Geology of the Alps E-Book

O. Adrian Pfiffner

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 586

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

The Alps, with their outstanding outcrop conditions, represent a superb natural laboratory for many geological processes, and have played a crucial role in the history of geology. This book gives an up-to-date and holistic overview of the key aspects of Alpine geology. After a brief presentation of the plate tectonic framework, the rock suites are discussed, starting with the pre-Triassic crystalline basement, followed by Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary sequences. The lithological description of the rock types is supplemented by a discussion of their paleogeographic and plate tectonic contexts. The book goes on to describe the structure of the Alps (including the Jura Mountains and the Alpine foreland to the north and south) illustrated by numerous cross-sections. The evolution of the Alps as a mountain chain incorporates a discussion of the Alpine metamorphic history and a compilation of orogenic timetables. The final sections cover the evolution of Alpine drainage patterns and the region's glacial history. Readership: The book is essential reading for students and lecturers on Alpine courses and excursions, and all earth-scientists interested in the geology of the region.

Leseprobe

CONTENTS

Cover

Title page

Copyright page

Preface

1 The Alps in their Plate Tectonic Framework

1.1 Older Mountain Chains in Europe

1.2 Break-up of Pangaea and Opening of the Alpine Tethys

1.3 The Alpine System in Europe

1.4 Structure of the Alps

References

2 The pre-Triassic Basement of the Alps

2.1 The pre-Triassic Basement in the Black Forest and Vosges

2.2 The pre-Triassic Basement of the External Massifs

External Massifs in the Western Alps

External Massifs in the Central Alps

External Massifs in the Eastern Alps

2.3 The pre-Triassic Basement of the Penninic Nappes

2.4 The pre-Triassic Basement of the Austroalpine Nappes

2.5 The pre-Triassic Basement of the Southern Alps

2.6 Palaeozoic Sediments in the Eastern and Southern Alps

The Palaeozoic in the Carnic Alps

The Palaeozoic of the Greywacke Zone

The Palaeozoic of the Innsbruck Quartz Phyllite

2.7 The Variscan Orogen at the Close of the Palaeozoic

2.8 Post-Variscan Sediments and Volcanics of the Permian

The North Swiss Permo-Carboniferous Trough

The Permo-Carboniferous in the Helvetic Nappe Complex

The Permo-Carboniferous in the Penninic Nappe Complex

The Permo-Carboniferous in the Austroalpine Nappe Complex

The Permo-Carboniferous in the Southalpine Nappe System

References

3 The Alpine Domain in the Mesozoic

3.1 The Mesozoic Rock Suites

The European Continental Margin

Oceanic Arms between the Baltic and Africa

The Adriatic Continental Margin

3.2 Plate Tectonic Evolution

Triassic: Epicontinental Platforms

Jurassic: Opening up of Oceanic Arms

Cretaceous: Opening and Closing of Oceanic Arms

References

4 The Alpine Domain in the Cenozoic

4.1 The Cenozoic Sedimentary Sequences

4.2 Late Cretaceous and Paleogene Flyschs

4.3 Eocene–Oligocene Flyschs

4.4 Oligocene–Miocene Molasse in the Northalpine Foreland Basin

4.5 Oligocene–Pliocene Sediments in The Po Basin

4.6 The Jura Mountains

4.7 Intramontane Basins

4.8 Plutonic and Volcanic Rocks

4.9 Tectonic and Palaeogeographical Evolution

References

5 Tectonic Structure of the Alps

5.1 The Western Alps

The Jura Mountains

The Subalpine Chains of the Dauphinois

The Penninic Nappes and their Contact with the Adriatic Continental Margin

5.2 The Central Alps

The Jura Mountains

The Molasse Basin

The Helvetic Nappe System

The Penninic Nappe System

The Austroalpine Nappe System

The Southalpine Nappe System

5.3 The Eastern Alps

The Molasse Basin

The Helvetic Nappe System

The Penninic Nappe System

The Austroalpine Nappe System

The Southalpine Nappe System and Dolomites

5.4 The Deep Structure of the Alps

References

6 Tectonic Evolution of the Alps

6.1 Alpine Metamorphism

Regional Distribution of Alpine Metamorphism

High-Pressure Metamorphism

Temperature-Dominated Regional Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

6.2 The Cretaceous Orogeny

6.3 The Cenozoic Orogeny

6.4 Uplift and Erosion

References

7 The Latest Steps in the Evolution of the Alps

7.1 Miocene and Pliocene Drainage Patterns

7.2 Pleistocene Glaciations

7.3 Recent Movements and Seismicity

7.4 Rockslides, Creeping Slopes, Erosion by Modern Rivers

References

Index

Stratigraphic timetable

Eula

List of Illustrations

Chapter 01

►

Figure 1.1 Tectonic map of Europe showing mountain ranges coloured according to their age of formation and associated terranes and continents.

Figure 1.2 Plate tectonic evolution of Europe shown in four time slices. Positions of plates are based on Blakey (2008) and Scotese & Sager (1988). A, Appalachians; K, Caledonides; E, Ellesmere orogen; V, Variscan orogen; U, Urals; NAm, North America; SAm, South America.

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Figure 1.3 Geological cross-sections through the Caledonian orogen in Scandinavia and Scotland. In both cases, the crystalline basement is affected by thrusting and is involved in the nappe structure. Transport, however, occurred in opposite directions in Scandinavia and Scotland.

► Figure 1.4 Geological cross-section through the Variscan orogen in central Europe. The crystalline basement is affected by thrusting and involved in the nappe structure. But the transport directions on either side of the orogen are opposite.

Figure 1.5 The break-up of Pangaea shown in three time slices. Positions of plates are based on Blakey (2008) and Scotese & Sager (1988). Grl, Greenland; It, Italy; Gr, Greece; Tu, Turkey; SAm, South America; Wr, Wrangellia; Mex, Mexico.

Figure 1.6 Plate reconstruction for the Berriasian (ca. 145 million years ago), simplified after Wortmann et al. (2001). The Ligurian (Li)–Piemont (Pi) Ocean stretches between the microcontinents of Iberia and Adria. It is disrupted by a transform fault and continues as the Penninic (Pe) Ocean between the Briançon and Austroalpine continental fragments. Narrow basins, the Vocontian (Vo) and Valais (VS) straddle the southern margin of the European continent. Cors-Sard, Corsica–Sardinia continental fragment.

Figure 1.7 Plate reconstruction for the Barremian (ca. 125 million years ago), simplified after Wortmann et al. (2001). The Ligurian–Piemont Ocean is now wider and aligned with the Penninic Ocean. Similarly, the Southalpine and Austroalpine domains are now aligned. Cors-Sard, Corsica–Sardinia continental fragment; Vo, Vocontian basin; VS, Valais basin.

Figure 1.8 The tectonic plates in the present-day Alpine system. Open arrows with velocities (mm/a) show the direction of plate motions, simple arrows indicate directions of thrusting within the Alpine orogens. Double arrows denote areas of extension and opening of ocean basins.

▲ Figure 1.9 Digital elevation model of the Alps and neighbouring areas. Within the Alps, major valleys running parallel and across the orogen are clearly discernable. Large lowland areas lacking relief stretch across the foreland of the Alps. They correspond to the Rhine Graben in the north, the Bresse–Rhone Graben in the west, the Po Basin in the south and the Pannonian Basin in the east.

► Figure 1.10 Simplified tectonic map of the Alps and their foreland. The Jura Mountains, and Dauphinois–Helvetic nappe system are part of the European continental margin, the Austroalpine and Southalpine nappe systems represent the Adriatic margin. The Penninic nappe system in between is derived from the Valais basin, the Briançon microcontinent and the Penninic Ocean. Two tectonic windows (inliers) in the Engadin and Tauern prove that the Penninic and Helvetic nappes have a subsurface continuation towards the east. On the other hand, klippen (outliers) of Austroalpine units at the transition between the Central and Western Alps indicate the former extension of the Austroalpine nappes towards the west. A, B and C indicate the locations of the cross-sections shown in Fig. 1.11.

▲ Figure 1.11 Three schematic cross-sections through the Western, Central and Eastern Alps based on geological and geophysical data. The upper crust in these cross-sections is shortened considerably by thrusting and folding, whereas the lower crust and lithospheric mantle show a much simpler structure. Locations of the cross-sections are shown in Fig 1.10.