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Journal of the Geological Society; 2009; v. 166; issue.3; p. 447-458;
DOI: 10.1144/0016-76492008-091
© 2009 Geological Society of London

Research Article

Triassic continental rifting of Pangaea: direct evidence from the Alpujarride carbonates, Betic Cordillera, SE Spain

I. MARTIN-ROJAS1, R. SOMMA2, F. DELGADO3, A. ESTéVEZ1, A. IANNACE4, V. PERRONE5 & V. ZAMPARELLI4

1 Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y del Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Alicante, Apdo. 99, San Vicente del Raspeig, 03080 Alicante, Spain
2 Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti e dell'Ambiente, Sezione Scienze della Terra, Università di Messina, Salita Sperone 31, Sant'Agata di Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
3 Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad de Granada, Av. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
4 Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Napoli ’Federico II', Largo San Marcellino 10, 80138 Napoli, Italy
5 Istituto di Scienze della Terra, Università di Urbino ’Carlo Bo', Campus Scientifico Località Crocicchia, 61029 Urbino, Italy

*Corresponding author (e-mail: rsomma{at}unime.it)

Evidence is presented for Triassic rift-related palaeo-structures from the Alpujarride Complex carbonates of the Betic Cordillera, SE Spain. Direct evidence of synsedimentary extensional tectonics is provided by macro- to meso-scale normal faults overstepped by younger strata. Most faults define domino-like horst and graben structures. The faults are associated with an expanded synrift sedimentary prism in which soft-sediment deformation, gravity-flow deposits and unconformities are widely developed. Syntectonic mafic igneous intrusions also occur. The age of this phase of extension is constrained as Ladinian–Carnian (c. 237–216 Ma). From a palaeogeographical standpoint, the thick Triassic carbonates of the Betic Internal Zone, together with comparable successions in Northern Calabria (Southern Apennines), occupied a belt with elevated subsidence connecting the Neo-Tethys to the east with the eastern North American intracontinental rift system to the west. Their carbonate facies, intermediate between classical Alpine- and Germanic-type Triassic facies, recorded the main episodes of rifting affecting Central Pangaea.