Palaeomagnetic, palaeobiogeographic and structural comparisons of
different parts of the Alpine-Carpathian region suggest that four
terranes comprise this area: the Alcapa, Tisza, Dacia and Adria
terranes. These terranes are composed of different Mesozoic continental
and oceanic fragments that were each assembled during a complex Late
Jurassic-Cretaceous Palaeogene history. Palaeomagnetic and tectonic
data suggest that the Carpathians are built up by two major oroclinal
bends. The Alcapa bend has the Meliata oceanic unit, correlated with
the Dinaric Vardar ophiolite, in its core. It is composed of the
Western Carpathians, Eastern Alps and Southern Alcapa units
(Transdanubian Range, Bukk). This terrane finds its continuation in the
High Karst margin of the Dinarides. Further elements of the Alcapa
terrane are thought to be derived from collided microcontinents:
Czorsztyn in the N and a carbonate unit (Tisza?) in the SE. The
Tisza-Dacia bend has the Vardar oceanic unit in its core. It is
composed of the Bihor and Getic microcontinents. This terrane finds its
continuation in the Serbo-Macedonian Massif of the Balkans.
The Bihor-Getic microcontinent originally laid east of the Western
Carpathians and filled the present Carpathian embayment in the Late
Palaeozoic-Early Mesozoic. The Vardar ocean occupied an intermediate
position between the Western Carpathian-Austroalpine-Transdanubian-High
Karst margin and the Bihor-Getic-Serbo-Macedonian microcontinent. The
Vardar and Pindos oceans were opened in the heart of the
Mediterranean-Adriatic microcontinent in the Late Permian-Middle
Triassic. Vardar subducted by the end of Jurassic, causing the
Bihor-Getic-Serbo-Macedonian microcontinent to collide with the
internal Dinaric-Western Carpathian margin.
An external Penninic-Vahic ocean tract began opening in the Early
Jurassic, separating the Austroalpine-Western Carpathian microcontinent
(and its fauna) from the European shelf. Further east, the
Severin-Ceahlau-Magura also began opening in the Early Jurassic, but
final separation of the Bihor-Getic ribbon (and its fauna) from the
European shelf did not take place until the late Middle Jurassic.
The Alcapa and the Tisza-Dacia were bending during the
Albian-Maastrichtian. The two oroclinal bends were finally opposed and
pushed into the gates of the Carpathian embayment during the Palaeogene
and Neogene. At that time, the main NS shortening in distant Alpine and
Hellenic sectors was linked by a broader right-lateral shear zone along
the former Vardar suture. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
