Abstract
Neogene tectonic activity (Betic Orogeny) along the southern plate boundary of Iberia, as it converged with Africa and the Alboran Plate was inserted between them, propagated along Iberia's west side as far north as Galicia, northwest Spain. As the activity propagated northward, it reactivated structures formed during the Paleozoic (Hercynian), the Early Cretaceous opening of the northern North Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay, and the Paleogene Pyrenean Orogeny when Iberia collided with Eurasia. Recent earthquakes indicate that this tectonism is still active today as far north as northwest Spain.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boillot G, Auxietre JL, Dunnand JP, Dupeuble PA, Mauffret A (1979) The northwestern Iberian margin: a Cretaceous passive margin deformed during the Eocene. In: Talwani M, Hayes W, Ryan WBF (eds) Deep drilling results in the Atlantic Ocean. Continental margins and paleoenvironment. Maurice Ewing Ser 3. Am Geophys Union, Washington, DC, pp 138–153
Cabral J (1993) Neotectónica de Portugal continental. PhD Thesis, Universidade de Lisboa
Cabral J, Ribeiro A (1988) Mapa neotectónico de Portugal continental. Scale 1:1,000,000. Serviços Geológicos de Portugal
Coppier G, Mougenot D (1982) Stratigraphie sismique et évolution géologique des formations néogènes de la plateforme continental portugaise au Sud de Lisbone. Bull Soc Géol Fr 24:421–431
García-Gil S, Vilas-Martín F, Muñoz A, Acosta J, Uchupi E (1999) Quaternary sedimentation in the Ría de Pontevedra (Galicia), northwest Spain. Coastal Res 15:1083–1090
García-Mondejar J (1996) Plate reconstruction of the Bay of Biscay. Geology 24:635–638
Giner-Robles J, González-Casado JM, Muñoz-Martín A, De Vicente G (1999) Recent tectonic in the northwest region of the Iberian peninsula, an intraplate deformation. In: 11th Meet Assoc Eur Geol Soc Maegs-11, Alicante '99, Abstr & Fieldtrip Guideb, p 17
Groupe Galice (1979) The continental margin off Galicia Bank and Portugal; acoustic stratigraphy, dredged stratigraphy, and structural evolution. In: Sibuet JC, Ryan WBF et al. (eds) Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Project 47B. US Govt Printing Office, Washington, DC, pp 633–662
Jansa LF, Wade JA (1975) Geology of the continental margin off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. In: van der Linden WJM, Wade JA (eds) Offshore geology of eastern Canada, vol 2. Regional geology. Can Geol Surv Pap 74-30:51–105
Lamboy M, Dupeuble PA (1975) Carte géologique continental nord-ouest espagnol entre le canyon Avilès et la frontière portugaise. Bull Soc Géol Fr 17:442–461
Laughton WS, Roberts DG, Graves R (1975) Bathymetry of the North Atlantic. Inst Oceanogr Sci UK, scale 1:2,400,000, sheet 3
Maldonado A (1979) Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic depositional processes and facies in the distal North Atlantic continental margin off Portugal, site 398. In: Sibuet J-C, Ryan WBF et al. (eds) Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project 47(2). US Govt Printing Office, Washington, DC, pp 373–401
Murillas J, Mougenot DG, Boillot G, Comas MC, Banda E, Mauffret A (1990) Structure and evolution of the Galicia Interior Basin (Atlantic western Iberian continental margin). Tectonophysics 184:297–319
Pazos O, Vilas F, Gargía-Gil E, García-Gil S, Nombela MA, Alejo I, Rubio B, Rey D (1994) Holocene tectonic movements in the west coast of Galicia, Spain. Littoral 94:26–29
Rasmussen ES, Lomholt S, Andersen C, Vejbaek OV (1998) Aspects of the structural evolution of the Lusitanian Basin in Portugal and the shelf and slope area offshore Portugal. Tectonophysics 300:199–225
Ribeiro A, Kullberg MC, Manupella JC, Phipps G (1990) A review of Alpine tectonics in Portugal: foreland detachment in basement and cover rocks. Tectonophysics 184:357–399
Rodrigues A, Dias JA, Ribeiro A (1992) First appraisal of active faults in the north Portuguese shelf. Gaia 4:25–30
Rodrigues A, Ribeiro A, Dias JA (1995) Estructuras activas na plataforma continental setentrional: resultados do Projecto Sismar. Universidade do Porto, Fac Ciéncias Mus Lab Geol Mem 4:311–315
Sawyer DS, Shipboard Scientific Party (1993) ODP Leg 149 drills the west Iberia rifted margin. EOS 74:454–455
Uchupi E (1988) The Mesozoic-Cenozoic geologic evolution of Iberia, a tectonic link between Africa and Europe. Rev Soc Geol España 1:257–294
Wilson, RCL, Sawyer DS, Whitmarsh RB, Zerong J (1996) Seismic stratigraphy and tectonic history of the Iberian Abyssal Plain. Proc ODP Sci Results 149:617–633
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the Spanish Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CICYT) under project no. Mar-95-1953. We wish to express our appreciation to the Instituto Español de Oceanografia, Universidade de Vigo and Xunta de Galicia for their help during this investigation. Thanks also are extended to the captain and crew of the B/O Francisco de Paula Navarro for their cooperation during the cruise. The earthquake data for the region were compiled by S.T. Bolmer and W. Robertson V of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution from the United States Geologic Survey National Earthquake Information Center, the World Data Center A for Seismology, and the Council of the National Seismic System (NCSS). R. Gómez and A. Martínez of the Instituto Español de Oceanografia, and D.L. Gray of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution drafted the illustrations. We wish to thank J.A. Austin Jr. for his comments and suggestions during the preparation of this paper. Contribution no. 10936 of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Muñoz, A., Acosta, J. & Uchupi, E. Cenozoic tectonics on the Galicia margin, northwest Spain. Geo-Mar Lett 23, 72–80 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-003-0126-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-003-0126-1