Developing plate tectonics theory from oceanic subduction zones to collisional orogens

Crustal subduction and continental collision is the core of plate tectonics theory. Understanding the formation and evolution of continental collision orogens is a key to develop the theory of plate tectonics. Different types of subduction zones have been categorized based on the nature of subducted crust. Two types of collisional orogens, i.e. arc-continent and continent-continent collisional orogens, have been recognized based on the nature of collisional blocks and the composition of derivative rocks. Arc-continent collisional orogens contain both ancient and juvenile crustal rocks, and reworking of those rocks at the post-collisional stage generates magmatic rocks with different geochemical compositions. If an orogen is built by collision between two relatively old continental blocks, post-collisional magmatic rocks are only derived from reworking of the old crustal rocks. Collisional orogens undergo reactivation and reworking at action of lithosphere extension, with inheritance not only in the tectonic regime but also in the geochemical compositions of reworked products(i.e., magmatic rocks). In order to unravel basic principles for the evolution of continental tectonics at the post-collisional stages, it is necessary to investigate the reworking of orogenic belts in the post-collisional regime, to recognize physicochemical differences in deep continental collision zones, and to understand petrogenetic links between the nature of subducted crust and post-collisional magmatic rocks. Afterwards we are in a position to build the systematics of continental tectonics and thus to develop the plate tectonics theory.     

Numerical simulation of Dabie orogenic belt’s tectonic evolution

The influence of hot mantle intrusive body on tectonic stress field and displacement field of Dabie orogenic belt have been analyzed by means of finite element method. Numerical simulations show that the intrusion of hot mantle material leads to an extensional stress state in the upper crust of central Dabie mountains, while compressive stress state appears on both sides of orogenic belt under the action of horizontal compression from Yangtze craton. This is in accordance with the actual faulting tectonics in this area. Possible evolution trend in transition area is discussed, too. Contribution No. 99FE2020, Institute of Geophysics, China Seismological Bureau.     

Numerical simulation of the detachment dynamics in North China Basin

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The mechanical state of the lithosphere in the Altiplano-Puna segment of the Andes

Information about topography, the shape of the geoid, seismicity, Neogene deformation and volcanism in the region of Altiplano-Puna of western South America is used to analyse the state of stress across the convergent plate margin in terms of the effects of topography and simple models of its compensation. An average elevation near 4 km is consistent with compensation by a yet unresolved combination of crustal root and hot uppermost mantle producing a geoid high of 22–27 meters, average horizontal compressive stress (in excess of a reference sea level lithostatic value) of 390 bars in a 150 km thick lithosphere, and an average shear stress of 170 bars along a 30° dipping interplate boundary. The basis for these estimates is evidence for a neutral to extensional stress regime within the high plateau contrasted with a compressional regime on the eastern slopes and along the interplate boundary itself. Comparison with other plateaus in a convergent plate tectonic setting suggests an evolutionary sequence from compressional to extensional tectonics as elevation of the plateau increases.     

Magnetic fabric of Plio-Pleistocene sediments from the Crotone fore-arc basin: Insights on the recent tectonic evolution of the Calabrian Arc (Italy)

Low-field anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) analyses were performed on 532 samples collected in 36 (mostly lower Pliocene to lower Pleistocene) marine clay sites from the Crotone basin, a fore-arc basin located on top of the external Calabrian accretionary wedge. The Crotone basin formed since mid-late Miocene under a predominant extensional tectonic regime, but it was influenced thereafter by complex interactions with NW–SE left-lateral strike-faults bounding the basin, which also yielded post-1.2 Ma ∼30° counterclockwise block rotations. The basin is filled by continental to marine sediments yielding one of the thickest and best-exposed Neogene succession available worldwide. The deep-marine facies – represented by blue-grey marly clays gave the best results, as they both preserved a clear magnetic fabric, and provided accurate chronology based on previously published magnetostratigraphy and calcareous plankton (i.e. foraminifers and nannofossils) biostratigraphy. Magnetic susceptibility range and rock magnetic analyses both indicate that AMS reflects paramagnetic clay matrix crystal arrangement. The fabric is predominantly oblate to triaxial, the anisotropy degree low (<1.06), and the magnetic foliation mostly subparallel to bedding. Magnetic lineation is defined in 30 out of 36 sites (where the e12 angle is <35°). By also considering local structural analysis data, we find that magnetic fabric was generally acquired during the first tectonic phases occurring after sediment deposition, thus validating its use as temporally dependent strain proxy. Although most of the magnetic lineations trend NW–SE and are orthogonal to normal faults (as observed elsewhere in Calabria), few NE–SW compressive lineations show that the Neogene extensional regime of the Crotone basin was punctuated by compressive episodes. Finally, compressive lineations (prolate magnetic fabric) documented along the strike-slip fault bounding the basin to the south support the significance of Pleistocene strike-slip tectonics. Thus the Crotone basin shows a markedly different tectonics with respect to other internal and western basins of Calabria, as it yields a magnetic fabric still dominated by extensional tectonics but also revealing arc-normal shortening episodes and recent strike-slip fault activity. The tectonics documented in the Crotone basin is compatible with a continuous upper crustal structural reorganization occurring during the SE-migration of the Calabria terrane above the Ionian subduction system.     

The history of the Cretaceous environments of the northeastern Asian continental margin, Russia

Abstract The Cretaceous geodynamic and paleogeographic evolution of the northeastern Asian continental margin is summarized in five maps for time-intervals of 115-110, 100-90, 90-85, 85-74 and 70-50 Ma. Four major evolutionary stages are recognized: (i) the moderate extensional tectonic regime and origination of a system of island arcs in the Jurassic-Neocomian stage; (ii) Middle Cretaceous strong collisional and accretional processes resulting in the Asian continent formation in the Barremian-Early Albian stage; (iii) the origination of the subduction-related Okhotsk-Chukotka continental marginal volcanic belt in relation to the newly formed convergent plate boundary in the Late Albian-Senonian stage; and (iv) the next collision accompanied by the extinction of the subduction-related volcanism in the Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene stage (Laramian orogeny) and displayed rift-related processes with the intraplate-type volcanism on the Asian continental margin. Those stages had been established through the whole Pacific ring and had close genetic relationships with mid-ocean ridges tectonic activity.     

Tectonic stress field in East Eurasia

The overall pattern of the recent tectonic stress field in the eastern part of the Eurasian plate is inferred from the geological features of large transcurrent and reverse faults, graben structures and from focal mechanism solutions of shallow earthquakes. NE-SW striking trajectory lines, of maximum horizontal tectonic stress axis (σ Hmax), are estimated at the north of Tibet and mainland China, but its strike turns to easterly near the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate. This suggests that the main origin of the σ Hmax in East Eurasia is due to a compressive stress regime along, the Himalayan belt, Tibet and the Japan Trench (and also the Sakhalin and Nankai Trough). This tectonic stress field seems to provide some influence on the extensional tectonics in the Shansi region, Baikal, and also in the Okinawa Trough where the N-S opening has been confirmed. The systematic view of the tectonic stress field in East Eurasia, makes it possible to appreciate the fundamental background of a number of complicated intra-plate tectonics.     

大陆造山带岩石圈拆沉过程的数值模拟

岩石圈拆沉作用是指部分岩石圈由于重力不稳定性而沉入软流圈中的过程,与造山带的演化密切相关.本文基于非牛顿流体近似的有效黏度模型对岩石圈拆沉的过程进行了数值模拟,着重分析了岩石圈的黏度结构对拆沉作用的影响.数值模拟显示,下地壳控制着地壳与岩石圈地幔的耦合程度,对拆沉作用的过程和形态有很大的影响;在一定的初始重力不稳定性条...     

中国大陆现今地应力场黏弹性球壳数值模拟综合研究

中国大陆现今实测地应力场的状态与板块构造环境、活动断裂带分布、地形地貌以及地壳结构呈现一定相关性. 在中国大陆西缘,印度洋板块与欧亚板块陆发生陆碰撞,在中国大陆东缘,菲律宾海板块、太平洋板块俯冲到欧亚板块之下. 中国大陆内部被大型活动断裂带分割为多个块体,各个块体的地壳结构和厚度呈不均匀分布,地形地貌起伏具有很大的差异. 笔者以中国大陆块体模型为基础,把板块构造作用和重力势作为主要影响地应力状态的两个主要要素,在现今活动构造、GPS和实测地应力等成果的约束下,利用线性黏弹体球壳有限元模拟分析了中国大陆现今地应力场的分布特征和控制因素. 结果表明: (1)构造应力场总体上呈现出西部挤压,东部拉张的特征,印度板块与欧亚板块的持续碰撞形成了青藏高原及其周缘的挤压性质的构造应力场,而东部菲律宾板块与太平洋板块的俯冲形成了黄海、东海和环渤海区域的拉张性质的构造应力场,中间为拉张环境和挤压环境的过渡,最大主应力的方向受到板块构造环境和活动构造分布的控制;(2)重力的影响主要体现在地形梯度大和地壳厚度结构变化大的地壳浅部区域,在藏南、滇西北局部地区的地壳浅部由于受到重力势控制,呈现为张性应力场,在塔里木地区由于重力势引起的应力场与构造应力场同为挤压性质,因此该区的挤压强度得以增加;(3)中国大陆浅部地应力场的状态主要受到区域板块构造环境、块体边界活动构造带的展布和地形的控制,总体上以南北构造带为界,西部以较强的压性构造环境为主,东部为较弱的压性构造环境,藏南和滇西北局部地区存在有张性构造环境;构造应力对地应力的贡献比重随着深度增加而增加;(4)采用黏弹性模型的构造应力场模拟结果比完全弹性模型的模拟结果能够更好地与实测地应力场相吻合,利用完全弹性模型分析由地震等诱发的地应力瞬时变化是有效的;(5)青藏高原东南缘最大主应力方向发生了较大的偏转,其主要控制因素有:印度板块持续的碰撞、中下地壳对上地壳拖曳以及印度板块通过实皆断裂对欧亚板块的剪切拉伸作用. 中国大陆现今地应力场是整个地壳岩石黏弹特性长期演化和断裂活动的结果,是地应力场动态演化过程中在现今时间点上的状态,受到板块构造环境、大陆内部活动断裂分布、地形地貌和地壳结构等因素不同程度的控制,模拟结果为中国大陆地应力场提供了一个定量的参考模型.     

东秦岭造山带莫霍面展布与碰撞造山带深部过程的关系

根据P波走时反演重建的三维速度图像,研究东秦岭造山带莫霍面的展布性态结果表明,在华北板块南缘潼关-登封-阜阳-线、商丹主缝合带北侧卢氏-奕川-方城-信阳-线和扬子板块北缘佛坪-陨西-武当山-枣阳-线莫霍面沿着造山带走向呈带状隆起而介于这三条带间,莫霍面均不同程度地下陷因此,东秦岭造山带在岩石圈缩短方向上莫霍面的展布目前仍然存在着很大的非均一性结合造山带地质、岩石地球化学和同位素年代学综合分析,认为造成莫霍面这一展布格局,主要与该碰撞造山带在不同演化时期各岩石构造单元中发生不同性态的岩石圈-软流圈和壳-幔间物质与能量的相互作用方式不一所造成的大陆动力学过程不同有关加上碰撞期后造山带深部岩石圈均衡在不同岩石构造单元中的差异,形成了东秦岭造山带目前莫霍面的展布。     

Active folding along a rift-flank: The Catania region case history (SE Sicily)

In this paper a new kinematic and dynamic model on the Recent and active contractional deformation of the Catania region, eastern Sicily, is discussed. The study area represents one of the most seismically active region of the Mediterranean, located at the intersection between the front of the Sicily collision belt and the seismogenic Siculo-Calabrian Rift-Zone. The analysed contractional tectonics form an active triangle zone that originated from the tectonic inversion of a Lower-Middle Pleistocene extensional basin, which was located at the northern edge of the African foreland. The triangle zone consists of two antithetic ENE–WSW oriented thrust-ramps that show evidence of motion during the Holocene and bound a folded belt that involves alluvial deposits as young as 40 ka. These contractional structures represent the final product of the positive tectonic inversion of extensional features located, in the Hyblean Plateau in SE Sicily, along the flank of the active rift zone. The Late Quaternary motions along the inverted structures was accommodated to the west by a major N–S oriented left-lateral fault zone, which separates the active contractional domains from the adjacent sectors of the African margin. As a whole, the Late Quaternary contractional tectonics of SE Sicily have been related to a NW-verging crustal stacking, related to a Mantle intrusion beneath the Hyblean Plateau that developed as effect of the rift-flank deformation. The crustal lineaments, which compose the new kinematic model, represents potentially active seismogenic sources that might be considered in the frame of the seismotectonic picture of the Catania region.     

Alpine tectonic evolution of a Jurassic subduction-accretionary complex: Deformation,kinematics and Ar/Ar age constraints on the Mesozoic low-grade schists of the Circum-Rhodope Belt in the eastern Rhodope-Thrace region,Bulgaria-Greece

Deformation of the Circum-Rhodope Belt Mesozoic (Middle Triassic to earliest Lower Cretaceous) low-grade schists underneath an arc-related ophiolitic magmatic suite and associated sedimentary successions in the eastern Rhodope-Thrace region occurred as a two-episode tectonic process: (i) Late Jurassic deformation of arc to margin units resulting from the eastern Rhodope-Evros arc–Rhodope terrane continental margin collision and accretion to that margin, and (ii) Middle Eocene deformation related to the Tertiary crustal extension and final collision resulting in the closure of the Vardar ocean south of the Rhodope terrane. The first deformational event D₁ is expressed by Late Jurassic NW-N vergent fold generations and the main and subsidiary planar-linear structures. Although overprinting, these structural elements depict uniform bulk north-directed thrust kinematics and are geometrically compatible with the increments of progressive deformation that develops in same greenschist-facies metamorphic grade. It followed the Early-Middle Jurassic magmatic evolution of the eastern Rhodope-Evros arc established on the upper plate of the southward subducting Maliac-Meliata oceanic lithosphere that established the Vardar Ocean in a supra-subduction back-arc setting. This first event resulted in the thrust-related tectonic emplacement of the Mesozoic schists in a supra-crustal level onto the Rhodope continental margin. This Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous tectonic event related to N-vergent Balkan orogeny is well-constrained by geochronological data and traced at a regional-scale within distinct units of the Carpatho-Balkan Belt. Following subduction reversal towards the north whereby the Vardar Ocean was subducted beneath the Rhodope margin by latest Cretaceous times, the low-grade schists aquired a new position in the upper plate, and hence, the Mesozoic schists are lacking the Cretaceous S-directed tectono-metamorphic episode whose effects are widespread in the underlying high-grade basement. The subduction of the remnant Vardar Ocean located behind the colliding arc since the middle Cretaceous was responsible for its ultimate closure, Early Tertiary collision with the Pelagonian block and extension in the region caused the extensional collapse related to the second deformational event D₂. This extensional episode was experienced passively by the Mesozoic schists located in the hanging wall of the extensional detachments in Eocene times. It resulted in NE-SW oriented open folds representing corrugation antiforms of the extensional detachment surfaces, brittle faulting and burial history beneath thick Eocene sediments as indicated by 42.1–39.7 Ma ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar mica plateau ages obtained in the study. The results provide structural constraints for the involvement components of Jurassic paleo-subduction zone in a Late Jurassic arc-continental margin collisional history that contributed to accretion-related crustal growth of the Rhodope terrane.     

额尔古纳地块东缘和兴安地块西缘电性结构研究

中国东北地区位于中亚造山带东段,夹持在西伯利亚板块、华北板块和太平洋板块之间,是解决东亚大陆构造演化的关键区域,其中额尔古纳地块和兴安地块位于东北地区西部,是两个十分重要的地质构造单元.横过额尔古纳地块东缘和兴安地块西缘的大地电磁测深剖面揭示了两块体结合带附近的深部电性结构,进而为该区构造演化提供新的电性依据.本文通过对剖面测点数据做标准化处理,并对二维偏离度、构造走向等进行计算与分析,采用非线性共轭梯度(NLCG)算法对TE+TM模式的数据做了二维反演,获得了该剖面的地壳和上地幔电性结构模型,划分出三个典型构造单元:额尔古纳地块东缘、碰撞拼合带和兴安地块西缘.研究结果表明,研究区上地壳基本呈高阻特征,可能为岩浆岩,代表其经历了多期次岩浆作用,而额尔古纳地块东缘和兴安地块西缘中下地壳的高导体反映其地壳非刚性的特点,可能形成于后期伸展环境;拼合带中下地壳存在大范围高导体并与上地幔高导体相连,指示出地幔物质上升的通道,反映出地幔物质的上升作用可能是后期构造伸展的重要动力.     

蒙古-贝加尔裂谷区地壳应变场及其地球动力学涵义

蒙古-贝加尔地区是现今构造最活跃的大陆地区之一,其地壳构造运动及变形对我们理解大陆动力学问题具有重要的科学意义.基于融合的这一区域的GPS速度场,本文计算了该区应变率场和应变能变化率场.结果显示,蒙古褶皱带以南区域表现为NNE-SSW方向的压缩状态,主压应变率约为-2.0×10^-9/a,剪应变及面膨胀均较弱,表明蒙古褶皱带比较稳定.贝加尔裂谷整体处于拉张状态且伴有较强的剪应变和面膨胀,暗示可能有多种机制控制裂谷的张裂过程.蒙古高原西部有两条高应变率的构造带,结合深部存在地幔热柱等证据,我们认为这两条构造带及所围限的区域共同构成Amurian板块的西部边界—一条弥散变形的边界带.蒙古-贝加尔地区剪应变分布与0~40 km的地震活动性基本一致,表明该地区形变在地壳尺度耦合程度较高.地幔对流拖曳力场与主应变轴方向及应变率场的一致性表明,地幔对流可能是蒙古—贝加尔地区区域构造动力学过程主要控制因素之一.     

A subduction channel model for exhumation of oceanic-type high-pressure to ultrahigh-pressure eclogite-facies metamorphic rocks in SW Tianshan,China

High-pressure (HP) and ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogites exposed in collisional orogens are widely regarded to record the history of crustal rocks that were subducted to mantle depths and exhumed back to the surface. Insight into subduction and exhumation processes plays an important role in understanding the nature and evolution of subduction zones, geodynamics and plate tectonics. In contrast to continental-type HP to UHP metamorphic rocks that are dominated by felsic lithology, oceanic-type HP to UHP metamorphic rocks are dominated by mafic eclogites and thus have greater density, and their exhumation needs to overcome large barriers and may involve complicated tectonic processes. The exhumation of HP to UHP rocks is mainly influenced by the internal buoyancy, however, the external tectonic forces (such as channel flow) also act as effective exhumation drivers; in addition, effects of tectonic settings (such as slab rollback and breakoff) should take into account. The HP-UHP metamorphic terrane in Southwestern Tianshan, which mainly comprises of metasediments with interlayered metamafic lenses and blocks, represents a typical accretionary mélange associated with deep subduction of oceanic crust. However, the exhumation mechanisms of these once deeply buried HP-UHP rocks are still under discussion. Based on the field occurrences, petrographic features, peak metamorphic P-T conditions and ages of the eclogites/blueschists and their metasedimentary country rocks, a “sediment-type subduction channel” model is advocated in this study to appraise/decipher the formation and evolution of Southwestern Tianshan HP-UHP metamorphic belt. Poly-cyclic metamorphic eclogites record the multistage burial-exhumation cycling manipulated by convective flow in a channel-like interface between the plates, giving robust evidence for the presence of a subduction channel. In addition, this study summarizes some remaining geotectonic problems and research perspectives concerning the Southwestern Tianshan HP-UHP metamorphic belt.     

青藏高原的现代构造

本文以震源机制、地震地质、地壳和上地幔速度结构等资料为基础,研究了与青藏高原成因有关的现代构造问题。主要内容有:1.高原边缘地带以反映压缩形变的逆断层活动为主,内部以一系列大致平行、呈弧形弯曲的左旋走滑断裂活动为主;2.喜马拉雅山以北的广大地域内存在着北北东走向的水平压应力,从六盘山到红河断裂带的主压应力轴走向由北东逐渐变为南东方向;3.高原地壳和上地幔顶部的地震波速度小于印度次大陆和阿拉善地块;4.高原的现代构造同地壳和上地幔顶部的横向不均匀性和印度洋板块的碰撞挤压作用有关。其构造形变过程可以同机器制造业中的《锻模加工》相比拟。     

Characteristics of mantle degassing and deep-seated geological structures in different typical fault zones of China

Large-scale fault zones play an important role in controlling and adjusting all kinds of geological proc-esses,such as deposition,magmatism,metamorphism,metallogenesis,tectonic stress field,tectonic deforma-tion,even the movement of geological massifs,earth-quakes,and they also are the key to solving geological problems concerned,especially regional and even global structures.Due to their special geological tec-tonic significance,they are one of the main research fields of tectonic geology and …     

Contrasting two types of orogen in Permo-Triassic Japan: Accretionary versus collisional

Abstract Proto-Japan originated from a continental margin of the Neoproterozoic Yangtze (South China) craton. It represents a unique Permo-Triassic tectonic setting in western Panthalassa, where two distinct types of orogenic belt occurred side by side. There was an accretionary orogen between the Yangtze craton and the Proto-Pacific (Farallon) Plate and a collisional orogen between the Sino-Korean (North China) and Yangtze cratons. This article reviews results of the latest on-land geological studies concerning Permo-Triassic tectonics in Japan and proposes a new plate tectonic interpretation as well as a paleogeographic reconstruction of this particularly unique geotectonic regime. Special emphases are given to (i) the accretion processes and products derived by collision-subduction of the Permian Akiyoshi paleoseamount and Maizuru paleo-oceanic plateau; (ii) the field occurrence of 220-Ma Sangun high-P/T schists and its implication for the exhumation process and 'tectonic sandwich' structure; (iii) the extensive development of a subhorizontal nappe of the pre-Jurassic rocks and their bearing on the orogenic edifice; and (iv) the restricted occurrence of the 250-Ma collision complex in the Hida and Oki belts and the relevant connection to the Precambrian cratons and collision suture in East Asia. The newly proposed paleogeographic reconstruction is also tested by faunal provinciality of Permo-Triassic fossils from shallow-water sediments.     

Three-dimensional seismic velocity structure of the Tibetan Plateau and its eastern neighboring areas with implications to the model of collision between continents

Since the collision of Indian subcontinent to Eurasia, a huge quantity of crustal materials from India has been penetrated into the crust or mantle of Eurasia. Investigation of the place, on which those materials have been deposited is a key problem for constructing a model of collision between continents. The results of three-dimensional seismic velocity structure obtained from seismic tomography technique may provide an evidence of the deposit of anomalous materials in the crust and upper mantle of the Tibetan Plateau and its neighboring areas. A detailed analysis of the results from the seismic surface wave tomography has deduced a new model of the continental collision from India to Eurasia. It is compatible to the velocity data obtained from other geological and geophysical observations. The main points of the new model of the continental collision from Indian to Eurasia can be summarized as follows:

1. The Indian crust has been penetrating into the lower crust of Tibetan Plateau, instead of into the uppermost mantle beneath the crust or the asthenosphere of Tibetan Plateau;
2. The surplus materials from the Tibetan lower crust have been squeezed and thrusted into the asthenosphere of its eastern neighboring areas (Qinghai-Sichuan-Yunnan) through the broken Moho;
3. Some hot materials were intruded into the crust from the uppermost mantle in Tibetan Plateau and Sichuan-Yunnan provinces. The intruded hot materials may reach the ground surface (such as the Tibetan Plateau) or a depth about 25 km (such as Sichuan-Yunnan provinces) depending on the different local environmental conditions. The extensional geological structures in those regions are closely related to the intrusion of hot materials.

     

Plastic velocity vector diagrams applied to indentation and transpression in the Alps

Alpine collision tectonics has affected the European Alps for more than 110 Ma and is probably still active today. The cumulative large-scale convergence in the Alps adds up to 1100 km. About 500 km of this convergence can be budgeted by escape tectonics, 300 km by continental and oceanic subduction, and an equal amount by crustal thickening. Considerable uncertainty still exists as to the kinematics of the collision; a transpressive indentation of a more or less rigid “Italy/Adria” block into a deformable European plate appears likely. In recent surveys of horizontal mass transfer in the Alps, as inferred from structural analyses, a dominant westwards directed flow regime has been recognized. Theoretical indentation models have been applied to explain the palaeo-flow field. The flow can be explained by: Case I normal indentation without transpression but a space restriction to the east. A palinspastic space restriction did not exist, on the contrary, remnant oceanic terrain survived longest in the east; Case II dextral transpression with no significant indentation. This would require an age progression of westward flow from the east (oldest) to the west (youngest) which is not observed; and Case III transpressive indentation with a sinistral shear component. This seems to be the most satisfactory solution as it explains large-scale sinistral lineaments, and leaves palinspastic space for the rapid rotation of Corsica and Sardinia.