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Late Oligocene‐Miocene sedimentary evolution of the critical Alps/Apennines junction: the Monferrato area. Northwestern Italy
Author(s) -
Clari P.,
Pierre F. Dela,
Novaretti A.,
Timpanelli M.
Publication year - 1995
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-3121.1995.tb00683.x
Subject(s) - geology , tectonics , paleontology , facies , basement , discontinuity (linguistics) , fault (geology) , sedimentary rock , ecological succession , geomorphology , structural basin , mathematical analysis , ecology , civil engineering , mathematics , engineering , biology
The Monferrato is a key area of the Alps‐Apennine junction. It consists of a Tertiary succession, resting on Apennine‐related units, in turn overridden by the Alpine basement. The superficial expression of this crustal discontinuity is the Rio Freddo deformation zone, separating the Alpine‐related Torino hill domain from the Monferrato. Stratigraphic analyses allow the recognition of different fault‐bounded Oligo‐Miocene successions, interpreted as tectonostratigraphic units. Some of these corresponded to high‐standing blocks, others to subsiding basins. The facies distribution reflects a transpressional tectonic regime. In this general framework of wrench tectonics, sedimentation was influenced by palaeoceanographic factors during the early and latest Burdigalian, while tectonics played the dominant role during the Aquitanian and the late Burdigalian. The uniform extent and the unconformable basal boundary of the Langhian deposits suggest that the different tectonostratigraphic units presently composing the Monferrato area were in place by Langhian times.