Structure of the Alpine foreland

Abstract

Recent reprocessing of seismic reflection profiles (including the TRANSALP profile) along the frontal zone of the Bavarian Alpine salient has led to a revised understanding of the basic structure of what has been referred to as the folded molasse zone and how the structure of that zone changes along strike. The folded molasse zone, as well as the north dipping foreland panel of the foreland molasse, is interpreted here to be deformed para‐autochthonous rocks that form the roof elements of a triangle zone; a transitional structural zone between the European plate and the allochthonous Adriatic plate. This zone has now been well‐imaged on numerous two‐dimensional profiles allowing us to confidently map its extent from near Zurich east to Munich, a distance of about 250 km. It is likely to extend farther into Austria.