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Deep structure and kinematics of the Northern Calcareous Alps (TRANSALP Profile)

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Abstract

The Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA) of southern Bavaria and northern Tyrol constitute a carbonate-dominated polyphase fold-thrust wedge; together with its Grauwacken Zone Basement, it is the northernmost part of the far-travelled Upper Austroalpine thrust complex of the Eastern Alps. The present geometry developed in several kinematic stages. Jurassic extensional faults that affected large parts of the NCA and their basement originated when the main part of the NCA was still located southeast of the Central Alpine Ötztal-Silvretta complex. These faults and related facies transitions influenced the later style of detachment of the NCA thrust sheets. Mid to Late Cretaceous detachment, thrust-sheet stacking and motion over the Central Alpine complex are registered in clastic deposits of syntectonic basins. The latest Cretaceous to Cenozoic NNE- to N-directed motion of the NCA towards Europe in front of the Central Alpine complex created another set of significant contraction structures, which at depth overprinted all previous structures. During Cretaceous to Cenozoic deformation, the NCA experienced about 80 km of shortening, i.e., about 73% along the TRANSALP Profile. The European basement and autochthonous Mesozoic cover beneath the allochthonous NCA thrust sheets and flysch complexes seem to have remained relatively undeformed.

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Ackowledgements

This project was funded by Project no. Ei 210/4-1 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft granted to G.H. Eisbacher. A grant from the Landesgraduiertenförderung Baden-Württemberg helped M. Auer in the initial stage of the project. During our work we profited from fruitful extensive discussions with R. Brandner, W. Frisch, E. Lüschen, T. May, H. Ortner, W. Thöny and M. Wagreich.

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  1. Institut für Geologie, Universität Karlsruhe, Kaiserstr. 12, 76131 , Karlsruhe, Germany

    Matthias Auer & Gerhard H. Eisbacher

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  1. Matthias Auer
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  2. Gerhard H. Eisbacher
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Correspondence to Matthias Auer.

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Auer, M., Eisbacher, G.H. Deep structure and kinematics of the Northern Calcareous Alps (TRANSALP Profile). Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 92, 210–227 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-003-0316-0

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