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The evolution of the Western Ligurian Flysch Units and the role of mud diapirism in ancient accretionary prisms (Maritime Alps, Northwestern Italy)

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Zusammenfassung

Der westliche Ligurische Flysch repräsentiert die Entwicklung eines Akkretionskeiles während des Kreide-Paleogens, das auf den europäischen Kontinentalrand während der Kollisionsphase der alpidischen Orogenese (Eozän) überschoben wurde. Die Entwicklung vor der Kollision wird neu gedeutet auf der Basis ausgedehnter geologischer Felduntersuchungen, dem Studium der niedrig gradigen Metamorphose und anhand von Vergleichen mit heutigen konvergenten Zonen.

Das vorgeschlagene Modell interpretiert das Erscheinen der chaotischen Fazies als Diapirismus von nur teilweise verfestigten Sedimenten und deren Umlagerung nahe Diskontinuitätsflächen im Inneren eines Akkretionprismas, das in Richtung des europäischen Kontinents wandert.

Abstract

The Western Ligurian Flysch Units represent an Upper Cretaceous to Paleogene accretionary prism overthrust onto the paleo-European continental margin during the collisional stages of the Alpine orogeny (Eocene). Their precollisional evolution has been reconsidered according to the data collected through extensive field mapping, the study of lowgrade metamorphism and by considering more strictly the processes documented in modern convergent zones.

The proposed model involves chaotic facies produced by the flow of muddy sediments along decollement surfaces (diapiric melange) with the growth of mud volcanoes into an accreting wedge progressively shifting toward the European continental margin.

Résumé

Les flyschs de la Ligurie occidentale représentent un prisme d'accrétion du Crétacé-Paléogène charrié sur la marge continentale européenne pendant les phases de collision de l'orogenèse alpine (Eocène). Leur évolution anté-collision est reconsidérée sur la base de nouvelles données provenant du levé de terrain d'une vaste région, de l'étude du métamorphisme de degré faible et de l'application plus rigoureuse des enseignements fournis par les zones de convergence actuelles.

Le modèle proposé envisage la production de facies à texture chaotique par flux diapirique de sédiments non consolidés le long de surfaces de décollement, à l'intérieur d'un prisme d'accrétion qui migre progressivement vers la marge continentale européenne.

Краткое содержание

Западная область Лиг урийского флиша — это аккреционный клин, об разовавшийся в перио д мела-палеогена и надв инувшийся на материк овый край Европы во время ф азы коллизии альпийс кого орогенеза в эоцене. На основании обширного геологиче ского исследования, и зучения метаморфизма низкой степени и сравнения с современными зонам и конвергенции разви тие этой области получил о иное толкование.

Предложенная модель объясняет появление хаотической фации, ка к следствие образова ния диапировых структур ных элементов в части чно сцементированных се диментах и их переотл ожение вблизи поверхностей несогласия внутри призмы аккреции, кото рая передвинулась в направлении европей ского материка.

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  1. A. Di Giulio

    Present address: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pavia, Strada Nuova 65, 27100, Pavia, Italy

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    Di Giulio, A. The evolution of the Western Ligurian Flysch Units and the role of mud diapirism in ancient accretionary prisms (Maritime Alps, Northwestern Italy). Geol Rundsch 81, 655–668 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01791383

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