Our work in the Western Mediterranean subduction-related orogens, mostly dealing with the Betic-Rif, the Tunisian-Tell in Morocco and Tunisia and the former GeoCam Project and the Newly Granted GeoAdria Project to reconstruct the crustal and lithospheric structure of Adria Plate (see map on the left), started in the late 90's through Spanish and European research projects, combining numerical modelling and geology at large scale to decipher the evolution and geodynamics of this complex subduction-related orogenic system during the Africa convergence.
Our main conclusions were to interpret the southern margin of the Iberian plate as segmented during the Ligurian-Tethys opening, opposite subduction polarities during convergenceinitiated already during the Late Cretaceous.
GeoCam Project published transects (blue thick lines) and GeoAdria Project ongoing transects (red thick lines).
A) Oblique view of the Betics topography and superimposed main divide (red line), high topographic region (white polygons) and low relief surfaces on top of the main ranges (dark areas). Thick blue lines are the known paths of the Betic Neogene corridors.
B) Tomographic image at 75 – 100 km depth with superimposed main divide and high topographic areas.
C) Sketch showing the tearing slab beneath the Betics.
M. Viaplana-Muzas, J. Vergés, I. Jiménez-Munt, M. Torné, L. Struth, D. Cruset, M. Najafi, E. Bravo-Gutiérrez, D. Garcia-
Castellanos
Geomorphology,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109891
Simplified geological map of the Betic Cordillera with superimposed main drainage divide in black and red lines showing 4 segments subparallel (red) and near orthogonal (black) to tectonic grain.
Pre-shortening reconstruction of the Adria microplate
Balanced and restored cross-sections through the Southern Apennines–Dinarides
Bravo-Gutiérrez, E., Vergés, J., Torne, M., García-Castellanos, D., Negredo, A.M., Zhang, W., Cruset, D., Viaplana-Muzas, M., Jiménez-Munt, I., 2024. Pre-shortening reconstruction of the Adria microplate: Balanced and restored cross-sections through the Southern Apennines–Dinarides (Central Mediterranean Sea). Mar. Pet. Geol. 169, 107055.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2024.107055
Fig. 11. A. The pre-breakup of Pangea paleotectonic map shows the position of the Adria microplate and Greater Adria near to the Pelagian and Sirte rift-related basins showing its restored width from this study. The pre- Ligurian-Tethys opening paleotectonic map shows the position of the Adria microplate (Great Adria) separated from Africa by the Ionian Ocean (branch of the Neotethys). B. Combination of crustal- scale present-day cross-sections across the slightly deformed Pelagian Basin - Ionian Sea (Tugend et al., 2019) and our Jurassic reconstructed cross-section through southern Adria (see location of sections in the paleotectonic maps).
van de Vyver, C., Carpentier, C., Ford, M., Vergés, J., & Melinte‐Dobrinescu, M. (2024). Sedimentology and structure of the Paleogene Nummulitic series of Corsica: Reconstruction of the southern termination of the western Alpine foreland basin. Basin Research, 36(5).
Zhang, W., Jiménez‐Munt, I., Torne, M., Vergés, J., Bravo‐Gutiérrez, E., Negredo, A.M., García‐Castellanos, D., 2024. The Lithosphere and Upper Mantle of the Western‐Central Mediterranean Region From Integrated Geophysical‐Geochemical Modeling. J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 129. doi:10.1029/2023JB028435
http://doi.org/10.1029/2023JB028435
Zhang, W., Jiménez‐Munt, I., Torne, M., Vergés, J., Bravo‐Gutiérrez, E., Negredo, A. M., Carminati, E., García‐Castellanos, D, Fernàndez, M. 2022. Geophysical‐Petrological Model for Bidirectional Mantle Delamination of the Adria Microplate Beneath the Northern Apennines and Dinarides Orogenic Systems. Journal of Geophysical Research: J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 127, 12
http://doi.org/10.1029/2022JB024800
Peral, M., Fernàndez, M., Vergés, J., Zlotnik, S., Jiménez-Munt, I., 2022. Numerical modelling of opposing subduction in the Western Mediterranean. Tectonophysics 830, 229309
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2022.229309
Open Access
Kumar, A., Fernàndez, M., Vergés, J., Torne, M., Ivone Jiménez-Munt, 2021. Comparison of the crust and upper mantle structure of the Alboran and Algerian basins (western Mediterranean): Geodynamic significance. Journal Geophys. Res. 126
Peral, M., Ruh, J., Zlotnik, S., Funiciello, F., Fernàndez, M., Vergés, J., Gerya, T., 2020. Analog and Numerical Experiments of Double Subduction Systems With Opposite Polarity in Adjacent Segments. Geochemistry, Geophys. Geosystems 21, 1–22. doi:10.1029/2020GC009035
http://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009035
Kumar, A., 2020. Thermal and Chemical Imaging of the Upper Mantle Anomalies: Application To Western Mediterranean.
PhD Thesis Univ. Barcelona 1–199.
Link to Ajay Kumar PhD Thesis 2020
Kumar, A., Fernàndez, M., Jiménez‐Munt, I., Torne, M., Vergés, J., Afonso, J.C., 2020. LitMod2D_2.0: An Improved Integrated Geophysical‐Petrological Modeling Tool for the Physical Interpretation of Upper Mantle Anomalies. Geochemistry, Geophys. Geosystems 21. doi:10.1029/2019GC008777
Jiménez‐Munt, I., Torne, M., Fernàndez, M., Vergés, J., Kumar, A., Carballo, A., García‐Castellanos, D., 2019. Deep Seated Density Anomalies Across the Iberia‐Africa Plate Boundary and Its Topographic Response. J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 2019JB018445.
Open Access
Fernàndez, M., Torne, M., Vergés, J., Casciello, E., Macchiavelli, C., 2019. Evidence of Segmentation in the Iberia–Africa Plate Boundary: A Jurassic Heritage? Geosciences 9(8), 343.
Peral, M., Király, Á., Zlotnik, S., Funiciello, F., Fernàndez, M., Faccenna, C., Vergés, J., 2018. Opposite subduction polarity in adjacent plate segments. Tectonics, 37
http://doi.org/10.1029/2017TC004896
Macchiavelli, C., Vergés, J., Schettino, A., Fernàndez, M., Turco, E., Casciello, E., Torne, M., Pierantoni, P.P., Tunini, L., 2017. A New Southern North Atlantic Isochron Map: Insights Into the Drift of the Iberian Plate Since the Late Cretaceous. J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 122, 9603–9626.
http://doi.org/10.1002/2017JB014769
Melchiorre, M., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Vergés, J., Fernàndez, M., Belousova, E.A., El Maz, A., Moukadiri, A., 2017. In situ U-Pb zircon geochronology on metapelitic granulites of Beni Bousera (Betic-Rif system, N Morocco). Bianchini, G., Bodinier, J.-L., Braga, R., Wilson, M., eds., Crust-Mantle Lithosphere-asthenosph. Boundaries Insights from Xenoliths, Orog. Deep Sect. Geophys. Stud. Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap. 526, 151–171.
https://doi.org/10.1130/2017.2526(08)
Melchiorre, M., Vergés, J., Fernàndez, M., Coltorti, M., Torne, M., Casciello, E., 2017. Evidence for mantle heterogeneities in the westernmost Mediterranean from a statistical approach to volcanic petrology. Lithos 276, 62–74.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2016.11.018
Carballo, A., Fernandez, M., Jiménez-Munt, I., Torne, M., Vergés, J., Melchiorre, M., Pedreira, D., Afonso, J.C., Garcia-Castellanos, D., Díaz, J., Villaseñor, A., Pulgar, J. A., Quintana, L., 2015. From the North-Iberian Margin to the Alboran Basin: A lithosphere geo-transect across the Iberian Plate. Tectonophysics 663, 399–418.
Casciello, E., Fernàndez, M., Vergés, J., Cesarano, M., Torne, M., 2015. The Alboran domain in the western Mediterranean evolution: the birth of a concept. Bull. Soc. géol. Fr. 186, 371–384.
Vergés, J., Fernàndez, M., 2012. Tethys–Atlantic interaction along the Iberia–Africa plate boundary: The Betic–Rif orogenic system. Tectonophysics 579, 144–172.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2012.08.032
Jiménez-Munt, I., Fernàndez, M., Vergés, J., Garcia-Castellanos, D., Fullea, J., Pérez-Gussinyé, M., Afonso, J.C., 2011. Decoupled crust-mantle accommodation of Africa-Eurasia convergence in the NW Moroccan margin. J. Geophys. Res. 116, B08403.
http://doi.org/10.1029/2010JB008105
Fullea, J., Fernàndez, M., Afonso, J.C., Vergés, J., Zeyen, H., 2010. The structure and evolution of the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary beneath the Atlantic–Mediterranean Transition Region. Lithos 120, 74–95.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2010.03.003
Jiménez-Munt, I., Fernàndez, M., Vergés, J., Afonso, J.C., Garcia-Castellanos, D., Fullea, J., 2010. Lithospheric structure of the Gorringe Bank: Insights into its origin and tectonic evolution. Tectonics 29, n/a-n/a.
http://doi.org/10.1029/2009TC002458
García-Castellanos, D., Estrada, F., Jiménez-Munt, I., Gorini, C., Fernàndez, M., Vergés, J., De Vicente, R., 2009. Catastrophic flood of the Mediterranean after the Messinian salinity crisis. Nature 462, 778–81.
http://doi.org/10.1038/nature08555
Iribarren, L., Vergés, J., Fernàndez, M., 2009. Sediment supply from the Betic–Rif orogen to basins through Neogene. Tectonophysics 475, 68–84.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2008.11.029
Fullea, J., Fernàndez, M., Zeyen, H., Vergés, J., 2007. A rapid method to map the crustal and lithospheric thickness using elevation, geoid anomaly and thermal analysis. Application to the Gibraltar Arc System, Atlas Mountains and adjacent zones. Tectonophysics 430, 97–117.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2006.11.003
Iribarren, L., Vergés, J., Camurri, F., Fullea, J., Fernàndez, M., 2007. The structure of the Atlantic–Mediterranean transition zone from the Alboran Sea to the Horseshoe Abyssal Plain (Iberia–Africa plate boundary). Mar. Geol. 243, 97–119.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2007.05.011