Plate kinematics of the Western Mediterranean region during the Oligocene and Early Miocene

The tectonic history of the Western Mediterranean region during the Oligocene and Early Miocene is illustrated through a series of plate reconstructions, from chron C13n to chron C6n. The reconstructions are based on a new interpretation of published magnetic anomaly data and two-ships seismic data, and their integration with known geological constraints, in order to determine style and timing of the backarc extension processes in the Liguro-Provencal, Valencia and Algerian basins. In particular, a reinterpretation of the regional magnetic anomaly field allowed the calculation of the instantaneous Euler poles associated with the motion of 11 microplates relative to Eurasia and Iberia. Furthermore, a quantitative analysis of the acoustic basement morphology and the balancing of deep crustal profiles were used to estimate the closure and pre-rift rotation angles associated with the Euler poles of opening of the Ligurian, Provencal, Valencia and Algerian basins. This rigorous reconstruction of the geometry of the pre-rift continental margins of Iberia and Eurasia could furnish important insights into the study of Mediterranean tectonics for older times.