Open AccessTectonic and environmental evolution of Quaternary intramontane basins in Southern Apennines (Italy): insights from palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic investigations
Author(s) -
Porreca M.,
Mattei M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
geophysical journal international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0956-540X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.2010.04661.x
Subject(s) - geology , extensional tectonics , structural basin , paleontology , tectonics , quaternary , sedimentary rock , sedimentary basin , magnetostratigraphy , geochemistry , geomorphology , extensional definition
SUMMARY Southern Apennines is characterized by active extensional tectonics with NE–SW stretching direction. The seismicity of the region is very well understood and continuously monitored. In contrast, the onset of extensional tectonics is chronologically poorly constrained. The aim of this study is that to give important constraints on the development of extensional regime and the onset of the continental deposition during Quaternary in Southern Apennines. We report the results of palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic analyses from four Quaternary small intramontane basins in the Picentini Mountains (Southern Apennines). The sedimentary sequences are located at different altitudes, from 600 to 1200 m a.s.l., and were deposited in fluvial‐lacustrine environments. We sampled 29 sites in clays and lacustrine limestones from Tizzano, Piano del Gaudo and Acerno basins and in red palaeosoils and matrix‐supported conglomerates from the Iumaiano basins. In the clay and limestones samples magnetite, titano‐magnetite, hematite and iron‐sulphide have been recognized as the main magnetic carriers, whereas magnetite and hematite characterize the Iumaiano conglomerates and red soils. Palaeomagnetic results have been integrated with published radiometric data in order to constrain the age of each sedimentary basins. Sites from the Iumaiano basin, which represents the substrate of the Tizzano and Piano del Gaudo basins, show a reverse polarity and therefore have been attributed to the lower Matuyama chron. In contrast, palaeomagnetic data from Tizzano basin show a transition from reversed to normal polarity along the exposed section, which has been interpreted as the Matuyama/Brunhes transition. Sites from Acerno and Piano del Gaudo basins show a normal polarity, which, according to radiometric and pollen data, have been correlated to the Brunhes epoch. On the base of such results we discuss the tectono‐stratigraphic evolution of the basins and the role of extensional tectonics in this portion of the Southern Apennine during the Quaternary.