The Central Iberian arc: implications for the Iberian Massif

• Autores: José Ramón Martínez Catalán
• Localización: Geogaceta, ISSN 0213-683X, Nº. 50, 1, 2011, págs. 7-10
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Variscan folds and magnetic anomalies of the Central Iberian Zone (Iberian Massif) delineate an orocline similar in size to the Ibero-Armorican arc but of opposite sense of curvature. Its core is occupied by the Galicia-Trás-os-Montes Zone, formed by allochthonous terranes which include the suture of the Rheic Ocean. The West-Asturian-Leonese Zone is also bent by the arc but neither the Ossa-Morena, nor the the South Portuguese zones are involved. The orocline, for which the name of Central Iberian arc is proposed, explains the width of the Central Iberian Zone by duplication of a strip half its present width. It also explains the structural position of the allochthonous terranes, and opens new insights for correlations with the rest of the Variscan belt, specially with the Armorican Massif, whose central domain may represent the continuation of the southern branch of the Central Iberian arc, detached by late Variscan strikeslip tectonics. The relative age of the two arcs of the Iberian ssif and the possible origin of the Central Iberian arc are discussed.