Table Of ContentAI pine- Med iterra nea n
Geodynamics Series
Inter-Union Commission on Geodynamics
Editorial Board
A. L. Hales, Chairman
R. D. Russell, Secretary
O. L. Anderson
F. M. Delany
C. L. Drake
J. Sutton
American Geophysical Union/Geological Society of America
Editorial Board
Kees Dejong
C. L. Drake
D. H. Eckhardt
E. Irving
W. I. Rose
Rob Van der ¾oo
The Final Reports of the International Geodynamics Program sponsored
by the Inter-Union Commission on
Geodynamics
Geodynamic Series
The Final Reports of the International Geodynamics Program sponsored by the
Inter-Union Commission on Geodynamics
Dynamics of Plate Interiors
A. W. Bally, P.L . Bender, T.R . McGetchin, and R. I. Walcott (Editors)
2 Paleoreconstruction of the Continents
M.W. McEIhinny and D.A. Valencio [Editors)
3 Zagros ßH indu Kush. Himalaya Geodynamic Evolution
H. K. Gupta and F. M. Delany [Editors]
4 Anelasticity in the Earth
F.D . Stacey, M. S. Palterson, and A. Nicholas (Editors)
5 Evolution of the Earth
R.J. O'Connell and W. S. Fyfe (Editors)
6 Dynamics of Passive Margins
R.A. Scrutton
AI pin e- Med iterra n ea n
Geodyna mics
Edited by
H ß Berckhemer
K. Hsi(cid:127)
Geodynamics Series
Volume 7
American Geophysical Union
Washington, D.C.
Geological Society of America
Boulder, Colorado
Final Report of Working Group 3, Alpine-Mediterranean
Geodynamics, coordinated by J. Sutton on behalf of the
Bureau of Inter-Union Commission on Geodynamics
American Geophysical Union, 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009
Geological Society of America, 3300 Penrose Place; P.O. Box 9140
Boulder, Colorado 80301
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Alpine-Mediterranean geodynamics.
(Geodynamics series ; v. 7)
"Final report of Working Group 3, Alpine Mediterranean
Geodynamics ..."--Verso t.p.
Includes bibliographies.
1. Geodynamics--Addresses, essays, lectures.
2. Geology--Europe, Southern--Addresses, essays,
lectures. 3. Geology--Mediterranean region--Addresses,
essays, lectures. I. Berckhemer, H. (Hans) II. Hsu,
K. (Kenneth), 1929- ß III. Inter-Union Commission
on Geodynamics. Working Group 3. IV. Series.
QE505.A56 551'.09182'2 82-3990
ISBN 0-87590-503-X AACR2
Copyright 1982 American Geophysical Union. Figures, tables
and short excerpts may be reprinted in scientific books and
journals if the source is properly cited; all other rights
reserved.
Printed in the United States of
CONTENTS
Foreword
A. L. Hales and C. L. Drake
Preface
H. Berckhemer
Editor' s Introduction: Alpine Mediterranean Geodynamics: Past, Present,
and Future
K. J. Hs(cid:127)
Tectonic Syntheses of the Alpine-Mediterranean Region: A Review 15
A. G. Smith and N.H. Woodcock
Explosion Seismic Crustal Studies in the Alpine-Mediterranean Region and 39
Their Implications to Tectonic Processes
P. Giese, R. Nicolich, and K. J. Reutter
Seismicity and Seismotectonic Stress Field in the Alpine-Mediterranean Region 75
A. Udias
Paleomagnetism in the Mediterranean Area 83
J. Van den Berg and J. D. A. Zijderveld
The Messinian Salinity Crisis in the Mediterranean. A Review 113
M. B. Cita
Mediterranean Back Arc Basins 141
F. Horvath and H. Berckhemer
Structure and Dynamics of the Alps: A Geophysical Inventory 175
H. Miller, St. M(cid:127)ller, and G. Perrier
The North Anatolian Fault
A. M. C. (cid:127)eng(cid:127)r and N. Canitez
FOREWORD
After a decade of intense and productive Region, East
scientific cooperation between geologists, WG 7 Geodynamics of Plate Interiors
geophysicists and geochemists the Inter- WG 8 Geodynamics of Seismically Inactive
national Geodynamics Program formally Marg ins
ended on July 31, 1980. The scientific WG 9 History and Interaction of Tectonic,
accomplishments of the program are Metamorphic and Magmatic Processes
represented in more than seventy scientific WG 10 Global Syntheses and Paleorecon-
reports and in this series of Final Report struction
volumes. These Working Groups held discussion meetings
The concept of the Geodynamics Program, as and sponsored symposia. The papers given at
a natural successor to the Upper Mantle the symposia were published in a series of
Project, developed during 1970 and 1971. Scientific Reports. The scientific studies
The International Union of Geological were all organized and financed at the national
Sciences (IUGS) and the International Union level by national committees even when multi-
of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) then sought national programs were involved. It is to the
support for the new program from the Inter- national committees, and to those who partici-
national Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). pated in the studies organized by those
As a result the Inter-Union Commission on committees, that the success of the Program
Geodynamics was established by ICSU to manage must be attributed.
the International Geodynamics Program. Financial support for the symposia and the
The governing body of the Inter-Union meetings of the Commission was provided
Commission on Geodynamics was a Bureau of by subventions from IUGG, IUGS, UNESCOa nd
seven members, three appointed by IUGG, ICSU.
three by lUGS and one jointly by the two Information on the activities of the
Unions. The President was appointed by ICSU Commission and its Working Groups is available
and a Secretary-General by the Bureau from in a series of 17 publications:
among its members. The scientific work of Geodynamics Reports, 1-8, edited by F.
the Program was coordinated by the Commission, Delany, published by BRGM; Geodynamics
composed of the Chairmen of the Working Groups Highlights, 1-4, edited by F. Delany,
and the representatives of the national published by BRGM; and Geodynamics Inter-
committees for the International Geodynamics national, 13-17, edited by R. D. Russell.
Program. Both the Bureau and the Commission Geodynamics International was published
met annually, often in association with the by World Data Center A for Solid Earth
Assembly of one of the Unions, or one of the Geophysics, Boulder, Colorado 80308, USA.
constituent Associations of the Unions. Copies of these publications, which contain
Initially the Secretariat of the Commission lists of the Scientific Reports, may be
was in Paris with support from France through obtained from WDC A. In some cases only
BRGM, and later in Vancouver with support microfiche copies are now available.
from Canada through DEMR and NRC. This volume is one of a series of Final
The scientific work of the Program was Reports summarizing the work of the
coordinated by ten Working Groups. Commission. The Final Report volumes,
WG 1 Geodynamics of the Western Pacific- organized by the Working Groups,
Indonesian Region represent in part a statement of what
WG 2 Geodynamics of the Eastern Pacific has been accomplished during the Program and
Region, Caribbean and Scotia Arcs in part an analysis of problems still to
WG 3 Geodynamics of the Alpine-Himalayan be solved. This volume from Working Group 3
Region, West (Chairman, J. Sutton) was edited by
WG 4 Geodynamics of Continental and H. Berckhemer and K. Hs(cid:127).
Oceanic Rift s At the end of the Geodynamics Program it
WG 5 Properties and Processes of the is clear that the kinematics of the major
Earth's Interior plate movements during the past 200 million
WG 6 Geodynamics of the Alpine-Himalayan years is well understood, but there is
less understanding of the dynamics of the sphere: The framework for earth resources
processes which cause these movements. and the reduction of the hazards.
Perhaps the best measure of the success To all of those who have contributed
of the Program is the enthusiasm with their time so generously to the Geodynamics
which the Unions and national committees Program we tender our thanks.
have joined in the establishment of a
C. L. Drake, President ICG, 1971-1975
successor program to be known as:
Dynamics and evolution of the litho- A. L. Hales, President ICG, 1975-1980
Members of Working Group 3:
H. Berckhemer M.V. Mouratov
J. Aubouin R. Oberhauser
N. Canitez N. Ocal
C.W. Drooger G. Payo
R. Freund D. Prosen
A.G. Galanopoulos W.B.F. Ryan
F. Horvath R. Said
K. Hsfi M. Sandulescu
G. Jobert A.E. Scheidegger
C. Morelli F.J.
PREFACE
The final report on geodynamic research meeting of both groups at Tehran in
in the Alpine-Mediterranean region would September 1975 it was agreed, with the
be incomplete without a brief historical consent of ICG, that from now on each of
sketch on the structure and activities of the two groups should have the status of
ICG-Working Group 3. It should also be a full and independent working group. The
regarded an appreciation to the members particularly close relation between both
and sponsors of the working group who ha- is reflected in the names: ICG-Working
ve taken, over many years, an active part Group 3 - Geodynamics of the Alpine-Hima-
in the life of the working group and the- layan Region, West (Chairman: H.Berckhe-
reby contributed to the remarkable pro- mer) and ICG-Working Group 6 - Geodyna-
gress in our knowledge and understanding mics of the Alpine-Himalayan Region,East
of the geological evolution of this com- (chairman: H. Narain). After this clari-
plex region. fication of the somewhat complicated his-
At the time the International Geodyna- tory I shall refer, furtheron, only to
mics Project became operative actually activities of WG 3 in the Alpine-Mediter-
several hundred geoscientists from about ranean region.
twenty countries were involved in research "From the geodynamic point of view the
related to geodynamics problems of the A1- Alpine-Mediterranean area is a contro-
pine-Mediterranean-Himalayan region. In versial region. The relation between the
order to improve the exchange of informa- Alpine orogenic belts and the adjoining
tion among these scientists and to stimu- sea and land areas has not yet been sol-
late and coordinate multi-disciplinary ved." This were the first sentences of
and international research ICG invited, on the scope of scientific research of the
March 8, 1971, an ad hoc committee to Pa- group as formulated in 1971. In order to
ris to launch a regional working group on tackle the various but certainly not in-
Alpine-Mediterranean-Himalayan geodyna- dependent phenomena and observations in
mics. In fact it was this working group this region in a systematic and comprehen-
which was afterwards dealing with the ge- sive way, coordinated international co-
neral aspects of continent-continent in- operation was found particularly necessa-
teractions. 15 members were nominated by ry in the following fields, and coordina-
ICG (see membership list). The reporter tors were nominated by the WG:
was appointed chairman and K. HsU secre-
tary of the newly established Working - Instrumental investigations of contem-
Group 3. The members met for the inaugural porary deformations and stress fields,
session on September 24, 1971 at ZUrich and the physical properties of crust
and worked out the general guidelines and and mantle in active regions (coordi-
recommendations for geodynamic research nators: G. Jobert, A. Scheidegger since
in the Alpine-Mediterranean region. Sub- 1975).
sequently the membership list was supple- - Late neogene paleogeography (sediment
mented by experts for the Pamir-Himalayan transport, distribution and facies of
region. In view of the large geographic Mediterranean evaporites) (coordinator:
distances and the corresponding difficul- C. Drooger).
ties in communication and cooperation it - Paleomagnetic studies of relative block-
was found appropriate to subdivide WG 3 movements (coordinator: F. Vine).
into WG 3a concerned with the Alpine-Me- - Petrology and geochemistry of volcanic
diterranean region, and WG 3b for the Hi- and ophiolitic rocks (coordinator: K.
malayan region in a broad sense. At the HsU).
second meeting at Montreal on August 28, - Relation of the evolution of the Alpine-
1972, H. Narain, India, was appointed Mediterranean system to the history of
chairman of WG 3b. Eventually, at the joint the North Atlantic (coordinator:
