Contrasting styles of fault reactivation in curved orogenic belts: Examples from the Central Apennines (Italy)

Research Article| May 01, 2011 Contrasting styles of fault reactivation in curved orogenic belts: Examples from the Central Apennines (Italy) F. Calamita; F. Calamita † 1Dipartimento di Scienze, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy †E-mail: calamita@unich.it Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S. Satolli; S. Satolli 1Dipartimento di Scienze, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar V. Scisciani; V. Scisciani 2Dipartimento di Geotecnologie per l'Ambiente e il Territorio, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 30, 66013, Chieti Scalo, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar P. Esestime; P. Esestime 1Dipartimento di Scienze, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar P. Pace P. Pace 1Dipartimento di Scienze, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information F. Calamita † 1Dipartimento di Scienze, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy S. Satolli 1Dipartimento di Scienze, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy V. Scisciani 2Dipartimento di Geotecnologie per l'Ambiente e il Territorio, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 30, 66013, Chieti Scalo, Italy P. Esestime 1Dipartimento di Scienze, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy P. Pace 1Dipartimento di Scienze, Università "G. d'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy †E-mail: calamita@unich.it Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 18 Feb 2010 Revision Received: 10 May 2010 Accepted: 10 May 2010 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 © 2011 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2011) 123 (5-6): 1097–1111. https://doi.org/10.1130/B30276.1 Article history Received: 18 Feb 2010 Revision Received: 10 May 2010 Accepted: 10 May 2010 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation F. Calamita, S. Satolli, V. Scisciani, P. Esestime, P. Pace; Contrasting styles of fault reactivation in curved orogenic belts: Examples from the Central Apennines (Italy). GSA Bulletin 2011;; 123 (5-6): 1097–1111. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B30276.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The geometry of the Apennine fold-and-thrust belt has been strongly influenced by the original architecture of the Adria paleomargin. In the Central Apennines, pre-thrusting normal faults (pre-orogenic Permian(?)/Triassic–Jurassic and synorogenic Neogene) were reactivated with compressional kinematics during the Neogene–Quaternary orogenesis.We present a study on the control of preexisting extensional faults on thrust tectonics in the Central Apennines. We describe positive inversion geometries of some salient fold-and-thrust structures (Setteporte, the Sabini Mountains, the Sibillini Mountains, Montagna dei Fiori, the Gran Sasso range, Maiella Mountain, and Casoli-Bomba) by integrating surface geological data and seismic-line interpretation. In these structures, different styles of fault reactivation depend on their orientation with respect to the subsequent compressional NE-SW–trending stress field. The NW-SE– and WNW-ESE–trending pre-thrusting normal faults in the backlimbs of the anticlines were displaced and passively translated in the hangingwall blocks of the thrust planes, thus exhibiting a classical shortcut geometry (shortcut anticlines). Differently, pre-orogenic normal faults in the N-S–trending anticlines were reactivated in a transpressive deformational context, as documented by the mainly dip-slip and strike-slip kinematics along the thrusts and back thrusts, respectively (reactivation anticlines).The cases studied document differences in geometry in fold-and-thrust structures related to the trend of preexisting extensional faults, showing that different reactivation geometries linked to the same inversion event can coexist at regional scale in curved fold-and-thrust belts. The proposed inversion tectonic model and the resulting geometry of the fold-and-thrust belt could possibly be applied to analogous orogenic belts. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.