Plio-Quaternary interaction between Adria and surrounding orogens: a Central-Northern Apennines perspective

Abstract

The active interaction of the foreland domain represented by the Adria Foreland Plate and the surrounding orogenic systems is discussed by taking a perspective from the Central-Northern Apennines. The present-day tectono-kinematic framework of the Adriatic and surrounding regions is considered with respect to structural setting of the Central-Northern Apennines, developed as a Pliocene lateral chain relative to the NW-SE Africa-Europe convergence. Within this context, the short-term kinematics of the Adria Plate, characterized by a firm NNE-directed kinematics relative to the stable Europe, seismicity and the crustal structure are taken into account to explain the role of Adria on the kinematics of the Apennine orogenic prism and on the active deformation affecting the retro-belt. In this study, the current central-northern portion of the Adria Plate is considered as dissected into four independent crustal/lithospheric blocks, characterized by distinctive kinematic patterns, structural and seismotectonic characteristics. Notwithstanding the largely debated geodynamic models proposed in the literature, the active interaction among the identified crustal blocks within the framework of the short-term kinematics and seismogenic context of the Adria Plate, characterized by a roto-translational counterclockwise motion, and surrounding orogenic systems is discussed.

Keywords

• Adria Plate
• crustal blocks
• plate kinematics
• Central-Northern Apennines