Episodic exhumation in the Western Alps

Barbara Carrapa, Jan Wijbrans, Giovanni Bertotti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

80 Scopus citations

Abstract

Oligocene to Miocene clastic sediments of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (northwest Italy) were derived from erosion of Western Alps source rocks. Detrital white micas from different stratigraphic units and from sands of three present-day rivers draining the internal Western Alps have been analyzed by 40Ar/39Ar geochronology. Our data suggest a widespread, fast cooling and exhumation event prior to ca. 38 Ma followed by a >30 m.y. period of slower cooling and exhumation combined with erosion of crustal rocks with uniform 40Ar/39Ar signatures. These processes have resulted in a pattern of regularly increasing lag time up section.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)601-604
Number of pages4
JournalGeology
Volume31
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cooling
  • Exhumation
  • Steady state
  • Western Alps

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geology

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