Kinematics of faults between Subbetic Units during the Miocene (central sector of the Betic Cordillera)

The kinematic analysis of the low-angle faults that separate the major units of the Subbetic Zone indicates two main stages of translations. In the first stage, of Burdigalian to basal Tortonian age, the hanging walls moved toward the WSW, and thrusts developed in some sectors of the External Zones. Simultaneously, in the internal Zones, the activity of extensional detachments shows the same kinematics. In the second stage, affecting up to basal Tortonian rocks, northwest-verging thrusts were active. The Subbetic tectonic units probably underwent relative rotation during the development of these structures. (C) 2000 Academie des sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.