TECTONICS, VOL. 13, NO.
1, PAGES 78-88, FEBRUARY 1994
Extensionversuscompressionduring the Miocene tectonic
evolution of the Betic chain. Late folding of normal
fault systems
Ana Crespo-Blanc,Miguel Orozco and Victor Garc/a-Duefias
Departamentode Geodin•.mica,InstitutoAndaluzde GeologfaMediterr•nea, ConsejoSuperiorde Investigaci6n
Cientfficaand Universidadde Granada,Granada,Spain
Abstract.The westernmost partof theMediterranean Alpine
Belt is represented
by theBetic-Riforogenicbelt,aroundthe
Gibraltar Arc, which in turn surroundsthe Alboran Basin. In
theBeticChain,earlyandmiddleMiocenecrustalthinningof
the Alboran basementis well established,as extensionallow-
anglenormalfaultsanddetachment faults,developedin both
ductileandbrittleconditions,thinneda previouslythickened
crust. In the Alboran Domain of the central Betics, two main
extensionalepisodesareevidenced: a Langhianone,witha
north-northwestward transportdirection,followedby a west-
southwestward extension,Serravallianin age.Thereforeall the
unitsheretoforeconsidered to be thrustnappesare,in reality,
extensionalunitsboundedby low-anglenormalfaults.The
corticalsegmentstudiedformedthebasementof theMiocene
AlboranBasin,in whichprogressively deeperbasementunits
werecoveredby youngermarinesedimentsasa resultof
extensionaldenudation processes. The ageof thesesediments
clearlydatesthefaulting.The extensional evolutionduringthe
Mioceneis muchmorecomplexthanthepastmodelssuggest.
DuringtheupperMiocene,theseextensional systemswere
foldedas theresultof a compressive regime,whichallowed
themto be well exposed.Compression in theGibraltarArc is
nearly
contemporaneous
withextension,
andthe'westward
migrationof the compression
throughits footwallis related
with theextensionalspreading.
INTRODUCTION
The westernmost partof theMediterranean AlpineBelt is
representedby theBetic-Riforogenicbelt linkedby the
GibraltarArc, whichsurrounds theAlboranBasin(Figure1).
In theBeticChain,earlyandmiddleMiocenecrustalthinning
of theAlboranbasement by extensional low-anglenormal
faultsanddetachment faults,developedin ductileandbrittle
conditions,
is well established[BalanyfiandGarcia-Duefias,
1987; Garcia-Duefiaset al. 1988; Galindo-Zald•varet al., 1989;
Garcia-Duefias
et al., 1992].Thesefaultsthinneda previously
thickenedcrust,thepresent-daygeometryof theunitcontacts
beingmainlyextensional. Offshore,theriftingprocessesand
sedimentation of the Alboran Basin are related with these
episodes[Comaset al., 1992].
Copyright1994 by the AmericanGeophysicalUnion.
Paper number93TC02231.
0278-7407/94/93TC02231510.00
In thispaperwe showthata Langhianextensional episode,
with a north-northwestward transport
direction,followedby a
west-southwestward oneSerravallianin ageaffectedthecentral
partof theBeticChain.The geometryandrelatedstructures are
described,asis theirrelationship
with synriftingandpostrifting
sediments. Theseextensional systemswerecoveredby middle
to upperMiocenemarinedepositsbelongingto theAlboran
Basin.Finally, theywerefoldedandfaultedastheresultof a
compressive regimefrom lateMioceneonwards,whichallowed
themto be well exposed.Thesefindingscontributeto a better
understandingof the extensionalkinematicevolutionof the
centralpart of the AlboranDomainandillustratethe
developmentof rifting processes. Our dataconfirmthatin the
studied area all the units, heretoforeconsideredto be thrust
nappesdevelopedduringbrittleconditions,areactually
extensional rider fans.
TECTONIC SETTING
Within theBetic-Riforogenicbelt,threepre-Miocene
tectonicdomainscanbe differentiated(Figure1):
1. The SouthIberianandMaghrebianmargins,outcropping
in southernSpainandnorthernAfricarespectively,consisting
of autochthonousandparautochthonous nonmetamorphic
MesozoicandTertiarycoveroverlyinga Hercynianbasement.
2. The FlyschTroughunitsunderlainby oceanicor very
thinnedcontinentalcrust[Biju-Duvalet al., 1978; Dercourtet
al., 1986].
3. The AlboranDomain[BalanyfiandGarcia-Duefias, 1988]
consistingmainlyof threenappecomplexesof variable
metamorphic gradewhicharefrombottomto top,theNevado-
Filabride,theAlpujarrideandtheMalaguidecomplexes(Figure
1).
The stratigraphic
sequences withintheNevado-Filabride and
theAlpujarrideunitsareroughlycomparable: thesimplified
standardsectionconsists of a metapeliticpre-Permian
basement, a Permo-Triassic metapelitic-psammitic sequence,
andmiddleto upperTriassiccarbonate rocks.The alpine
metamorphismshowsevolutionfrom a high-pressure
metamorphicevent,originatedduringa first crustalstacking,
which affectsbothNevado-Filabride[Nijhuis, 1964;Puga,
1976]andAlpujarridecomplexes[Goff• et al., 1989;Tubiaand
Gil-Ibarguchi,1991;Azafionet al., 1992], followedby an
almostisothermalpressuredecrease, recentlyattributedto
crustalthinningrelatedwith a subsequent extensional
episode
[Garcia-Duefiaset al., 1988;Balany•et al., 1993].Thisepisode
is revealedonlyby thep-T-t pathandassociated mineral
 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:MioceneTectonicEvolutionof BeticChain 79

3o3• 3øOO' 2 o 30'

[•--• Pliocene
toRecent •H]]]]Malaguide
Complex

--__ •i•Upper
Upper
Serravallian
Upper (?)
-Upper
Langhian- Miocene
•• Lower
Serravallian
Aquitanian
-Lower
Burdigalian Upper
Units
MiddleAlpujarride
Units
Complex
Units
GRANADA
• ICalcareous
I
Subbetic
Units
(South
Chain
Iberian
Units
margin)
• Upper
Units
LowerUnitsNevado-Filabride
Complex
'.
..

• FilabresFault System • ContraviesaFault System Late Fault

_ _

NEV

, ,

ALMERIA -ß

S•BALEARIC
BASIN

Adra

AFRICAN FORELAND
A L BORAN SEA

3o30' 3000'
0 20 km
;.:•
.,,..Alboran
Domain
• South
Iber,an
Dom
Flysch Trough IVlaghrebmn
Dom

Fig. 1. Tectonicmap showingthe low-anglenormalfaults(LANF) andextensionaldetachmentfaultsin

thecentralBetics(according
to Garc/a-Duefias
et al. [1992],Azafionet al. [1993]andowndata).
MovementsensealongtheLANF: shortarrows,Contraviesa NormalFaultSystem;longarrows,
FilabresNormalFault System;SA, AlhamillaSierra;SL, Ltijar Sierra.

assemblages togetherwith theapproximation of metamorphic accordingto Comaset al. [ 1992] themultichannelseismicdata

isogrades.Thisfirstpre-Mioceneextensionaleventis followed showthattheriftingevolutionwasinterrupted beforetheend
by north-vergentfoldingandnappestacking[Soto,1991; of lateTortonian,andthata compressionalstagecharacterizeda
Balanyfi,1991]thatproduced a second crustalthickeningevent. roughlyN-S compressional settingfrom thelatestTortonianto
By contrast,theoverlyingMalaguideunits,composed of Recent.
discontinuous seriesfromSilurianto Oligocene,have
undergone verylow grademetamorphism. MALAGUIDE AND ALPUJARRIDE EXTENSIONAL
In the Gibraltar Arc, the so-calledGibraltar Thrust limits the UNITS
AlboranDomainandpostdates itspolyphase thruststack.The
out-of-sequence westwardmigrationof thethrusting throughits The uppermost tectonicelementin thestudiedregionis the
footwallbeganin thelowerMioceneandled to thecollisionof Malaguide complex, represented by smallandscatteredoutcrops
theFlyschTroughunitswith boththe SouthIberianandthe (Figure2) of detriticrocks(redsandstones, greyphyllitesand
Maghrebian margins[BalanyfiandGarc/a-Duefias, 1988; conglomerates withroundedquartzpebbles)of assumed both
Balanyfi,1991].Nearlyat thesametime(earlyandmiddle PaleozoicandPermo-Triassic age.Northof SierraNevada,
Miocene[Garcia-Duefias et al., 1992]),riftingandcrustal threeMalaguideimbrications appear(Figure1). Wherethe
thinningaffectedthewholeAlboranDomain.Finally,the Malaguidecomplexis fully developed, thepreserved thickness
developed extensional
detachments werefaultedandfolded: reaches1.5km (beddingusedassurface reference[Garcia-
sincethelateTortonianupto Pliocene,theAlboranSearegion Duefiaset al., 1992]),andoverliestheupperAlpujarrideunits.
hasbeenundercontinuous N-S to NW-SE compression, ashas A variablenumberof tectonicunits,differingfromone
beendemonstrated by structural studies[De Larouzi•reet al., traverseto anothercropoutwithintheAlpujarridecomplex
1988;Sanzde Galdeano,1990;Rodriguez-Fern•dez et al., (Figures1 and2). According to theclassification
givenonthe
1990],focalmechanism analysis[HatzfeldandFrogneux, geologicalmapof Andalucfa[Juntade Andalucia,1985],based
1981;Bufornet al., 1988]andplatetectonics framework on stratigraphic,
metamorphic andstructural
criteria,these
(convergent motionof AfricanandIberianplates[e.g.,Dewey unitshavebeendividedintothreegroups:
et al., 1989;Srivastavaet al., 1990]). In the AlboranBasin, 1. The lowerAlpujarridenappes,
representedin thestudied
80 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:MioceneTectonicEvolution
of BeticChain

3ow

0 2•rn

I
Adra
unit [• Pliocene-to-Recent
•
•
Late
normal
fault
Serravallian LANF
Phyllite
unit '-•"-• Upper
Miocene • LanghianLANF
Martas
unit q.•.• Tortonian ..... Unconformity
AIc,f•zar
unit .•'• Serravallian • x Syncline
LtJjarunit • Malaguide
unit o v* Anticline
13ow

Fig. 2. Simplifiedgeologicalmapof theBerjaarea(according to Orozco[1972],Aldayaet al. [1983]and

own data).LANF: Low-anglenormalfault. MovementsensealongtheLANF: shortarrows,Langhian
LANF belongingto theContraviesaNormalFault System(CNFS); long arrows,SerravallianLANF
belongingto theFilabresNormalFault Systemor reactivationof theCNFS faultsduringthe
Serravallian.Dip symbol:mainfoliationor bedding.Dip numberindicatestensof grades.Stereographic
plots:solidcircle,poleof LANF surface;opencircle,associated striae;cross,late striaeoverthe same
plane;square,beddingplane;star,fold axe.I-I' andII-II': cross- sectionsof Figure3.

areaby theLfijar nappe[Orozco,1972] (Figure2), areof very 3. The higherAlpujarridenappesarerepresented

low to low grade,andshowa thickcarbonatesuccession dated
asMiddle to UpperTriassic[Kozuret al., 1985] overlying
undatedphyllitesandmetaquartzites attributedto Permo-
Triassicage.
2. The middleAlpujarridenappes,represented in thestudied
areaby theAlcfizarandMurtasnappes[Aldaya,1969],from
bottomto top (Figure2). The Cfistarasnappe,betweenthe
AlcfizarandMurtasnappes,cropsoutonly in thewesternpart
of thearea(cross- sectionA of Figure8). The sequence of
phyllites,metaquartzites
andcarbonate rocksis similarto that
of thelower Alpujarridenappe.In theMurtasnappe,a pre-
Permianschistandmetaquartzite sequence is represented.
Within eachtectonicunit,the metamorphic gradeincreases
from top to bottom,reachingmediumgrade.
by theAdra
nappe,previouslyattributedto themiddleAlpujarridecomplex
[Juntade Andalucfa,1985]butwhichis affectedby high-grade
metamorphism[Cuevas,1988; Tubfaet al., 1992].
As proposedby TubfaandCuevas[ 1986]andCuevaset al.
[1986], in theAlpujarridecomplexthestackingof thenappes
would be related with a f'mstNE or ENE-directed
synmetamorphic ductilethrusting,followedby anotherepisode
of thrusting,this time in brittle conditionsand N to NW
directed.Nevertheless, it hasbeenrecentlydemonstrated that
manyof thethrustsdescribed by theseauthorsareextensional
structures[e.g.,Garc/a-Duefias andBalanyfi,1991;Garcia-
Due•aset al., 1992].Betweenbothepisodes, E-W trending
north-vergent recumbent foldsformed[Balanyfiet al., 1987;
SimancasandCampos,1988;Camposand Simancas,1989].
 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:Miocene
Tectonic
The stackingof high-grademetamorphicunitsoverless
metamorphiconescouldbe relatedwith theselarge-scale
recumbent folds.
In thispaperwe will showthat in the Contraviesaregion
(southof SierraNevada(Figure1)) theepisodewith a north-
northwestward transportdirectionmustbe reinterpreted as
extensional. Not thrustnappes,but ratherlow-anglenormal
faultsdeveloped,drasticallythinningthepreviousAlpujarride
nappestack.Thustheterm "nappe"for theunitsdefinedin the
Alpujamdecomplexof thisareais misused,as theyare
actuallyextensionalunitsseparated by low-anglenormalfaults
belongingto the so-calledContmviesaNormal Fault System
(CNFS). Nevertheless,as these"nappes"havebeenwell
differentiatedby previousauthors,thenameof thedefined
"nappes" is conserved for theextensional units.
Accordingto Garcfa-Duefias et al. [1992],thelistticfaultsof
the CNFS coalesce to form a sole detachment labeled the Tur6n
extensionaldetachmentfault. The mostimportantgeometric
featuresrelatedwith theseextensionalprocessesarethe
substractivecharacterof thelow-anglestructures
andthesevere
thinningand evendisappearance of someof the units.These
omissions occuralongfaultrockbandsdevelopedunderbrittle
conditions.The CNFS belongsto the Miocenecrustalthinning
eventevidencedin theAlboranDomainandis sealedby upper-
Langhian(?)-Serravallian conglomerates[Garcfa-Duefias
et al.,
1992].
This extensionalsystemwasfollowedby theFilabres
extensionalsystem[Garcfa-Duefias et al., 1992],with a west-
southwestward to southwestwardtransport direction.Its sole
extensional
faultzoneis a spectaculardetachment includingthe
current contact between the Nevado-Filabride and the
Alpujarridecomplexes(Figure1) (the"Filabresdetachment" of
Garcia-Duefias andMart/nez-M•tfnez [1988].It is sealedby
lowerTortoniansedimentsin SierraAlhamillaanddeveloped
duringSerravallian.
The recentlydemonstrated
existenceof recumbent foldsand
thesubsequent developmentof extensionaldetachments leading
to the omission of entire former units were not known when
theAlpujarridetectonicunitsweredefinedin theearly 1970s.
Hence correlations between units and the attributions of a
lithologicalensembleto a specificunit mustbe considered
with caution and call for revision.
MIDDLE TO UPPER MIOCENE SEDIMENTS
Two Neogenebasinsoccupytheareasouthof SierraNevada:
the Ug/jar basin,alignedin an E-W direction(Figure 1) and
filled with upperLanghian-Serravallian to Holocenedetrital
sediments[Rodriguez-Fernandez et al., 1990],anda smallbasin
NNW of Berja (Figure2), generallyattributedto lateMiocene
[Aldayaet al., 1983].Two serieshavebeendatedin thisarea,
althoughtheyhavenot yetbeendescribed in detail.
The lower seriesin theBerjaBasinis formedby a thick
sequence (morethan1 km) of conglomerates of Alpujarride
materials,andexceptionallyof Malaguidematerials(e.g.,
Cretaceous limestonepebblewith Globotruncana), with some
intercalations of yellowcalcareous
marlsandgreenor grey
lutiteswith gypsum.At present,the oldestdatedsampleis of
lateLanghian(?)-Serravallian age,andtheupperpartof this
conglomeratic sequenceshowsTortonianfaunalassociations
Evolution
of BeticChain 81
(E. Mayoral, oral communication,1992). An unconformable
seriesof yellowcalcareous marls,with somegypsumand
numerousOstreasshowslate Tortonianto Messinianfauna
Mayoral, oral communication,1992) andoverliesthe
conglomeratic sequence (Figure2). The unconformity between
thetwo sequences is thereforeintra-Tortonian
andcouldbe
correlatedto the well-documented unconformityat thebaseof
thelateTortoniansediments observedthroughout all theBetic
Chain[Rodriguez-Femfindez andSanzde Galdeano,1992],and
whichis alsorepresented offshore,in theAlboranBasin[Jurado
and Comas, 1992].
LATE MIOCENE FOLDING
Two mainbasementanticlinesalongwhichtheNevado-
Filabrideunitsappearboundedby extensional detachment with
Alpujarrideunitsas the hangingwall canbe observed(Figure
1): the Contraviesaanticline, whosealignmentis E-W from
the Sierra de Gridor area to Sierra Alhamilla, and the Sierra
Nevada - Los Filabres anticline. From east to west, the
direction of the latter varies from WNW-ESE to E-W. The axes
of bothanticlinesplungeslightlyto the east.The Ugfjar
NeogeneBasinrepresents a pinchedsynclinebetweenthetwo
anticlines.In SierraAlhamilla,Weijermarset al. [1985]dated
the Contraviesa anticline as late Tortonian close to the
Messiniantime boundary,becauseMessiniansediments are
separated from thefoldedbasement andtheTortonian
sedimentary sequence by an angularunconformity.This event
is relatedwith the generalN-S to NW-SE compression of the
Alboranregionfrom early Tortonianto Pliocene.NE-SW
trendingsmall-scale foldsassociated with thisepisodeaffected
theextensionalsystemsandtheMiocenesediments. In
addition,NW-SE trendingfoldsalsoappearin the studiedarea,
perpendicular to theNE-SW ones.The axial tracesof themain
foldsareindicatedin Figure2. Althoughtheypostdate
extension,thefoldsarediscussed firstbecause theymodifythe
low-anglenormalfaultsanddetachment faultgeometries.
The two almostorthogonalcross- sectionsI-I' and II-II'
(Figure3) showthe geometryof thesefolds,of kilometricto
metricscale.The competence differencebetweentheLtijar unit
limestones and theAlcfizarunitphyllitesprobablycausedthe
"mullionstructure" shapeof thefoldsperpendicular to thefolds
whoseaxesvary betweenNNW-SSE andWNW-ESE. The
photographin Figure4 wastakenat the northeastern limb of
the centralanticlineof cross- sectionI-I' of Figure3 and
showsminorNNW-SSE trendingfoldsmarkedby a low-angle
normalfault surface;giventhatherethe associated fault striae
have the sameinclination and directionas the fold axis, their
geometryis not modified(seestereoplotin Figure4). An
exampleof a NE-SW fold drawnby a low-anglenormalfault is
shownin stereoplotof Figure 2. In this case,as the fold axis is
subhorizontal andsubperpendicularto theassociatedstriae,
only thestriaedip changes.
On a kilometricscale,theNeogenesediments appearin a
topographic low (Figure2) whichcorresponds to a basin
structure(type 1 of Ramsay's[ 1967]fold interference).Figure
3 showsits geometryrespectivelyalongNW-SE andNE-SW
directions.From onepart to anotherof the synclineof cross-
sectionII-II', the middleto upperMiocenesedimentsshowa
greatdifferencein thickness. Thiscouldbe tentatively
82 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:Miocene
Tectonic
Evolution
of BeticChain

-lSW-, ',•._. _ ,•.•5S -•øøø

•_
NW-
SE~Ma
•_ • •• ,• I 1000.

M0rtas
unit"•:•
Upper
Miocene
Alc•zarunit
Lfijarunit --LANF Tortonian
Serravallian •
Latenormal
fault
Unconformity

Fig. 3. SecdonsacrosstheBerjaarea,perpendicularto eachof theupperMiocenefold trend.Locationon

Figure2. The verticalarrowindicatestheintersection
linebetweenbothcross- sections.Openandsolid
circlesindicatemotionawayfromandtowardstheobserver, respectively.

explainedby a synsedimentary Serravalliannormalfault with a sometimesspectacular striaeandgrooves (Figure4), developed

westwarddippingcomponent. The middleto upperMiocene alongthefaultsurface. Not rarely,layersof a carbonate breccia
sedimentswould showan onlapunconformity(Figure3). The appearalongthefault.Thesemay reacha few metersin
twodirectionsof fold axesarealsoobserved in theupper thickness.
Elements in thebrecciaareangularto subrounded,
Tortonianto Messiniansediments (stereoplot2 of Figure2). In theircomposition beingrelatedto thatof therocksof thefoot
thisdiagram,thestratification
polesarebroadlyconcentrated andof thehangingwall. Thistypeof breccia,sometimes
alonga greatcircleof NW-SE axes,althoughNE-SW folds laminated,is very similarto therauwackesof Leine [1968],
were also observed on a small scale in the field. whichareusuallyobserved alongtheboundary between the
A densitydiagramof all themeasured or calculatedfold axes Nevado-Filabride andtheAlpujarride complexes (Figure1)
in theregionis presentedin Figure5. A maximumof NE-SW [Leine,1968].Similarrockshavebeenfoundalongtheother
fold axesappears,while theNW-SE fold axesaremore LANF makingup theCNFS. Hencetheoriginof theserocks
scattered,
sometimeshavinga higherinclinationandshowing mustbeconnected withthedetachment development andhasno
two maxima.Kinksareinfrequentlyassociated with theNW- relationship
withtheolderthrusting episode(asfavored by
SE foldswhentheyappearin themiddleto upperMiocene Leine[1968])norwithan "intraorogenic" depositof
sediments.This couldreflectthe chronologyof thesefolds,the sedimentary character assuggested by Pugaet al. [e.g.,1984,
NE-SW onesbeingthe mostrecent.The wide distributionof 1992].
theaxesandthelimiteddataset,however,makeit impossible Thedirectionof thestriaeassociated
withtheLANF planes
to obtain a better characterization of the kinematics and belonging
to theCNFSis shownby thearrowsof Figures1
geometryof the folds. and2 (eacharrowrepresentinga meanof 5 to 10
measurements), andthestereoplots
of Figures2 and4. As the
foldaxesaresubparallel
or subperpendicular
to thestriae
• CONTRAVIESA NORMAL FAULT SYSTEM direction,evenwhentheplanesof theextensionalfaultare
folded,nomajorchangecanbe seenin theazimuthof the
A careful revision of the boundaries between units was carded associated striae. Most of the striae are NW-SE to N-S
out in orderto determinethegeometryandkinematicsof the oriented,witha NNW-SSEmaximum.S-cshaped structures
tectoniccontacts.The studyof fault-rockbandsandshearsense with striaeon thec surfaces
Calmond"structures), trailsof
chteriatogetherwith theevaluationof unitandsequence crushed pebbles,dragfoldsin phyllites,roughfoliationin the
omissions showthatmanyof thecontactsformerlyconsidered fault rocks and associatedmicrofaults have been usedto unravel
as thrustshave, in fact, an extensional character. thekinematics
of thecontacts.
Thesecriteriaclearlyindicatea
In thefootwallof thelowermostfault planeof the top-to-NNW movement.
ContraviesaNormal Fault System,theTur6n detachmentfault Cross- sections
A to D of Figure6, orientated
subparallel
to
of Garcia-DueQas et al. [1992],theinvertedphyllitesand thetransport
directionillustrate
thelow-anglegeometry
andthe
carbonaterocksof theLtijar unit cropout [Simancasand substractivecharacterof the contacts,which thin the unitsor
Campos,1988], while in the hangingwall of the highestfault evenomitthem.Thebedding,mainfoliationor schistosity
observedin theregion,theLlanosde Chininlow-anglenormal werepreferentially
usedaskey surfaces.Thepresent
positionof
fault,very scattered
outcropsof PaleozoicandPermotriassic thelow-anglenormalfaults,dippingto theSSEbut with a
detridcmaterialof theMalaguidecomplexarepreserved (Figure northnorthwestward
transport
direction
(thereason
whythey
2). Betweenthefloordetachment andthehighestlow-angle havebeenmisinterpreted
as thrusts)is dueto thedescribed
normalfault of the CNFS, severallow-anglenormalfaults folds.
(LANF), widelydeveloped in thestudiedarea,stronglythinned Listticfansandhigh-extension geometries suchashorsesand
thepreviouslyformedAlpujarrideandMalaguidenappestack, detached riders[Gibbs,1984]arewell represented in cross
with a northnorthwestward transportdirection.The brittle sectionD. The listticcharacterof thelow-anglenormalfaults
natureof thecontactsis evidencedby breccias,gougesand is inferredby the openingof the units,limited by the faults,
 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:Miocene
Tectonic
Evolution
of BeticChain 83

towardstheSSE andthetiltingof thekey surfaces.In their be observedin the westernpartof cross- sectionC (between
presentposition,the foliationsare steeperthanthe low-angle the Murtasand Alcfizarunits).
normalfaultsin all thecross- sections.Someout-of-sequence In someplaces,a smallbandof phyllitesappearsbetweenthe
faultscut previousones,creatinga "chaosstructure"[Wernicke schists of the Adra unit and the limestones of the Murtas unit
andBurchfiel,1982].A neutralgeometryof a faultsurfacecan (Figure2 andcross- sectionII-II' of Figure3). They may
representa detachedrideror, if thesephyllitesbelongedto the
uppermostunit, the stronglystretchedinvertedlimb of the
Adra unit (pre-PermianschistsoverPenno-Triassicphyllites).
The phyllitebandsuggesta relic of recumbentfold, suchas
thosedescribed by Simancas andCampos[ 1988].
The cross- sectionsof Figure6 clearlydemonstrate the
strongthinningof the Alpujarrideunitsin thisregion.The
thicknessmeasuredperpendicularly to the low-anglenormal
faults which limit each unit, and which is sometimesreduced
....

to a few hundredmetersor less,stronglycontrastswith the

thickness calculatedwith thefoliationkey surface(around4 km
for theMurtasor Adra unit). In cross- sectionD of Figure6,
partof themiddleandall thehigherAlpujarrideunitshave
disappeared andtheMalaguidecomplexliesdirectlyovera very
thinnedMurtasunit. A thinningof at least15 km dueto the
CNFS is a reasonable omission estimation.

....
•...
The lateLanghian(?)-Serravallian conglomerates of theBerja
•..
.....
Basin(Figure2 andcross- sectionC andD of Figure6), and
conglomerates andyellowmarlsof theUgfjar Basin(2 km SW
of Ugfjar [Rodriguez-Fernandez et al., 1990])clearlysealthe
described extensionalepisode.Thesesediments weredeposited
on an extendingplateauof detachmentfaults.This meansthat
theypostdatethe endof the fault systemactivity,which
developedduringLanghianandprobablylateBurdigalian.
NNW of SierraNevada,thecontacts betweenAlpujarride
units(Figure 1) showgenerallyextensionalsouthto
southeastward transportdirection[Garcfa-Duefias et al., 1992].
As a consequence of thisfault system,the higherAlpujarride
unitsshowtilted horseandrollovergeometries[Garcia-Duefias
.. .,.::•.
; andNavarro-Vilfi, 1976]. This fault systemandthe CNFS are a
... . . .....
ß......•{:
.
':.,....:
,.
,,::•.
. . •".:.
: NNW-SSE conjugatesystem[Garcia-Duefias et al., 1992],as
bothare sealedby Serravalliansediments (northwestof Sierra
Nevada[Garcfa-Duefias andNavarro-Vilfi,1976]).The effectsof
theirrelationshipcanbe observedin the westernpartof Sierra
Nevada,wheretheLfijar unitdisappears.
.,
•:•. ..

.•.•.
..•,
,•..•:•::•::•..•::,•.•.:•½:.•::..•::::•::•::.;•:.,:.
.. .

ß
. ...............................................
•.'.•:
..........................
.?.•................

Fig. 4. Photographs showinga foldedextension• fault surface

•d •e •-dk•d sffiaein the samelocality.The til•ng of
the foliationof the hanging.wallphylliteswi• resp•t to •e
fault s•face indica• a no• fault wi• movement tow•
ß e rightsideof thephoto•aph •. The star,plot Fig. 5. Equal-areadensityplot of all thefold axesmarkedby
co•es•nds to •e sine 1oc•ity (samesym•ls asFibre 2). low-anglenormalfault or beddingplanesmeasuredin the
Uggj• - Berjaroad(C331, Km24.3•). studiedregion.N=27. Contours,1%, 3% and 5%.
84 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:Miocene
Tectonic
Evolution
of BeticChain

(• NNW-SSE

__

u•,
l .<.u• {• NNW-SSE

•b
Fit. 6. G•me•y of theCon•aviesaNo• FaultSystem,fromcross- sections
p•allel [o thefault
movement•rection. •e dips(foliadon•d low-•le no• faul0 haveb•n c•culat• with •e
verticalscaleexa[[eradon.•, Mala[uideunit;AD, A•a unit;M, Murks unit;A, Alc•z• unit;C,
C•as unit;L, LQj• unit;c, C•nate r•ks; p, phyllites;b, biotiteschis•;[, [•et schis•;s,
sillim•ite schists.

RELATION TO THE FILABRES EXTENSIONAL SYSTEM detachment), whichis deeperthantheTur6ndetachment (sole

fault of theCNFS). Somearguments showthattheCNFS
Faultsurfaces
belongingto theCNFSarecutby other predates theFilabressystem, asseemstobeconfirmed by the
normalfaultsassociatedwithlaterextensionalsystems.
These generalSerravallian orTortonianagesof thesediments sealing
low-to-highanglefaultshavea variablestrike,butgenerally therespective low-anglenormalfaultsystem.
dipto thewest.Westsouthwest to southwestward hanging
wall Along theLANF of the CNFS, laterstriaehavebeen
movements are inferred from striae directions.
observed, demonstrating thereactivation of thesameplanes
A typicalexampleof a low-anglenormalfaultsystemona duringanotherepisode. According to thearrowsof Figures1
small- scalewitha westsouthwestward
transport
direction,
has and2 andthestereoplots of Figures2 and4 (crosses), these
been observedin the Murkasunit, in an intercalationof laterstriaerangebetweenNNE-SSW to NE-SW, with the
phyllitesandmetaquartzites in theTriassiclimestones (Figure hangingwall havingmovedsouthsouthwest to southwestward.
7). ThisENE-WSWextension clearlyillustrates
thegeometry Thismovement is probablyassociated withthelow-angle fault
of a low-angle normalfaultsystem andsuggests whatcould systemof Figure7. In addition,uponapproaching theFilabres
controlthedistribution of lithologicalformations andunitson detachment, thelow-anglenormalfaultsbetweenthe
a largescale.Coalescent low-anglenormalfaults,conjugate Alpujarrideunitsshowthesamesenseanddirectionof
faultsandtiltingof thefoliationandprevious faultsurfaces
are movementastheFilabresdetachment (Figure1): theNNW-
observedin thislocality.We postulatethatthiswest- directedstriaehavebeenobliterated by thewestsouthwestward
southwestward systemis relatedto theFilabresextensional movement, whichreactivated previousweakened planes.
system:it has the sametransportdirectionand is situatedin the Theexistence of twosuperimposed normalfaultsystems
hangingwall of its soleextensional
fault zone(Filabres withroughlyorthogonal senseof transport explains manyof
 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:Miocene
Tectonic
Evolution
Fig. 7. Detail of a low-anglenormalfault serialdevelopment(Murtasphyllites).The foliationandthe
faultsdevelopedduringthefirststagesof theextension
road (C331, Km14.200).
thephysiographic andstructural featuresof theregion.In
particular,thesoledetachment of theCNFS, theTur6n
detachment, situatedon top of theLfijar unit,changes
drasticallyin altitudeeastandwestof Berja(Figure1): it crops
out belowthe Miocenesedimentsof the Berja Basinat 400 m
altitude,whilein thecentralpartof theSierrade Gridorthe
same detachmentis situated near 1200 m altitude. In addition,
in thewesternslopeof the Sierrade Gridor,Permo-Triassic
phyllitesandquartzites underlyingtheLfijarlimestones crop
out [Orozco,1972;Aldayaet al., 1983].A faultsurfacecutting
acrossthelowerAlpujarrideunitasa footwallrampcanthen
be inferred:thehangingwall, formedby middleAlpujarride
units,Malaguidecomplex,andTertiarysediments moveddown
towardsthe westor southwest.The cross- sectionof Figure 8
illustratesthedescribedgeometry.
In SierraAlhamilla(Figure1), the middleAlpujarrideunits
aredirectlyoverlyingtheNevado-Filabride complexbecause the
lowerAlpujarrideunitwhichcropsoutimmediatlyto thewest,
in theSierrade Gridor,hasbeeneliminatedalongtheFilabres
detachment fault [Garcia-Duefias
et al., 1992].A footwallramp
similarto thatinferredin thewesternslopeof theSierrade
oœBeticChain
E,-W
]m
havebeentilted.Drawnfromslide.Ugfjar-Berja
Gridormustbe localizedbelowtheNeogenesediments which
separatethe Sierraof GridorandAlhamillas(Figure1). Both
rampswouldbe linkedby a detachment fault segmentwith flat
geometryin the hangingwall (bottomof the lowerAlpujarride
units)anda verylow-anglerampin thefootwall(progressive
westwardthinningof theupperNevado-Filabride unitsalong
the Filabresdetachmentfau10.In the samecross- section,note
theboudin-shaped geometryof thelowerAlpujarrideunittilted
by this system.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
It has been demonstrated that the Contraviesa Normal Fault
System,with a northnorthwestward transport
direction,was
formedduringan extensional episodewhichthinnedthe
MalaguideandAlpujarridenappes of theAlboranDomain.The
low-anglenormalfaultsof this system,mostlylistric,were
activeduringtheLanghianandprobablyalsoduringtheLate
Burdigalian.Alongwith an associated extensional
fault system
developed northof SierraNevada,thissystemproduced
extensionin a NNW-SSEdirection,in thepresent-day
86 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:Miocene
Tectonic
Evolution
of BeticChain

So-Ltilor Sø-Gddor SO-

Alhomillo

I1•!
HI•. •
-•xx• •tHIH ,H!HIH1HIH
0m
II1•1 HIHIHIHIHIHIHI HI HIH I
MI HINIH1NIHINI HIHI HIHIHIHI•JHIHIHIH:HIHIHIHIH•Ht IH!HIHIHIH IHII•IHIHIHIHIHIH•

• Nevado-F•labrlde
Complex•• Lower
Middle
and
upper
units units
Complex 30'kin
Fig. 8. Cross- sectionfrom Ltijar Sierrato AlhamillaSierra(Figure 1) illustratingtheFilabresNormal
Fault Systemdevelopedin theContraviesa region(basedon Garcia-Dueaas et al. [ 1992,Figure2]). Open
andsolidcirclesindicatemotionawayfromandtowardstheobserver,respectively. A, B, C andD:
locationof cross- sectionsof Figure6 (perpendicular to thisfigureplane).

position.The resultingextensionalunitsof the CNFS, partly correlation:a completetransgressive andregressive sedimentary

dismembered by Serravallian
low-anglenormalfaults,belong cycleis recordedin thesedimentary basinof lateLanghian-
to theFilabresdetachment hangingwall andhavebeen Serravallianagealongthecontactbetweenthe AlboranDomain
transportedtowardstheWSW or SW at least100km [Garcia- andthe SouthIberianmargin,with theUgfjarbasin(Figure1)
Duefias et al., 1992]. [Rodriguez-Fernfindez et al., 1990;Rodriguez-Femfindez and
The comparison betweentheAlpujarrideunit thickness, as SanzdeGaldeano,1992].Theexistence of datedlateLanghian
measured perpendicularly to theboundingnormalfaults,and (?)-Serravallianmarinedeposits sealingtheCNFS in various
the thicknessrelativeto the tiltedfoliationkey surfaceis scatteredoutcropsoffshoredemonstrates thatat that time, a
representative of the thinningproducedby theCNFS in the continuous sedimentary coveroverlapped theregionincludedin
upperpartof theuppercrust.This corticalsegmentformedthe Figure 1, exceptfor a hiatusdueto extensionaldenudationand
basementof a sedimentary basinin whichprogressively deeper erosionexists.From onshoreto offshore,however,suchcover
basementunitswerecoveredby youngerMiocenesediments as extendswithoutinterruption.It is thereforeevidencedthatthe
a resultof extensionaldenudationprocesses. middleMioceneAlboranBasinwaslargerthantheactual
Bothextensional systems describedin thispaperrepresent AlboranSea.Ourdataconfirmthata strong
onlytwo episodes of theMiocenecrustalthinningundergone compartmentalizationof thisbasinoccurswith the Tortonian
by theAlboranDomain.An oldersystemhasbeendescribed in folding [Weijermarset al., 1985;Comaset al., 1992]. Foldsof
thewesternBeticsandNNW of SierraNevada,whereearly varioustrendsformed,butbecause of theirlargesizeand
Miocenelow-anglenormalfaultsobserved in thehigher regionalimportance,theE-W to NE-SW trendingfoldsarethe
Alpujarrideunitshavebeenreactivatedor cutby thelate mostrelevant.Thesemajoranticlines,which includethe
Burdigalianor Serravalliannormalfaults[e.g.,Garcia-Duefias Contraviesaand the SierraNevada-LosFilabres anticlines,
and Balany•, 1991;Garcia-Dueaaset al., 1992]. These isolatenarrowbasinslocalizedin the synclines.For example,
extensionalepisodesproduceda strongthinningof the crust theUgijar basinis definitelyindividualizedsincethelate
below theAlboranSea,wheretheMoho is currentlysituated Miocene.Simultaneously with thesefolds,andas a resultof
20m km below sea level, with a sediment thicknessof various thecompressive regime,conjugated strike-slipfault systems
kilometers [Banda et al., 1993]. developedin the easternBetics[De Larouzi•reet al., 1988].
The Gibraltar Thrust, which is the outer limit of the Alboran The large-scaleanticlinesfoldedall thepreviouslow-angle
Domain,formedduringthelateOligoceneandwasactiveup to normalfault systems. The resultinggeometryhasbeen
the Burdigalian.The outwardmigrationof thecompression mistakenlycomparedwith BasinandRangecorecomplexes.
throughits footwallcontinuedup to thelate Serravallian, DoblasandOyarzun[1989] andGalindo-Zald•varet al. [1989],
reachingtheforelandbasin[Balany•andGarcia-Duefias, 1988]. in theircore-complexmodelfor SierraNevada,havetakeninto
In the innerpart of the Arc, the oldesttransgression
is early accountneitherthekinematicsof theMiocenecorticalthinning
Aquitanianin age [Bourgois,1977],andthetransgressive episodes,incompatiblewith theE-W directionof the anticline,
sediments sealedextensional structures.The negativetectonic nor the Moho discontinuity depth,situatedbelowSierraNevada
inversionof the GibraltarThrust,from compression to at 38 km, the maximumknownMoho depthin the Betics
extension,wascompletedduringearlyTortonian[Balanyfiand [Banda et al., 1993].
Garcia-Duefias, 1988] and showsthat the extensioncontinued In orderto explaintheextensionin the Alboranregion,Platt
eventhoughcompression
stopped.Thereforecompression
and andVissers[1989] suggested a mechanism basedon the
extension are almost simultaneous: while the mountain front convectiveremovalof lithosphericroot. They considerthatthe
migratedout of theGibraltarArc, therifting structures extensionwasroughlyradialandcentrifugalduringmiddleto
developedcontinuallyinward,slightlypostdatingthe lateMiocene,havingbeenproducedwhenthecollisionalridge
collisionalstacking. wasremovedby convection andreplacedby asthenospheric
The Miocenerifting episodesandtheextensiondirections mantle.This hypothesisis not consistentwith the extensional
postulatedby Comaset al. [1992] for the AlboranSeaare in episodeswe havedifferentiated.Neitherthetransportdirection
agreement with thedatapresentedhere.The offshoredatacanbe of the Miocenenormalfault systems,nor the tectonic
comparedwith theonshorefindingsto reveala close inversionof theGibraltarThrust[BalanyfiandGarcia-Duefias,
 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:Miocene
Tectonic
Evolution
of BeticChain 87

1988]arecompatiblewith an accumulation of lithospheric alternationor simultaneityof compression andextension

mantlebelowthe Alboranregion.The extensional evolutionof
theGibraltarArc andAlboranBasincomplieswith muchmore
complexrulesthantheonesproposedby PlattandVissers
[1989]. To illustratethecomplexityof theextensionalhistory
reconstruction,it must be stressedthat the CNFS, with a
NNW-SSE extension,is preservedin the hangingwall of the
Filabresdetachment,which movedtowardsthe WSW during
the Serravallian.If thepositionof thishangingwall were
restoredbefore the WSW-ENE extension,the rider fansof the
CNFS wouldbe situatedapproximately100 km ENE from
theirpresentpositionandwouldformpartof thewestern
"proto"-South BalearicBasin(proximityof the0-øGreenwich
meridian,Figure 1). This is the continentalcrustsegmentthat
wouldhaveundergone a LanghianNNW-SSE extension,not
theonecorresponding to SierraNevada:thelocusof extension
is not fixed, aspostulatedby Platt andVissers[1989].
It is beyondthe scopeof thisstudyto proposea new model,
but whatever model is used must take into account the
recognizedin theBetics,a collapsedorogen.In thiscase,it can
be statedthat the propagationof the compression out of the
GibraltarArc is almostsimultaneous with the rifting
processes, andthatthefoldingof theextensional structures
immediately postdateoneof theextensional episodes. In a very
differentorogeniccontext,of platecollision,Burchfielet al.
[1992] showhow pervasivethe normalfault systemin the
Himalayais andthatextensionis contemporaneous with and
parallelto shortening.At any rate, it seemsclearthat
compressional tectonicsgenerallygo handin handwith
extensionand seemsto be a processof mountainbuilding
whichuntilnow hasbeenneglectedor considered to occurlater.
Acknowledgments. We thankE. Mayoral for datingour
samples,andJ. C. BalanyfiandJ. I. Sotofor their critical
review. F. Toro draw the figures.Thanksare alsodueto the
refereesA. Bailly andA. Gibbs.This studywassupported by
grantCICYT/PB91-0156-C02-01.

REFERENCES

Aldaya,F., LosMantosAlpujfirridesal Surde inf•rieur, Bull. Soc. Ggol. Fr., 19, l 115-1119,
SierraNevada,pp.1-527,Ph.D. thesis,Univ. de 1977.
Granada, 1969. Bufom, E., A. Udlas and J. Mezcfia, Seismicityand
Aldaya, F., J. Baenaand K. Ewert, Mapa geo16gico focalmechanisms in SouthSpain,Bull. Seismol.
Espafia,
IGME, 1:50,000,Folio 1043Berja, Soc. Am., 7,5, 2008-2024, 1988.
Serviciode Publicaci6nMinisterio de Industriay Burchfiel,B.C., C. Zhiliang,K.V. Itodges,L.
Energia,Madrid, 1983. Yuping, L. Royden,D. ChangrongandX. Jiene,
Azafion, J.M., V. Garcia-Duefia and B. Gofff, The southTibetan detachmentsystem,Himalayan
High pressuremineralassemblages in the Orogen:extensioncontemporaneous with and
TrevenqueUnit (CentralAlpujarrides, parallelto sbo•xening in a collisionalmountain
Andalucia),Geogaceta,11, 81-84, 1992. belt, Spec.Pap. Geol. Soc.Am., 269, 1-41, 1992.
Azafion,J.M., A. Crespo-Blanc,V. Garcla-Duefias Campos,J., andF. Simancas,Lospliegues
and M. Orozco, Middle Miocene extensional tumbadosdel Manto de Lfijar y su modificaci6n
faultingeventsandAlpujarrideunitsin the pot el sislemade cabalgamientos fr•giles
CentralBetics,Geogaceta,13, in press,1993. (ComplcjoA lpuj•rdde,CordilleraBftica),
Balanyfi,J.C., Estructuradel Dominio de Albor•n Geogaceta,6, 50-52, 1989.
en la panenortedel Arco de Gibraltar,pp.l-210, Comas, M.C., V. Garcia-Duefias and M.J. Jurado,
Ph.D. thesisUniv. de Granada, 1991. Neogeneteclonicevolutionof the AlboranSea
Balany•i,J.C., and V. Garcia-Duefias,Les from MCS data, Geo- Mar. Lett., 12, 157-164,
directions stmcturales dans le Domaine d'Alboran 1992.
de partet d'autredu Dftroit de Gibraltar.C. R. Cuevas,J., Microtect6nicay metamorfismode los
Acad. Sci. Ser.2, 304, 929-933, 1987. MantosAlpujfirridesdel tercio centralde las
Balanyfi,J.C., and V. Garcia-Duefias,E1 CordillerasBfticas (entreMotril y Adra), Ph.D.
cabalganfientocorticalde Gibraltar y la tect6nica thesis, pp.1-283,Univ. del PalsVasco, 1988.
de Bfticasy Rif, in H CongresoGeo16gico Cuevas,J., F. Aldaya, F. Navarro-Vil•iandJ.M.
Espatia(Shnposios),pp. 35-44, Sociedad Tubia, Caractfrisation
de deuxfitapesde
Geo16gicade Espafia,Granada,1988. chardageprincipalesdansles nappes
Balany•i,J.C., J. Campos,V. Garcla-Duefias, M. Alpujanidescentrales(Cordill,res Bftiques,
Orozco and J.F. Simancas, Generaciones de Espagne),C.R. Acad.Sci.,Sgrie2,302, 1177-
cabalganfiento y plieguesrecumbentesen los 118O, 1986.
MantosAlpujfirridesentreRonday Almeria, De Larouzi•re, F.D., J. Bolze, P. Bordet, J.
CordillerasBfficas,Geogaceta,2, 51-53, 1987. Hernandez,C. Montenat, and P. Ott d'Estevou,
Balanyfi,J.C., J.M. Azafion,M. Sfinchez-G6mez The Beticsegmentof the lithospheric
Trans-
and V. Garcia-Duefias, Pervasive ductile Alboran shearzone during the Late Miocene,
extension,isothermaldecompression andtrimting Tectonophysics, 152, 41-52, 1988.
of theJubfiqueunit duringthe Paleogenetimes Dercourt,J., et al., Geologicalevolutionof the
(Alpujarridecomplex,westernBetics),C. R. Tethysbelt from the Atlanticto the Pamirssince
Acad. Sci., Sgrie 2,316, 1595-1601, 1993. the Lias, Tectonophysics, 123, 241-315, 1986.
Banda, E., J. Gallart, V. Garcia-Duefias,J.J. Dewey,J.F., M.L. Helman,E. Turco,D.H.W.
Dafiobeifia and J. Makfis, Lateral variation of the Hutton and S.D. Knott, Kinematicsof the western
crest in the Iberian Peninsula. New evidence
Mediterranean,
in: Alpine Tectonics,editedby
froin the Betic Cordillera, Tectonophysics,
221, M.P. Coward,D. DietrichandR.G. Spark,Geol.
53-66, 1993. Soc.Spec.Publ. London,45,265-283, 1989.
Biju-Duval,B., J. I,etouzcy,andL. Montadert, Doblas,M. and R. Oyarzun,Mantle core
Structure and evolution of the Mediterranean complexesand Neogeneextensionaldetachment
basin,Proc. OceanDrilling ProgramInitial Rep., tectonicsin the westernBeticCordillera,Spain:
42,951-984, 1978. An alternativemodelfor the emplacement of the
Bourgois,J., D'uneftape g6odynamique majeure Rondaperidotites, Earth Planet.Sci.Lett.,93, 76-
dansla gen•sede l'arc de Gibraltar: 84, 1989.
l'hispanisationdesflyschrifainsau Miocene Galindo-Zaldivar, J., F. Gonz,51ez-Lodeiroand A.
Jabaloy, Progressiveextensionalshearstructures
in a detachment contact in the Western Sierra
Nevada(BeticCordillera,Spain).Geodin.Acta,
3, 73-85, 1989.
Garcla-Duefias,V. and J.C. Balanyfi,Fallas
normalesde bajo gnguloa granescalaen las
Bfticasoccidentales,Geogaceta,9, 29-33, 1991.
Garcia-Duefias, V., and J.M. Martinez-Martinez,
Sobreel adelgazamiento miocenodel Dominio de
Alboran:E1despeguede los Filabres(Bfticas
orientales),Geogaceta,5, 53-55, 1988.
Garcla-Duefias, V., and F. Navarro-Vil•,
Alpujarrides,Malaguideset autresunitfs
allochtones au Nord de la Sierra Nevada
(Cordtil•resBftiques,Andalousie),Bull. Soc.
Geol. Fr., 18,641-648, 1976.
Garcia-Duefias, V., J.M. Martinez-Martinez, M.
OrozcoandJ.I. Soto,Plis-nappes, cisaillements
syn-h post-mftamorphiques et cisaillements
ductties- fragtiesen distensiondansles Nfvado-
Filabrides(Cordill,resbftiques,Espagne). C. R.
Acad. Sci., Sdrie 2,307, 1389-1395, 1988.
Garcia-Duefias,V., J.C. Balanyfi,andJ.M.
Martinez-Marffnez, Miocene extensional
detachments
in the outcropping
basement
of the
northern Alboran Basin and their tectonic
implications,
Geo-Mar. Lett.,12,157-164, 1992.
Gibbs, A.D., Structural evolution of extensional
basinmargins,J. Geol. Soc.London,141,609-
620, 1984.
Gofff, B., A. Michard, V. Garcia-Duefias,F.
Gonz,51ez-Lodeiro,P. Monif, J. Campos,J.
Galindo-Zaldivar,A. Jabaloy,J.M. Martinez-
Martinez and F. Simancas,First evidenceof high
pressure,low temperaturemetamorphismin the
Alpujarrides
nappes,BeticCordilleras
(SE Spain).
EuropeanJ. Mineral., 1,139-142, 1989.
Hatzfeld,D., andM. Frogneux,Intermediatedepth
seismicityin the westernMediterraneanunrelated
with subduction of oceaniclithosphere,
Nature,
292,443-445, 1981.
Juntade Andalucia,Mapa Geologico-Minerode
Andalucla,1:400'000,ConsejeriaEconom.e
Industr., Junta de Andaluc•a, Dir. Gnal. Ind.,
Energ.y Minas, Sevilla, 1985.
Jurado,M.J., and M.C. Comas,Well log
interpretationand seismiccharacterof the
Cenozoicsequencein the northemAlboranSea,
Geo- Mar. Lett., 12, 129-136, 1992.
Kozur, H., C.W.H. Mulder-Blanken and O. Simon,
88 Crespo-Blanc
et al.:Miocene
On the Triassicof the Betic Cordilleras(southem
Spain),with specialemphasison holoturian
selerites,Stratigr.Paleontol.,B88, 83-110, 1985.
Leine, L., Rauwackesin the Betic Cordilleras,
Spain:Nomenclature, descriptionandgenesisof
weatheredcarbonatebrecciasof tectonicorigin,
Ph.D.thesis, pp.1-112,Univ. of Amsterdam,1968.
Nijhuis,H.J., Plurifacialalpinemetamorphism
in
the SE Siena de los Filabres,Southof Lubrln, SE
Spain,Ph.D.thesis,pp.1-151,Univ.of
Amsterdam, 1964.
Orozco,M., Los Alpuj•rridesen Siena de G•dor
occidental,Ph.D.thesis,pp.1-379,Univ. de
Granada, 1972.
Platt,J. andR.L.M. Vissers,Extensional
collapseof
thickenedcontinentallithosphere:a working
hypothesis for the AlboranSeaandGibraltarArc,
Geology,17, 540-543, 1989.
Puga,E., Investigacionespetro16gicas
en Sierra
Nevada Occidental(CordillerasB6ticas),
PhJ).Thesis, UniversMadde Granada, 133, 1-
269, 1976.
Puga,E., A. Diaz de Federico,L. Molten andG.M.
Bargossi, La formaci6nSopoltujardel Complejo
de SierraNevada:Caracterizaci6n petro16gica
y complejoNevado-Fil•brideen la terminaci6n
geoqulmica.Cuad.geol. Univ. Granada,12, 61-
89, 1984.
Puga,E., E. Reyes,E. Caballero,J.A. Tendero,
J.M. Nieto and A. Diaz de Federico,
Caracterizaci6npreliminardel ambientede
g6nesisde la secuenciasedimentariade las
ofiolitasbeticasde la formaci6nSoportujar
medianteisotoposde oxigenoy carbono,III
CongresoGeoldgicode Espa•iay VIII Congreso
Tectonic
Evolution
of BeticChain
Latinoamericanade Geologia,Salamanca,Vol.l,
pp.362-366,Salamanca,1992.
Ramsay,J.G, FoMing and Fracturingof Rocks,
pp.1-568,Mc Graw-Hill,New York, 1967.
Rodriguez-Fern•indez,
J. and C. Sanz de Galdeano,
OnshoreNeogenestratigraphy
in theNorthof the
Alboran Sea (Betic Intemal Zones):•
Paleogeographicimplications,Geo-Mar. Lett.,
12, 123-128, 1992.
Rodriguez-Fernandez, J., C. Sanz de Galdeanoand
F. Serrano,Le couloirdesAlpujarras,Doc. et
Tray. Inst. Gdol.Albert de Lapparent,12-13, 87-
100, 1990.
Sanz de Galdeano,C., Geologicevolutionof the
betic Cordillerasin the westemMediterranean,
Mioceneto Present,Tectonophysics,172, 107-
119, 1990.
Simancas,
J.F., andJ. Campos,La estructuraci6n
de
componentenoltede losManmsAlpuj•rridesen
el sector central de la Cordillera B6tica. In//
Congreso Geol6gicoEspa•ia(Simposios),
pp.27-
33, SociedadGeo16gicade Espafia,Granada,
1988.
Soto,J.I., Estructuray evoluci6nmetam6fficadel
orientalde la Sierra de los Filabres(Cordilleras
B6ticas),Ph.D. thesis,pp.1-273,Univ. de
Granada, 1991.
Srivastava,S.P., W.R. Roest,L.C. Kowacs,G.
Oakey,S. L6vesque,J. VerhoefandR. Macnab,
Motion of Iberia since the Late Jurassic: Results
from detailedaeromagnetic
measurements
in the
NewfoundlandBasin,Tectonophysics,
184,229-
260, 1990.
Tubia,J.M., andJ. Cuevas,Hightemperature
emplacement of the LosRealesperidotite nappe
(BeticCordillera,Spain),J. Struct.Geol.,8,473-
482, 1986.
Tubla,J.M. andI. Gil-Ibarguchi,Eclogitesof the
Oj6n nappe:a recordof a subductionin the
AlpujarridesComplex(BeticCordilleras, southem
Spain),J. geol.Soc.London,148, 801-804,1991.
Tubia, J.M., J. Cuevas,F. Navarro-Vil•, F. Alvarez
and F. Aldaya, Tectonicevolutionof the
AlpujarridesComplex(BeticCordillera,southem
Spain),J. Struct.Geol.,14/2, 193-203,1992.
Weijermars,R., T.B. Roep,B. Van denEeckhout,
G. PostmaandK. Klevedaan,Uplift historyof a
Beticfold nappeinferredfrom Neogene-
Quatemarysedimentationand tectonics(in the
Sierra Alhamilla and Almeria, Sorbasand
Tabemas Basin of the Betic Cordilleras,SE
Spain),Geologieen Mijnbouw,64,397-411, 1985.
Wemicke, B., and B.C. Burchfiel,Modes of
extensionaltectonics.J. Struct.Geol. 4, 105-115,
1982.
A. Crespo-Blanc,M. Orozcoand V. Garcia-
Duefias,Departamentode Geodin•mica,
InstitutoAndaluz de GeologiaMediterr•nea,
CSIC and Universidadde Granada,Campusde
Fuentenueva, 18071Granada,Spain
(Received December 22, 1992;
revisedMay 10, 1993;
accepted
July28, 1993.)