Publication Date:
2018-08-24
Description:
Summary
The origin of the Ionian Sea lithosphere and the deep structure of its margins remain a little
investigated part of the Mediterranean Sea. To shed light on the plate tectonic setting in this
central part of southern Europe, R/V METEOR cruise M111 set out to acquire deep penetrating
seismic data in the Ionian Sea. M111 formed the core of an amphibious investigation covering
the Ionian Sea and island of Sicily. A total of 153 OBS/OBH deployments using French and
German instruments were successfully carried out, in addition to 12 land stations installed on
Sicily, which recorded the offshore air gun shots.
The aim of this onshore-offshore study is to quantify the deep geometry and architecture of the
Calabria subduction zone and Ionian Sea lithosphere and to shed light on the nature of the Ionian
Sea crust (oceanic crust vs. thinned continental crust). Investigating the structure of the Ionian
crust and lithospheric mantle will contribute to unravel the unknown ocean-continent transition
and Tethys margin. Analyzing the tectonic activity and active deformation zones is essential for
understanding the subduction processes that underlie the neotectonics of the Calabrian
subduction zone and earthquake hazard of the Calabria/Sicily region, especially in the vicinity of
local decoupling zones.
Type:
Report
,
NonPeerReviewed
Format:
text
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