Formation of late-stage passive-roof duplexes in the Northern Apennines

The structural and thermochronological study carried out in the Casentino-Romagna region reveals that this area has experienced a polyphase tectonic history, allowing to establish the relative chronology of deformation.

On the basis of the new apatite fission-track dating, the age of thrusting in the axial zone of the Northern Apennines has been substantially rejuvenated with respect to the traditional models. These findings thus deeply modify such a traditional view by highlighting that shortening processes in the form of out-of-sequence thrusts and backthrusts were still ongoing up to (at least) the end of Pliocene. The research was carried out in the frame of the Foglio 277 Bibbiena, CARG project.

Reference

Bonini, M., Maestrelli, D., Montanari, D., Sani, F., & Balestrieri, M. L. (2025). Formation of late-stage passive-roof duplexes in fold-and-thrust belts: Thrusting sequence and thermochronologic constraints from the Northern Apennines (Italy). Geoscience Frontiers, 16(4), 102048.

For information: Marco Bonini, CNR-IGG (marco.bonini@cnr.it) and Maria Laura Balestrieri, CNR-IGG (balestrieri@cnr.it).