Deformation and stratigraphic evolution of the Ligurian Accretionary Complex in the southern Apennines (Italy)

This work provides a structural analysis and a stratigraphic revision of the sedimentary successions of the Ligurian Accretionary Complex (LAC) cropping out in the southern Apennines along the boundary between Campania, Lucania and Calabria regions. Two fold and thrust sets characterize the progressive deformation related to the Early Miocene inclusion of these successions in the tectonic accretionary wedge. A third deformation stage, affecting also the Middle-Upper Miocene unconformable wedge-top basin deposits, is associated to the thrust front eastward migration. In this orogenic phase the Apennine thrust sheet pile, formed by LAC and Apennine Platform Units, tectonically covered the successions located in the westernmost sector of the Lagonegro-Molise Basin. Finally a Pliocene-Middle Pleistocene regional fold set deformed the whole orogenic prism as consequence of a thick-skinned tectonics expressed by means of deeply rooted thrusts in the buried Apulian Platform carbonates. Maghrebian Flysch Basin and LAC successions show a similar stratigraphy indicating continuity between paleogeographic basin domains, as well as between the Paleogene-Lower Miocene succession of Sicilide Unit and the corresponding deposits of Lagonegro-Molise Basin as consequence of drowning of the interposed Panormide Platform starting from the uppermost Cretaceous.