previously thickened orogenic wedge (stack of D1 HP slices). It was immediately followed by a collapse of the wedge that may correspond to the E-W Oligocene extensional event responsible for the opening of rifts in the West European platform.

scholarly journals U-Pb ZIRCON DATING OF MIDDLE EOCENE CLASTIC ROCKS FROM THE GERCUS MOLASSE, NE IRAQ: NEW CONSTRAINTS ON THEIR PROVENANCE, AND TECTONIC EVOLUTION

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1C) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Nabaz Aziz
Keyword(s):  
Tectonic Evolution ◽  
Middle Eocene ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Detrital Zircons ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
Accretionary Complex ◽  
Depositional Sequence ◽  
Clastic Rocks ◽  
The North

The provenance of Middle Eocene clastic rock from the Gercus Molasse, NE Iraq was determined by detrital zircon (DZ) U-Pb geochronology. The Gercus Molasse in the Iraqi segment of the north-eastern Zagros Thrust Zone provides an ideal example of foreland system evolution with respect to the transition from passive margin to the accretionary complex terrene-flexural foreland basins. The DZ U-Pb age spectra from the Gercus Molasse suggest that the foreland sediments either influx from multiple provenances or are the result of recycling from the accretionary complex terrane. During pre-accretion, however, the radiolarite basin (Qulqula Radiolarite, 221 Ma) located along Arabian passive margin likely acted as an intermediate sediment repository for most or all of the DZ. Representative DZ U-Pb measurements revealed that the Gercus clastic rocks fall into several separable age population ranges of 92-102 (Albian-Cenomanian), 221 (Upper Triassic), 395-511 (Cambrian), 570- 645 (Neoproterozoic), 1111 (Mesoproterozoic), and lesser numbers of Paleoproterozoic (1622-1991 Ma) ages. The source of Proterozoic detrital Zircons is enigmatic; the age peaks at 1.1, 1.5, 1.6, and 1.9 Ga (Proterozoic) does not correspond to any known outcrops of Precambrian rocks in Iraq, and it may be useful to continue to search for such basement. The detrital zircons with age populations at 0.63–0.86 Ga probably originated from the Arabian-Nubian Shield. The age peak at 0.55 Ga correlates with Cadomian Magmatism reported from north Gondwana. The age peaks at ~0.4 Ga is interpreted to represent Gondwana rifting and the opening of Paleotethys. The youngest ages populations at 93 Ma indicate that fraction of DZ were transported directly from the contemporaneously active magmatic arc (Zagros Ophiolite segments). The paleogeography and tectonic evolution of the Neogene Zagros foreland basin were reconstructed and divided into two tectonic stages. The early stage is defined by the Campanian accreted terranes (i.e. orogenic wedge) form loads sufficient to produce flexural basin with a deepest part is situated next to the tip of the loads. This flexural basin is filled by the flysch clastics of the Maastrichtian– Early Eocene (i.e. referred to by the Tanjero-Kolosh flysch sequence). The late stage is marked by a synchronized modification of the clastics fill of the basin and changes in dip directions to compensate for the reduction of the load by both erosion and extension and the basin, therefore, was sealed by a shallowing upwards depositional sequence ending with the terrestrial Gercus Formation.

scholarly journals Unexpected thermal history of a syn-collisional basin revealed by geo- and thermochronology: the case of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (Western Alps, Italy)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Amadori ◽  
Antonio Langone ◽  
Mattina Marini ◽  
Reguzzi Simone ◽  
Barbara Carrapa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal History ◽  
Middle Eocene ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Tectonic Deformation ◽  
Magmatic Zircon ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Sedimentary Evolution ◽  
Ligurian Alps ◽  
History Of ◽  
Nw Italy

<p>The Tertiary Piedmont Basin (TPB) in NW Italy represents an episutural basin developed since the Late Eocene in the retrobelt of the Western Alps and in the foreland of the Northern Apennine. During Oligo-Miocene time, up to 3 km-thick clastic deposits filled the basin recording the tectonics associated with the shift from the Alpine collisional thickening and the progressive NE-migration of the Apennine. The continental thickening was also accompanied by the opening of the Liguro-Provençal Basin and the drift of the Corsica-Sardinia block. Because of this key-position, the tectono-sedimentary and thermochronological history of the TPB has been the object of extensive investigations (Maino et al., 2013 and reference therein). However, several questions regarding its burial-exhumation history are still open. In order to define the thermal history of the source-sink system, we combined literature data with new detrital apatite fission-track analyses and zircon U-Pb dating from Upper Priabonian to Lower Miocene syn-tectonic deposits. Results from AFT analysis show: i) a single reset population at 24.8 ± 1.2 Ma (Late Chattian) in the lowermost Late Priabonian sample; ii) partially annealed apatite grains from Early Rupelian sample; iii) unannealed Late Rupelian-Miocene samples with AFT age populations spanning from Late Cretaceous to Late Oligocene in time. Data from the Ligurian Alps crystalline massifs report similar AFT cooling ages between 22.9 ± 5.3 - 24.0 ± 1.4 Ma. This, combined with our data, shows that the bottom of the TPB sequence experienced ~110 °C heating and subsequent cooling together with its nearby margin. The heating experienced by the basin combined with reconstructed sedimentary thickness (before the exhumation/cooling event) of ca. < 3 km, implies an elevated geothermal gradient of about 60 °C/Km, which is anomalous for a thickened orogenic crust. Furthermore, one sample from Upper Oligocene sedimentary rocks contains an AFT detrital population age (33.6 ± 2 Ma) consistent with a youngest U-Pb age peak of 33.6 Ma from co-magmatic zircon grains, which likely reflects the age of volcanites today buried under the Po Plain (Di Giulio et al., 2001). Detrital zircon U-Pb ages show two main populations at ca. 290 and ca. 460 Ma, which are expected products of a Variscan source now exposed in the Ligurian Alps and Southern Alps. Our new geo-thermochronological data overall suggests a distributed Oligocene thermal signal, the origin of which is discussed. Possible explanations are: 1) a > 3 km of focused erosion associated with tectonic deformation occurred in the TPB and nearby margin and/or 2) an anomalously high heat flow event driven by asthenospheric rise as a consequence of the Liguro-Provençal rifting.</p><p>Maino M., Decarlis A., Felletti F., Seno S. (2013) Tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (NW Italy) within the Oligo–Miocene central Mediterranean geodynamics. Tectonics, 32, 593–619.</p><p>Di Giulio, A., Carrapa B., Fantoni R., Gorla L., Valdisturlo L. (2001) Middle Eocene to Early Miocene sedimentary evolution of the western segment of the South Alpine foredeep (Italy). Int. J. Earth Sci., 90, 534-548.</p>

scholarly journals Direct dating reveals the early history of opium poppy in western Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurélie Salavert ◽  
Antoine Zazzo ◽  
Lucie Martin ◽  
Ferran Antolín ◽  
Caroline Gauthier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Opium Poppy ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Macrobotanical Remains ◽  
History Of ◽  
Temperate Europe ◽  
Radiocarbon Chronology ◽  
Botanical Remains

AbstractThis paper aims to define the first chrono-cultural framework on the domestication and early diffusion of the opium poppy using small-sized botanical remains from archaeological sites, opening the way to directly date minute short-lived botanical samples. We produced the initial set of radiocarbon dates directly from the opium poppy remains of eleven Neolithic sites (5900–3500 cal BCE) in the central and western Mediterranean, northwestern temperate Europe, and the western Alps. When possible, we also dated the macrobotanical remains originating from the same sediment sample. In total, 22 samples were taken into account, including 12 dates directly obtained from opium poppy remains. The radiocarbon chronology ranges from 5622 to 4050 cal BCE. The results show that opium poppy is present from at least the middle of the sixth millennium in the Mediterranean, where it possibly grew naturally and was cultivated by pioneer Neolithic communities. Its dispersal outside of its native area was early, being found west of the Rhine in 5300–5200 cal BCE. It was introduced to the western Alps around 5000–4800 cal BCE, becoming widespread from the second half of the fifth millennium. This research evidences different rhythms in the introduction of opium poppy in western Europe.

scholarly journals Morphometric and Nutritional Characterization of the Main Spanish Lentil Cultivars

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 741
Author(s):  
Javier Plaza ◽  
M. Remedios Morales-Corts ◽  
Rodrigo Pérez-Sánchez ◽  
Isabel Revilla ◽  
Ana M. Vivar-Quintana
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Protein Food ◽  
Content Assessment ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Nutritional Characteristics ◽  
Clear Differentiation

Nowadays, there is a growing demand for high-quality vegetal protein food products, such as pulses and lentils in particular. However, there is no scientific evidence on the nutritional and morphometric characterization of the main lentil cultivars in the Western Mediterranean area. For this reason, the aim of this work is to carry out a morphometric and nutritional characterization of the main Spanish lentil cultivars. Nutrient content assessment was performed on dry matter. The results showed that all studied cultivars are large and heavy lentils, except for the cultivar “Pardina”. They have high protein levels, ranging from 21% to 25%, which is higher than those found in any other pulse, as well as a high carbohydrate content, greater than 59% in all cases. Fiber content was higher than expected in “Armuña” and “Rubia Castellana” cultivars, ranging from 6% to 6.6%, and exceptionally high in the case of the cultivar “Pardina”, which reached 7.8%. Conversely, very low values were found for fat content, varying between 0.5% and 0.9%. Ca, Fe and Mg levels were remarkably higher (from 550 ppm to 851 ppm, from 98 ppm to 139 ppm and from 790 ppm to 989 ppm, respectively) than those found for other lentil cultivars, especially the high Mg content in the cultivars “Jaspeada” and “Microjaspeada”, both above 955 ppm. Clear differentiation was found between the cultivars “Rubia Castellana”, “Pardina” and those included in the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) “Lenteja de la Armuña”. Overall, lentil cultivars included in the PGI “Lenteja de la Armuña” showed better morphometric and nutritional characteristics than cultivars “Pardina” or “Rubia Castellana”.

scholarly journals Algerian Olive Germplasm and Its Relationships with the Central-Western Mediterranean Varieties Contributes to Clarify Cultivated Olive Diversification

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 678
Author(s):  
Kamel Atrouz ◽  
Ratiba Bousba ◽  
Francesco Paolo Marra ◽  
Annalisa Marchese ◽  
Francesca Luisa Conforti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Basin ◽  
Genetic Relationships ◽  
Olive Tree ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Western Mediterranean Basin ◽  
New Information ◽  
Mediterranean History ◽  
New Synonymy

Olive tree with its main final product, olive oil, is an important element of Mediterranean history, considered the emblematic fruit of a civilization. Despite its wide diffusion and economic and cultural importance, its evolutionary and phylogenetic history is still difficult to clarify. As part of the Mediterranean basin, Algeria was indicated as a secondary diversification center. However, genetic characterization studies from Maghreb area, are currently underrepresented. In this context, we characterized 119 endemic Algerian accessions by using 12 microsatellite markers with the main goal to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure. In order to provide new insights about the history of olive diversification events in the Central-Western Mediterranean basin, we included and analyzed a sample of 103 Italian accessions from Sicily and, a set of molecular profiles of cultivars from the Central-Western Mediterranean area. The phylogenetic investigation let us to evaluate genetic relationships among Central-Mediterranean basin olive germplasm, highlight new synonymy cases to support the importance of vegetative propagation in the cultivated olive diffusion and consolidate the hypothesis of more recent admixture events occurrence. This work provided new information about Algerian germplasm biodiversity and contributed to clarify olive diversification process.

scholarly journals Multi-Oxygenated Organic Compounds in Fine Particulate Matter Collected in the Western Mediterranean Area

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Esther Borrás ◽  
Luis Antonio Tortajada-Genaro ◽  
Francisco Sanz ◽  
Amalia Muñoz
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Carboxylic Acids ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Organic Pollutants ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Industrial Emissions ◽  
Tetradecanoic Acid

The chemical characterization of aerosols, especially fine organic fraction, is a relevant atmospheric challenge because their composition highly depends on localization. Herein, we studied the concentration of multi-oxygenated organic compounds in the western Mediterranean area, focusing on sources and the effect of air patterns. The organic aerosol fraction ranged 3–22% of the total organic mass in particulate matter (PM)2.5. Seventy multi-oxygenated organic pollutants were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, including n-alkanones, n-alcohols, anhydrosugars, monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and keto-derivatives. The highest concentrations were found for carboxylic acids, such as linoleic acid, tetradecanoic acid and, palmitic acid. Biomarkers for vegetation sources, such as levoglucosan and some fatty acids were detected at most locations. In addition, carboxylic acids from anthropogenic sources—mainly traffic and cooking—have been identified. The results indicate that the organic PM fraction in this region is formed mainly from biogenic pollutants, emitted directly by vegetation, and from the degradation products of anthropogenic and biogenic volatile organic pollutants. Moreover, the chemical profile suggested that this area is interesting for aerosol studies because several processes such as local costal breezes, industrial emissions, and desert intrusions affect fine PM composition.

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