Evoluzione geologico-strutturale dell'alta valle del F. Aventino (Majella orientale, Appennino Centrale)

Giulia Palazzin (*,**)
(*) Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino. E-mail: giulia.palazzin@yahoo.com (**) 24, rue de Villefranche, 34000 Montpellier, France.

Geological-structural evolution of the high Aventino River Valley (eastern Majella, Central Apennines). The high Aventino River Valley (eastern Majella) is characterized by the superposition of the Upper Cretaceous-lower Pliocene succession of the Majella Unit (Apulia Deformed Foreland Units), the Messinian succession of Porrara Mt. Unit (Outer Abruzzi Units), the upper Oligocene-lower Messinian succession of Molise Units and the Upper Cretaceous-Miocene one of Sicilide Units. Geological mapping, stratigraphic and structural analyses, allow to recognize three main tectonic stages during the late Miocene-Pliocene structural evolution of this Apenninic sector. During the first deformational event (late Messinian-Early Pliocene) the overthrusting of Molise Units onto Sicilide Units occurred. Lower Pliocene top-thrust basins sealed this tectonic superposition. The second tectonic stage (Early Pliocene, Sphaeroidinellopsis zone) is characterized by the NE-verging tectonic superposition of Porrara Mt. Unit onto Majella Unit. The third tectonic stage (Early Pliocene, Gt. margaritae zone) is consistent with the eastward tectonic migration and tectonic superposition of Molise and Sicilide Units onto the lower Pliocene (Sphaeroidinellopsis e Gt. margaritae zones) and post-evaporitic Messinian successions of Majella and Mt. Porrara Units, respectively.

Majella Unit; Molise Units, Monte Porrara Units, Sicilide Units, Tectonic evolution