The effects of a Meso-Alpine collision event on the tectono-metamorphic evolution of the Peloritani mountain belt (eastern Sicily, southern Italy)

• DOI: 10.1017/s0016756817000413
• Publication Date: 2017-06-15T10:05:00Z
• Authors: STEFANO CATALANO; ROSOLINO CIRRINCIONE; PAOLO MAZZOLENI; FRANCESCO PAVANO; ANTONIO PEZZINO; GINO ROMAGNOLI; GIUSEPPE TORTORICI
• Keywords: Mountain formation; Paleogene; Thrust fault; Accretionary wedge

Abstract The Peloritani Mountains, in the southern part of Calabrian Terranes, Italy, have been classically interpreted as product Paleogene brittle deformation European continental back-stop Neotethyan subduction complex. This reconstruction conflicts with occurrence an Alpine metamorphic overprint that affected portions both Variscan units and Mesozoic sedimentary covers mountain belt. New field data, integrated petrographic, micro- meso-structural analyses stratigraphic investigation syn-tectonic terrigenous covers, well constrain a collision event along Africa–Nubia convergent margin caused exhumation Mountains. syn-collisional was associated shearing two major Africa-verging crustal thrusts arising from positive tectonic inversion former palaeomargin. Early motions occurred within belts produced external edifice. Later sole-thrust entire edifice definitive whole thrusting lasted for period c . 10 Ma, during Oligocene. southwestward emplacement Mountain Belt onto accretionary wedge followed by Late Oligocene – Miocene NW–SE-oriented right lateral shear zones, replacing previous thrust. These strike-slip are surface expression deep-seated suture zone between colliding Africa Europe crusts.