Paleomagnetic aspects of plate tectonics in the Carpatho-Pannonian region

Paleomagnetic data available from the Carpatho-Pannonian region are unevenly distributed. At some places, observations are sporadic, at others the concentration is high. In the latter case it is possible to decide whether the movements indicated are related to plate (microplate) displacements, or are of local significance. The paleomagnetically best-known parts of the Carpatho-Pannonian region belong to the Transdanubian Central Range, to the Cserhát-Mátra-Bükk area and to the Mecsek-Villány zone. Comparison among paleomagnetic data sets, characterizing each of them, reveals fundamental differences, i.e. points to their independent displacements during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. Most of the isolated observations can be tied to one of the above mentioned paleomagnetic units via coeval, mostly late Cretaceous-Cenozoic data. Thus, further subdivision of the Carpatho-Pannonian area, at least in the Cenozoic, does not seem required by available paleomagnetic observations. Received: 3 June 1996 / Accepted: 10 January 1997