Tectonics of the Mattinata fault, offshore south Gargano (southern Adriatic Sea, Italy): Implications for active deformation and seismotectonics in the foreland of the Southern Apennines

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 2009 Tectonics of the Mattinata fault, offshore south Gargano (southern Adriatic Sea, Italy): Implications for active deformation and seismotectonics in the foreland of the Southern Apennines A. Argnani; A. Argnani † 1Geologia Marina, Istituto di Scienze Marine-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy †E-mail: [e-mail]. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar M. Rovere; M. Rovere 1Geologia Marina, Istituto di Scienze Marine-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar C. Bonazzi C. Bonazzi 1Geologia Marina, Istituto di Scienze Marine-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information A. Argnani † 1Geologia Marina, Istituto di Scienze Marine-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy M. Rovere 1Geologia Marina, Istituto di Scienze Marine-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy C. Bonazzi 1Geologia Marina, Istituto di Scienze Marine-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy †E-mail: [e-mail]. Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 07 Sep 2007 Revision Received: 02 Sep 2008 Accepted: 03 Sep 2008 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 © 2009 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2009) 121 (9-10): 1421–1440. https://doi.org/10.1130/B26326.1 Article history Received: 07 Sep 2007 Revision Received: 02 Sep 2008 Accepted: 03 Sep 2008 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation A. Argnani, M. Rovere, C. Bonazzi; Tectonics of the Mattinata fault, offshore south Gargano (southern Adriatic Sea, Italy): Implications for active deformation and seismotectonics in the foreland of the Southern Apennines. GSA Bulletin 2009;; 121 (9-10): 1421–1440. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B26326.1 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 Mattinata fault is an E-W–trending feature, ~50 km long, that cuts across the Gargano Promontory in the foreland of the Southern Apennines. Most researchers agree that it is a strike-slip fault, although the timing of activity is not well known, mainly because of the scarce occurrence of Cenozoic sediments. This contribution aims to describe the eastward extent of the Mattinata fault in the Adriatic Sea using a grid of multichannel seismic profiles specifically acquired for this study and taking advantage of the occurrence of offshore Oligocene to Quaternary sediments to help date the deformation. Results indicate that from the late Miocene to the Quaternary, compression dominated, and only a limited component of strike slip occurred along the fault. A strike-slip tectonic regime, on the other hand, was likely dominant during the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene. Seismicity affects Gargano at basement depth and extends northward into the central Adriatic, suggesting that the offshore extent of the Mattinata fault may not currently represent the main site of foreland deformation within the Adriatic region. Although the Mattinata fault probably originated as a crustal-scale strike-slip fault, it has been subsequently reactivated in different tectonic regimes. The strike-slip Ml = 5.4 2002 San Giuliano (Molise) earthquake, located ~70 km west of the Mattinata fault outcrop, seems to have been related to the reactivation of a set of preexisting foreland faults, and it does not characterize the seismotectonics of the entire Mattinata fault. Our reconstruction has wide implications, not only for a better understanding of the Tertiary evolution and active tectonics of the Adriatic foreland, but also for general relationships among preexisting structures, foreland tectonics, and seismotectonics. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.