Premium
Styles of tectonic inversion within syn‐orogenic basins: examples from the Central Apennines, Italy
Author(s) -
Scisciani V.,
Tavarnelli E.,
Calamita F.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3121.2001.00352.x
Subject(s) - geology , foreland basin , fold and thrust belt , anticline , tectonics , inversion (geology) , thrust , neogene , seismology , tectonic phase , thrust fault , paleontology , fold (higher order function) , geomorphology , structural basin , engineering , thermodynamics , mechanical engineering , physics
The geometry of several thrust‐related folds in the Central Apennines of Italy results from a switch in deformation regime, from extension to contraction. This switch in tectonic regime occurred during the deposition of syn‐orogenic sediments, and the emplacement and migration of the thrust belt–foredeep system towards the foreland in Neogene time. The styles of positive tectonic inversion result from normal faults that were steepened, rotated and truncated by thrusts, with local development of minor folds due to buttressing. Normal fault‐controlled escarpments are also locally preserved in the forelimbs and backlimbs of thrust‐related anticlines. The location and amplitudes of contractional structures across the belt reflects the distribution of pre‐thrusting normal faults within precursor syn‐orogenic basins, a result that may improve our understanding of the evolution of Apennine, as well as other thrust belt–foredeep systems.