Geodynamic model for Alpine intra-plate compressional deformation in Western and Central Europe

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Abstract
Summary: The Mesozoic grabens and wrench induced troughs of Western and Central Europe developed in response to Triassic to Early Cretaceous intra-plate tensional stresses which affected the Arctic — North Atlantic and the Tethys borderlands during the rifting phases preceding the opening of the respective oceans. During the Alpine orogeny, collision-related compressive stresses exerted on the foreland induced the reactiviation of pre-existing fracture systems, and caused the inversion of Mesozoic grabens and the uplifting of major basement blocks at distances up to 1300 km to the north of the present Alpine deformation front. The structural style of these inversion structures is indicative of compression and transpression. Total crustal shortening is unlikely to exceed a few tens of kilometres. These displacements require a coupling between the foreland and the orogen at the Alpine A-subduction zones and, within the foreland, a decoupling at intra-crustal levels between the crust and mantle and/or at deeper lithospheric levels.