Tettonica tardo pleistocenica-quaternaria dei Monti del Matese (Appennino meridionale): raccorciamenti tardivi e distensione "neotettonica"

Abstract

The tectonic evolution of the Matese Massif, located in the Campania-Molise Apennines, Southern Italy, is characterized by multiple episodes of deformation. Within the mountain range, two major thrust sheets are recognized. They are labelled the Matese and Sannio thrust sheets and are mainly formed by Mesozoic-Cenozoic shallow water and basinal carbonatic successions, respectively. The thrust sheets were piled up during late Miocene. In the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene, contraction and transpression occurred on E-W to WNW-ESE trending faults which accomodate NNE-SSW shortening. Younger deformation took place with minor horizontal translation and is related to the growth of the Sannio-Molise arc behind the frontal thrust of the contractional belt. Two shortening directions are distinguished, NNE-SSW and NW-SE respectively, which can be considered as part of a coheval partition displacement field during bending. From the early Pleistocene, a NE-SW extension occurred on NW-SE striking dip-slip faults and NE-SW trending strike- to oblique-slip faults. NW-SE extension and transtension are locally observed, which reactivated the NW-SE striking faults with strike-slip motion.